It's sometimes difficult to find ways to be involved with your teen without totally intruding in his/her life. You want to talk to them, they don't want to talk to you (most of the time anyway). I've found the best way to connect with my teenage daughter is to enter her world and do the things she likes to do. There's a saying that if you want to understand your child's world you have to play with them, no matter how old they are.
You don't always have to be even directly interacting with your teen in order to be involved in their world. Just being around the same influences they are, and taking an interest in their activities, lets them know that you care and that you understand what they deal with from day to day. Then later, at home, you can talk about the things you have experienced together. It's a great way to connect. Here are some ways my teenage daughter and I have spent time together:
As you can see, not all of these activities involve me actually talking to and hanging out with my daughter. You know as well as I do that our teens don't always want us hanging around them. I'm happy for the time I do get to spend with my daughter, for the little time I have left with her. When we have things in common my daughter is much more likely to talk to me and share her feelings with me. When I don't know what she experiences, it is very hard for me to relate what she is going through. These shared experiences have opened up many more opportunities for us to share and connect that we wouldn't otherwise have.
About The Author
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For more inspirational articles and tips for everyday living, visit her web sites at http://www.creativehomemaking.com and http://www.christian-parent.com
The choices are mind numbing. Walk into any toy store... Read More
If your child is to derive the benefits of physical... Read More
(Excerpted from Jim Rohn's 2004 Weekend Leadership Event)You have to... Read More
The formula is pretty straightforward: energy in/energy out. This is... Read More
If you spend any time in the parenting section of... Read More
Here are fourteen spontaneous time-outs, specially designed to help you... Read More
Children and teenagers are relentlessly bombarded with merchandise that entices.... Read More
Maintain CommunicationEven though teens need to separate from their parents... Read More
In seminars I am often asked about pocket-money and whether... Read More
Finding out that a child has been born with a... Read More
Many children who suffer from the psychological effects of child... Read More
Checking accounts are an absolute necessity these days. You can... Read More
If you are a member of a stepfamily, you know... Read More
Several similar terms describe the central attribute of a character... Read More
1. New Word of the DayIntroduce your preschooler to a... Read More
When we talk about attention, we are talking about two... Read More
Corolle Paul or Emma Drink-and-Wet SET potty dollsThis is the... Read More
Back in college, I wrote for a five-day-a-week, award-winning campus... Read More
She slipped her small, soft eight-year-old hand into mine. Her... Read More
Who Can Register A Birth? The child's mother... Read More
All of us, including your child, entered this world equipped... Read More
Think back to your own childhood. Chances are, some of... Read More
Q: Whenever we tell my daughter "no," she just bugs... Read More
You do what you can to keep your little ones... Read More
Kids today no longer live the kind of privileged lives... Read More
Having been a parent educator and a PBS consultant for... Read More
The Flow of WaterWater is essential for life on the... Read More
The key to lifelong learning is reading and writing. When... Read More
On a bright Sunday morning, a couple of weeks ago,... Read More
For many years underparenting was perhaps the biggest problem facing... Read More
Nanny 911 Interview with Montel WilliamsI saw an interview with... Read More
I was changing Ford's diaper the other day when he... Read More
Children bombard parents with many challenging behaviours. We are delighted... Read More
Under the "No Child Left Behind Act," public schools whose... Read More
21 Reasons I Love Being A DadWhat you will read... Read More
Early childhood educators have called play "children's work". Many parents... Read More
The distressed adolescent often has feelings of abandonment, emotional detachment,... Read More
Impulsivity is one of the hallmarks of people with Attention... Read More
Did you know that inconsistency on matters of discipline gives... Read More
You have a chore to do around the house, and... Read More
There are a lot of sophisticated parenting theories and techniques... Read More
If you were to ask 100 parents why they think... Read More
My kids just can't get enough of playing games with... Read More
While most fathers aspire to become the best Dads they... Read More
The First Reason: For one thing, child development experts are... Read More
How would you like to have a closer relationship with... Read More
Most research into children's friendships shows that those children who... Read More
Very often, new parents rely on a parenting tip or... Read More
There is nothing pleasant about failure, at least not at... Read More
1. Encourage Questions.Don't answer every question, instead ask what do... Read More
Parents of teenagers frequently ask what can be done to... Read More
In the wonderment of childhood, it is easier for a... Read More
Are you considering a car wash fundraiser for your group?... Read More
There are a few points about shyness in children which... Read More
Back to school preparations are in full-swing. Soon, the first... Read More
Children think money grows on trees. Maybe not literally, but... Read More
Do any other reality TV junkies remember a show on... Read More
Q: A parent writes in to ask, "You write a... Read More
The first year of a child's life is the most... Read More
Self-reliance and potential are two very important values that I'd... Read More
There are two methods for teaching children to read; whole... Read More
Giving with a happy heart. If you teach a child... Read More
It was no contest. Given a choice between a ball... Read More
Let's face it.The job market is getting tougher every day.Computerization... Read More
Emotional OverloadMany single parents say they deal with a variety... Read More
For the most positive daycare experience for your child, partner... Read More
Parenting |