Tonight with your 13 to 17 year old

The prompt

“What actually helps you come back down when you're feeling really wound up?”

What to listen for

If they can name something specific, music, movement, being alone, talking to someone, it means they've already figured out real tools for managing big feelings, which deserves genuine respect rather than a suggestion to try something different.

If what they name is something you wouldn't have guessed, resist correcting it toward something you'd prefer; what works for them is what matters here, not what looks calmest from the outside.

If they say nothing really helps, that's important to know without panicking, you can gently offer to help them figure something out together, not tonight, just eventually.

What this tells you

This tells you what genuinely helps them feel like themselves again after being overwhelmed, which is useful for both of you going forward.