Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old

The prompt

“Is there a small ritual you and a friend do that means more to you than it probably looks like from outside?”

What to listen for

A specific, fond answer shows a friendship with real depth expressed in small, consistent ways, these tiny rituals often carry more weight than big gestures, and teens rarely get asked to name them out loud. Let them enjoy describing it without minimizing how much it matters.

If they seem a little shy about it, that's normal, some of these rituals feel silly to explain to an adult, so keep your reaction warm rather than amused.

If nothing comes to mind, that's fine, not every friendship needs a defined ritual, plenty run just as deep without one.

What this tells you

This small ritual shows you where they feel effortlessly known and accepted by another person, which is exactly the kind of belonging that steadies them.