Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old
The prompt
“Is there a dream you have that feels a little embarrassing to say out loud?”
What to listen for
If they actually share it, that's a big deal, it means they trust you enough to hand you something unpolished and unprotected, and how you react in this moment will shape whether they do it again.
If they laugh nervously while telling you, that's not them mocking themselves for real, it's just armor while they test the waters, so meet it with warmth, not jokes of your own.
If they say "no, I don't have one" or deflect, don't chase it; just let them know embarrassing dreams are usually the best kind, and leave the door open.
What this tells you
This shows you what they secretly want enough to feel exposed admitting it, which is often closer to their real hopes than anything they say confidently.