Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old
The prompt
“How has your taste in movies or shows changed over the last couple years, like what used to hook you that doesn't anymore?”
What to listen for
If they can trace a clear shift, they're aware of their own growth and comfortable narrating how they've changed, which shows a healthy, evolving sense of self.
If they say "I don't know, I still like the same stuff," that's fine too, not everyone's taste needs to shift dramatically, and consistency can be its own comfort.
Watch for what they say they're drawn to now, themes of independence, romance, humor, darker stories, it often hints at what's occupying their mind lately.
What this tells you
The shift in what stories interest them tells you what they're currently curious about or working through in their own life.