Parenting Tips for the Summer
As a former educator, I found the end of the school year bittersweet. I’d spent the last 9 months or so with kids that I’d grown to care about and it was hard to say goodbye. And at the same time, whew!! I was ready for a much needed break. As the parent of an adolescent, it was also bittersweet. As a single parent, I didn’t always have the financial resources to take vacations. But because I had the summers off, I looked forward to spending more leisure time with my son, but I also knew that summer break could be stressful. Being a kid, he was more interested in spending his free time with friends than with me. He also believed that summer meant freedom from rules. As his mom, I knew that structure, responsibilities, and balancing time with friends and family was important to his mental health (as well as my own!).
As a therapist, I have seen the negative impact that a lack of structure and responsibility has on the teen and their family. At school there is always something going on, and when the summer break hits, teenagers may become bored quickly. Boredom increases irritability, depression, and anxiety. It can lead to conflict with family as well as friends. Below are some ways I found to alleviate the stress of summer break.
Have a family meeting and discuss the expectations for the summer.
Topics to cover include chores, curfew, upcoming vacations, time management, limits on technology use, rules for when friends come over or they go to a friend’s home.
Be sure to give your teen the opportunity for input. An important developmental task in adolescence is learning to become autonomous and be wise decision makers.
Brainstorm family activities and let your teen be the decision maker for several family activities. Even if you don’t have the resources for a long vacation, there are many activities close to home that are free or budget friendly. Going for a walk, shooting hoops, tossing the football or soccer ball around, outdoor concerts, or teaching your teen to grill steaks-these are just a few activities that will encourage interaction and physical activity. Something my son and I did when he was in elementary school and I didn’t have a lot of money was to take play money and wander Crown Center or the Plaza and see what we would want to buy! My adult son has shared with me what a great memory he has of those “shopping sprees”!
Encourage your child to bring friends to your home. Although older kids don’t need (or want!) parents to set up play dates, it is important that your teen knows that friends are welcome in your home. Plan with your child some get togethers with their friends, such as game or movie night, backgammon tournaments, art activities, etc.
Local Family Activities
The local parks and recreation department can offer lots of family friendly activities. Below are links to the areas parks and recreation departments.
