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Trips to practices and other activities can offer parents something more valuable than transportation: a regular opportunity to connect with their children and check on their well-being.

Dr. Asha Patton-Smith, a board-certified child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist with Kaiser Permanente in Falls Church, Virginia, said the car can be a powerful setting for building that connection.

The seating arrangement may help. Because drivers and passengers usually face forward instead of looking directly at each other, children may feel less anxious and more willing to discuss difficult subjects.

Car rides also provide a defined window for conversation, with parents and children sharing the same space until they reach their destination.

Patton-Smith recommends making at least part of each ride screen-free. Parents can set the example by putting away their phones, switching off the radio and removing other distractions.

For a 20-minute drive, families might begin with five or 10 minutes devoted to conversation. Simple, open-ended questions such as “How was your day?” can start the exchange.

If a child only says the day was “fine,” parents can ask more specific questions: What was the best part? What was the worst? What would they do differently?

The response matters as much as the question. Patton-Smith advises parents to listen without interrupting or immediately trying to solve the problem. Reactions should feel genuine rather than rehearsed, hurried or empty.

If a child does not want to talk, parents can allow some silence before checking in again. A gentle follow-up can acknowledge the reluctance while asking whether everything is all right.

Parents should also watch for possible signs of stress or anxiety, including major behavioral changes or declining grades.

Consistency across multiple rides can gradually make these conversations more natural. Over time, children may become comfortable discussing more serious or uncomfortable subjects.

Those small, repeated efforts can help children feel safe—and, most importantly, heard.