- Spend quality time
- Making new memories
- Apprenticeship
Our children are our future. They need us most when they are young, and we need them most when we are old–the basic principle of sowing and reaping. Take time today to get to know your teenager better.
Being a mom of three teenagers, I’ve been enjoying the time we have with our teenagers at home during this pandemic season. I take this time as an opportunity to spend with them before they finish up their high school/college, and they are off to University. Time flies, and before we know it, they do not have much time to spend with us. I make the best of our current situation by being present for them and making their homeschooling experience comfortable and enjoyable. Although I homeschooled my children during their younger years for ten years before they went to high school, this time it is easier on me as they log in to their school and do online classes with their teacher. Here are some ways I reach out to them.
1: Spend quality time
Growing teens have a lot on their minds and need someone to talk to and listen to their ideas, no matter how crazy it sounds. They like to bounce off ideas and discuss ways of turning impossibilities to possibilities. All they need is a good listener. Be interested in them and get to know them. The effective way of understanding them is to listen and ask them to share more about themselves. It is in our nature as parents to continually be giving advice and corrections, but we have to allow them some space for them to share freely and for them to be themselves in a safe environment - home. My teenagers love to talk, and they are always sharing ideas, especially during meal times around the dining table. I also make an effort to spend time individually with each child. I teach my youngest to play the piano. He prefers me to teach him every night instead of once a week, and I am happy to do so because I get to spend time with him as he plays the piano and we sing together, learning new songs. In the evenings, I spend time with my elder son as we do our stretching and workout. He is my fitness trainer. My daughter and I spend most of our time together in the kitchen, cooking and baking. She is such a good cook. We love spending time doing things together.
2: Make new memories
We are making new memories. Plan activities by being intentional in making new memories. The lockdown will end, and our children will be back to school, we will all be busy running about our lives. Now that we are home all the time let us be intentional in building rapport with our families. Plan fun family activities, playing board games, learning to bake or cook or having a movie night. One of our favourite times in the kitchen is when we learn a new recipe together. Most importantly is to enjoy and have fun together, we are making new memories that we can look back on one day and laugh!
3: Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship. Take this opportunity to train our teenagers with some life skills or living skills. Instead of giving instructions and nagging them to do chores or kitchen work, think of it as an apprenticeship. My boys are learning to cook and make smoothies. We work with them. Teenagers love teamwork. We do our errands together, and everyone has a part to play. We have this saying in our family, “If one person is working, everyone else helps.” That is what families do. I also take this time to teach them baking and cooking. As we work together, we talk, laugh and share the moment. Be intentional to make it an enjoyable time, not a chore.
Conclusion
Our children are our future. They need us most when they are young, and we need them most when we are old–the basic principle of sowing and reaping. Take time today to get to know your teenager better.
God bless you.