Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old

The prompt

“When you picture yourself at 25, what does that life actually look like?”

What to listen for

A vivid, specific picture shows they're starting to imagine themselves as a real future adult, not just a kid marking time, that's healthy identity-building happening right in front of you.

If the picture is vague or borrowed from a show or a person they admire, that's completely normal at this age, dreams are still assembled from whatever inspiration is closest at hand.

If they say they never think about it, that's fine too, some kids find that far-off to imagine. Ask what they picture for next year instead, which is a more reachable stretch.

What this tells you

This shows you the shape of the future your child is quietly building for themselves in their head.