Teens
Ages 13-18
The years of wonder and structure
Our theme this month is memory care, Helping people that has Alzheimers, Dementia and LBD an amazing experience at any age. How can your teen help? Most schools have a certain amount of volunteer hours High School students have to complete to graduate. Memory Care facilities are the perfect place for that. Have you teen do someone’s hair, make-up, sing a song, play a instrument or read a book to the residents at the facility. This will bring a smile to the residence while showing your teen that compassion, patients and humility always wins in life.
Read Together
Start a book club. I know what your thinking “How am I going to get my teen to read a book with me?” What is your teen interested in? In a few years they will be out on their own in collage or working. So what do they want to do? This is your chance as a parent to help and guild where they want to go and what they want to do with their life. They don’t need to decide tomorrow but at least you can start helping them get an idea what it takes to get there. The library is an amazing place for recourses on different career idea’s.
History
These are the years to start really introducing culture to your teens. You’ve been teaching them about yours so now start teaching them about everyone else’s. Go out and find a place you’ve never taken them, but do your research before and find the background of the place. Talk to them about it. Have fun with it. It doesn’t need to cost you anything. Pack a lunch. If you haven’t talked about your family history tell them. Tell Them!! They will never know how your parents met or what your ancestors used to do for work unless you tell them. They will be the ones passing these stories on to their children someday.
Hands- Off?
You’ve made it through the nightly feedings, potty training, and training wheels. Now is your time to let your teen ride the bike on their own. Teen years are the prefect opportunity to have your teen start doing more adult duties like taking over a bank account, managing a few bills for the house, making sure everything is locked up at night. As your children become more independent teenager’s they need to start understanding trust, responsibility, and money management.
Family Always
It’s hard to get a teen to open up about things or to talk to them about things. The one thing you can both relate to for sure is family. Get the old pictures out. Show them how your family was always together. Show them how your family laughed and cried together. Show them that family is a bond that can never be broken. Show them that family will love even if they have different beliefs, or have a different take on things. Show them that at the end of the day family is what makes your heart full. Tell them and remind them constantly how much you love them and show them they are irreplaceable to you. Why? These are the years they need to know and hear it the most. Be that parent that leads by example and shows that loving them will always be the first and only priority and prove your family always no matter where life takes them.