Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old

The prompt

“When you picture your life down the road, is there a part of it that looks pretty different from how we live now?”

What to listen for

If they describe something different confidently, that's a sign of a strong, forming sense of self, they're not just assuming they'll copy the model they grew up with, and that's healthy, not a rejection of you.

If they seem nervous to answer, reassure them there's no wrong answer here; differences in how they want to live aren't a judgment on how you've lived.

If they say it looks pretty much the same, that's just as valid, some teens find real comfort in the life they know, and that's worth appreciating too.

What this tells you

This shows you how they're starting to separate their own future from ours, which is exactly what growing up is supposed to look like.