Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old

The prompt

“Is there a game or activity we've done that you'd want to make a regular thing?”

What to listen for

If they name something fast, that's a clear signal, they want more shared fun with you, not just serious talks, and saying yes to it tells them their idea matters enough to actually happen. Try to actually schedule it, even loosely.

If they shrug or can't think of anything, don't take it personally, it might just mean nothing's come to mind yet, not that they don't want closeness with you.

Either way, the ask itself matters, it tells them playing together is something you value, not just a box to check between the "real" conversations.

What this tells you

Whatever they pick shows you what kind of shared joy currently feels good and low-pressure to them, which is exactly the glue that keeps trust warm.