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Quality Time with Your Teen
By Gwen Morrison
With the demands of work obligations for both teenagers and parents, it is becoming more difficult to spend mealtimes together. If this is a problem in your home, there are other ways to interact with your adolescents and keep connected. Here are some ways to spend quality time:
- Take them with you for a drive. If they are ready to drive, go somewhere and practice with them. If you are driving, this is a great time to open up a conversation.
- Take your teen to a movie that they want to see.
- Go for coffee (or tea) once a week even for just 30 minutes. This is a great opportunity to find out what is going on with their life.
- Go shopping at their favorite mall.
- Have them help you with a home project: re-papering the bath or painting the kitchen. Teens really do love to help. It makes them feel like you trust them.
- Cook with your teenager. This is a great way to share a meal and teach them to cook. It can be a lot of fun, too.
- Go to a concert or sporting event with your teen.
- Take your teen to work for the day.
- Pitch a tent in the backyard and escape the rest of the family for a night.
- Go for a nature walk or a hike; pack a lunch, a radio and a sense of adventure.
- Make one day per month "all about them" day; let them choose their favorite meal and activity for the day.
- Rent movies and stay up late
- Go to the music store with them; let them show you what kind of music they like. (Be interested, even if you don't like it!)
- Spend a Saturday morning at the flea market or garage sales. Give them a few bucks and dare them to find the best bargain.
- Volunteer with your teenager. Go to Volunteer Match to find great opportunities to help others in need.
- Plan a monthly "family night" where you play board games, cards or just hang out and watch movies together.