Unusual Outings Improve Relations with Teens
Scheduled Sessions to do Unique Things Bring Better Family Times
Teenagers enjoy novelty. It is a fact that drives millions of dollars into marketing the latest trend, fad or gadget. Part of the development process is an innate drive for new experiences. As teenagers become more and more aware of the familiar and safe, they naturally begin to explore new areas.
For once, a clue to the mindset of American youth can be found in applying the same tactics as corporate America. Create something different, not even necessarily new nor improved, and teens will be interested. The novice experience may end up having any given number of consequences when left in the hands of teens alone. However, parents can control the outcome in their favor.
Scheduling Time with Your Teenager
Making it a point to set aside a specific period each week for spending time with teens is the first step. Next, have the goal of experiencing something new together. This can lead to greater levels of trust, communication and genuine knowing between you and your teen.
Begin by addressing the challenge of finding an open time shared between both you and your teenager. Of course, you have a hectic schedule. Between work, home duties and social demands, slivers of your calendar may be hard to come by. Your teen is likely to be just as busy with his or her jobs of learning, earning and burning his or her own social calendar.
Let your teen know you want to spend time with him or her and you need assistance in making it happen. You may catch a sideways glance, but go ahead and pull out your calendar. Ask your teenager to bring out his or her schedule as well. When it looks like you have an opening every other week that matches your teen's availability, pick the date and time. Make a point of noting it as you would any important date.
Try Something Completely Different to Make Times Special
Next, it is time to begin generating activity ideas. A good place to start is to brainstorm with your teen and each come up with five activities. Exchange lists with your teen and see what comes close to a possible match. A few ideas include:
- Taking a walk in an unfamiliar historic neighborhood.
- Trying a craft class with an art form neither of you have experience with.
- Attending a sporting event for a local semi-pro team.
- Going to a seminar or class about going “green”.
- Viewing a foreign language film.
- Enjoying a trip to an unusual ethnic food restaurant.
The whole aim is to find something you are slightly uncomfortable with in order to make the moment memorable. As the parent, take the lead in doing the planning for the first couple of events. When your teen sees you are serious about the idea, then hand the choices over to him or her. Be enthusiastic about the choices he or she makes and encourage him or her to think outside of the box. If you have a few false starts, keep trying to generate events and focus on keeping the appointed time available.
Increasing the time you spend with your teenager and increasing the experiences you have with him or her builds a wider base for your relationship to develop. That development will continue not only through the teen years but into adulthood as well. The more varied you can make things you do, the better the investment of your time.
Unique Fun with Teens
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