Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old

The prompt

“Have you ever disagreed with a teacher or coach and had to figure out how to handle it?”

What to listen for

If they tell the story with some pride, it means they trust their own judgment even when it's up against an authority figure, and they want you to see that as strength, not defiance.

If they describe holding back or just going along with it, that's useful too, it tells you they might need more practice or encouragement to speak up for themselves when it counts.

If they mention feeling like it didn't go well, resist jumping in to fix or relitigate it, just let them know you're glad they told you, and ask what they'd do differently, if anything.

What this tells you

This shows you how they navigate disagreeing with authority while it still matters what that authority thinks of them.