Four Activities You Can Do with Your Teen in Quarantine
Being cooped up in quarantine as a family can be hard after a while, especially with teens who are coming obsessed with social media, their only contact with their much-needed friends. While it is wonderful for parents and teens to give each other space, mental as well as physical, during these times, it is also important to stay connected, to find positive ways to relate to one another that can create good memories.
Below are four activities that you can all engage in to do just that;
WORK OUT TOGETHER: you can kill two birds with one stone by having them teach you a workout. Teens have no problem identifying parents’ deficits, so why not have them identify what they feel you need to work on to look better and be healthier. Dad, is your gut hanging over your belt? Mom, do you groan when you get up out of a chair? Once they have identified your areas for improvement, they can research what exercises target those body parts and then lead you in a workout, three to five times a week! This could end up being a time of laughter as well as a healthy activity that raises everyone’s endorphins (our “happy” brain hormones)!
REDESIGN THEIR ROOM: This can be a fun family activity, tapping into your teen’s creative along with utilizing some muscle and work. Parents’ role is to set the cost and the boundaries, such as, for example, no all black walls. Work with them on brainstorming themes for their room and have them research what they can do, such as get decals, borders, choose paint colors, refurbish furniture, check-out DIY videos. Then you can all work together to make it happen!
HOLD A COOKING CONTEST: It can be one meal and everyone researches and chooses their own recipe, such “who makes the best lasagna” or a themed dinner: one teen chooses the menu and recipes and the family works out who does what, including food prep, shopping, etc. The more creative teens can add table décor, etc.
PARENT INTERVIEW: have your kids be “journalists” who are interviewing you for a magazine. It can be a themed magazine such as something in the music field, or a magazine like TIME that profiles a personality, except YOU are the subject. This is their chance to come up with questions that allows them to get to know you better- it could be anything (within appropriate boundaries that you set ahead of time) about when you were their age, dating, rebellious moments, etc. or even younger than that; favorites, etc. Let them decide- what don’t they know about you as people and what would they want to know now that they have the opportunity!
Yes, too much togetherness can cause irritability, but engaging in fun things as a family can create bonding memories that will last a lifetime!