By ShaRonda Amon, Coalition Coordinator
As a parent, the teenage years can be a balancing act. For their teenagers to develop into successful adults, parents will need to give them more freedom to make their own decisions. It is also necessary for parents to guide their teens and give them the tools they need to make the right choices. When your teenager is in this challenging stage of his or her life, it is crucial for parents to spend quality time with them to foster an open dialogue.
Spending family bonding time together ensures a healthy and close relationship with your teen. The summer is the perfect time to bond with family. During the school year, everyone is busy with work, studying, sports, and other after-school activities. The summer gives you more opportunities to have fun together as a family and have conversations that would not normally come up in our daily lives.
Taking part in activities together strengthens the relationship between parent and child. Have picnics or go for a long walk or a hike. Bring conversation starter questions to help get the ball rolling. Being in a different environment helps teens feel more comfortable talking about difficult topics like drug use and sex. By having those tough conversations with your teens, you can prevent their future use of drugs and alcohol.
Try to find activities that everyone enjoys or find a new activity that everyone can try for the first time. Watching movies or binging a tv show together can spark discussions about your life or create teachable moments. Make a meal together using a family recipe and tell stories of your childhood.
Family bonding is not just for your child. Spending quality time with your family can help reduce stress and improve your mental health. It also provides a sense of belonging. As teens get older, they naturally gravitate more toward their friends. This can make the parent feel unappreciated and isolated from their children. Family time helps parents and teens maintain and nurture their connections.
Interested in learning more about this topic? Check out our other blogs to learn more about parenting today.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska