5 Easy Ways to Connect with your Teenager
When we think back on our teen years, we think of fond memories with friends and dating. While we may recall family trips or traditions, it’s unlikely that most of us went out of our way to spend time with our parents as a teen.
In just a few short years, your teen is going to be an adult!
Even if you have a stubborn teenager in the house, that doesn’t mean that you can’t connect with them at all. Use these 5 easy ideas for connecting with your teen.
Five easy ways to connect with your teen.
Eat your meals together
Family mealtimes can be a great time to connect and catch up. Even if it’s a short five-minute breakfast, take the time to sit down and have your meals with your kids. Use this time to ask about their day, upcoming calendar activities, or just about life! Instead of asking them the hard topics at mealtime, go for light topics such as a show you watch as a family or even the weather if you need to.
Make car rides count
At some point, you will end up in the car with your teen. Use this time to your advantage! Take the time to talk with your teenager and get to know them a little better. Ask about their life and take a genuine interest in them. If you can, try and schedule a few opportunities for one-on-one time with them in the car. This way, they don’t have to worry about sharing embarrassing things in front of friends or siblings.
Share a hobby or activity
If you are looking to spend more quality time with your teen, consider finding a hobby or activity that you can do together! Not only will this give you some talking points for later, but you’ll be able to do something together! If you aren’t sure where to start, consider choosing a hobby that your teen likes to do first. This will also show them that you are trying to take an interest in things they want to do.
My teens and I love to hike and rock climb, those are great activities that help provide a great space for easy conversation!
If your teen enjoys playing games, games are another great activity for connecting with your teenagers. Its so easy to chat and laugh together over a fun game!
Do family chores together
Chores are inevitable! If your teen is helping out with housework, consider saving your tasks to do with them! If they have to clear the table after dinner and you need to unload the dishwasher, why not do them at the same time? This will give you a chance to talk and connect while accomplishing a common goal.
Listen more than you speak
One of the best ways to connect with your teen is to learn how to listen more than you talk. One of the reasons why it can be so hard to talk to your teen is because they may feel judged or uncomfortable talking to you. Be patient and listen to whatever they tell you! This will make it easy to build a strong bond with your teen, and they are more likely to open up about the hard stuff.
Spending time with your parents might not be cool as a teenager. However, these easy ways to connect will help make the whole process so easy; they won’t realize they’re spending quality time with their parents!
