Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old

The prompt

“What's something you're actually proud of that has nothing to do with school or grades?”

What to listen for

If they answer quickly and with pride, it means they've built a sense of worth that doesn't depend on grades or approval from adults grading them, that's a strong, healthy sign.

If they struggle to think of something, it might mean school has crowded out other parts of their identity lately; you don't need to fix that tonight, just notice it.

A joking or self-deprecating answer might still be a real answer underneath, take it seriously even if they deliver it lightly.

What this tells you

This tells you what part of their identity they've built entirely on their own terms, outside of anyone else's scorecard.