Public preview

Tell Me More

Replace investigative "why?" questions with the invitation "tell me more" to open the story.

8 min Beginner

Goal

Build a linguistic habit that makes the child feel his words are wanted for themselves, not as part of an interrogation.

Steps

1

Notice how many times you said "Why?" to your child today — to a small child this word sounds accusatory.

4 more steps locked

Expected Outcome

Immediate

The conversation runs twice its usual length — because you removed the "why" gate.

Evidence base

School: Faber-Mazlish + Motivational Interviewing

Founders: Adele Faber · Elaine Mazlish · William Miller (1980)

A blend of Faber & Mazlish techniques and Miller's motivational interviewing, which prefers open prompts over accusatory "why."

Frequently asked questions

How long does "Tell Me More" take?

This exercise takes about 8 minutes, practiced with another person in a Inner dialogue format.

When will I notice the effect of "Tell Me More"?

The conversation runs twice its usual length — because you removed the "why" gate. In the short term: Within ten days, the child starts explaining motives voluntarily, before you ask.

Is "Tell Me More" evidence-based?

Yes — it draws on Faber-Mazlish + Motivational Interviewing (Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish, William Miller (1980)). A blend of Faber & Mazlish techniques and Miller's motivational interviewing, which prefers open prompts over accusatory "why."

Is "Tell Me More" suitable for beginners?

Its difficulty level is: Beginner. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.

Subscribe for full access

Subscribe to Plus for full access to this practice and the whole catalogue, or try first — free, no sign-in, no commitment.

Interactive practice locked · 4 more steps locked

7 complete practices (one per domain) are free forever, no sign-in.