As you listen to your child in an emotional moment, be aware that sharing simple observations usually works better than asking questions to get a conversation rolling. You may ask your child "Why do you feel sad?" and she may not have a clue. As a child, she may not have an answer on the tip of her tongue. Maybe she's feeling sad about her parents' arguments, or because she feels overtired, or she's worried about a piano recital. But she may or may not be able to explain any of this. And even when she does come up with an answer, she might be worried that the answer is not good enough to justify the feeling. Under these circumstances, a series of questions can just make a child silent. It's better to simply reflect what you notice. You can say, "You seem a little tired today," or, "I noticed that you frowned when I mentioned the recital," and wait for her response.