Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old
The prompt
“Is there a dream job you'd never admit to wanting out loud because it sounds unrealistic?”
What to listen for
If they share it, even hesitantly, they're trusting you with something vulnerable, meet it with genuine interest, not practicality or gentle discouragement, so they feel safe to want big things.
If they say "no, not really," that might mean they've already talked themselves out of dreaming that way, worth leaving an open, judgment-free door for it to resurface later.
Whatever they name, resist the urge to immediately assess feasibility, tonight is about them feeling safe to want it, not about a career plan.
What this tells you
The dream they're afraid to say out loud shows you what they truly want, before doubt or practicality got involved.