Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old

The prompt

“What does respect look like to you, even in the middle of an argument?”

What to listen for

A thoughtful answer here shows they're developing a real standard for how disagreement should feel, even when emotions run high, that's them wanting conflict handled with dignity, not dominance, from both sides. Take their standard seriously as a guide for your own behavior too.

If they mention things like not yelling, not bringing up old stuff, or being allowed to finish a sentence, these are concrete and usable, try to actually hold yourself to them next time tempers flare.

If they say arguments never feel respectful, that's hard to hear but important, ask gently what would help, without getting defensive about the past.

What this tells you

Their definition of respect during conflict shows you exactly what they need from you to feel safe disagreeing, without it costing them the relationship.