Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old
The prompt
“Is there a habit you're trying to build this year?”
What to listen for
If they name something concrete, notice whether it's about self-improvement, health, or a skill, that tells you what they feel motivated to work on for themselves, not because anyone's telling them to.
If they mention struggling to stick with it, resist the urge to offer a system or a lecture on discipline; just ask what's made it hard, and let them think out loud about their own obstacles.
If nothing comes to mind, that's completely fine, habits don't have to be a constant project, and you can leave the question open for another night.
What this tells you
This shows you what they're choosing to invest effort in right now, which is a real signal of their own values and self-direction.