While the kids are younger, it was relatively easy to keep them entertained, but once the puberty kicks in, all the rules of the game are changed. To make things even more difficult, as soon as the summer break starts, your teen will likely want to do nothing but play video games and go to the mall (whatever the hell it is that they are so hyped about over there). Of course, dragging them along wherever you see fit is always an option, but there are ways to engage your teen while keeping everyone in your family happy.
Encourage them to get a summer job
Every teenager has wishes, and “wishes” usually translates to “money”; a lot of money, in fact. Everyone knows that buying your kids everything they want is a terrible parenting move, but here’s an interesting proposal: tell them that you’ll pay half the money for whatever they might want. This will encourage them to start thinking about getting a job, plus they’ll be unable to ask for extremely expensive stuff (if they want a $20,000 car, they simply won’t be able to earn that money).
Help them learn a skill
…but never one that they are particularly against learning. Tell them that whatever it is, you’ll pay for it in full, so long as it’s a skill that they’re going to gain. If they are interested in music, ask them which instrument they’d like to play and buy them a cheap one. If they’re into visual arts, ask them what they need and they shall get it. Thinking out of the box, however, is encouraged here. For example, if your kid is passionate about gaming, do not let prejudice guide you – there are many fun ways of turning video gaming into a useful skill that can even become a profession.
Do not pressure them during summer break
Of course, at times, it is your duty to pressure your child in some regard, for their own good. Holiday, however, is never good timing for pressuring. First of all, regardless of how much you want your kid to do something, think long and hard about how important having a vacation is, especially for teens.You need to be suggestive, rather than persuasive – approach your teen with an idea, ask him or her if he or she is interested, if not, move on. This will teach them about what being your own boss means later in life – sure, you plan your own schedule, but without doing anything constructive, you’re going to start feeling useless.
Let them go
If your kid is up for going to a vacation as an entire family, well that’s perfect, but if they want to try and go at it alone, give them a push – this can be of tremendous importance for their future life. Naturally, you can’t really send them on an unsupervised adventure trip, but luckily there many safe, fun and engaging trips to choose from. For example, applying for schoolies 2018 now can land you with a great deal, and your teen will get a unique opportunity to meet and interact with his or her peers with a lot of added benefits.
Do home chores together
This summer vacation is a perfect moment to start adjusting your teen to the fact that everyone in your home has to do their fair share of housework. Start with easy and short tasks, such as vacuuming the home entrance, or putting the dishes into the dishwasher. Keep in mind that the most important thing here is making this fun for them. Take housework on together, as a family. Play some music in the background and let your kid have a say in what is being played, even if it’s death metal, suck it up and think about what dad rock song you’re going to play next. This is basically bonding made fun and useful!
Spending a fun summer vacation doesn’t mean you teen hanging out in his or her locked room, watching movies, TV shows and playing video games. Do your best to make them get out and do something entertaining and useful, but make sure that you avoid pressuring them, because it won’t do anyone any good. With good spirits and a relaxed mood, every chore can turn into a blast!
What do you think?
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