Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old
The prompt
“Is there a boundary you held onto even when it felt uncomfortable, that you're proud of?”
What to listen for
A confident answer here is huge, it means they've practiced standing up for themselves and it worked, which builds the exact kind of self-trust that keeps them safe later in bigger moments. Celebrate this specifically and genuinely.
If they downplay it, or say it wasn't a big deal, gently point out that it actually was, teens often underrate their own wins in this area.
If nothing comes to mind, you might mention a small moment you noticed yourself, framed as admiration, not as a quiz they failed.
What this tells you
This story shows you they're building the muscle of trusting their own limits, and how much they need your visible pride in that rather than just your protection.