7 Bonding Activities You and Your Teen Can Enjoy Together

The teen years tend to be challenging for parents and children. The teen wishes to spread his or her wings and the parent still wants to have enough control to ensure they produce responsible adults. As a result, disputes often arise. Nevertheless, there are numerous bonding activities that can bring the parent and child together in a fun setting. Following are seven activities you may wish to try with your teen.

Movie Night

Plan a weekly movie night with your child. This gives you some time alone together but doesn’t force you to spend hours talking to each other. Enjoy the time spent in the car on the way to and from the movie and watch a film, you both love. This provides a topic of conversation if you find you struggle in this area also.

Spa Day

Spend the day at the spa with your daughter. Not only will you both come out looking and feeling great but you’ll have fun while taking part in the different treatments. Make this a regular part of your schedule, even if you do nothing more than have a manicure, and see your relationship change for the better.

Have a Staycation

A staycation doesn’t mean you have to take a whole week off and sit around doing nothing. A staycation may simply be a day where you skip work and your child misses school so you can simply spend time together. Watch a movie, go grab lunch, or do some shopping. The fact that he or she was allowed to miss school will make this a special day to remember.

Hit the Gym

While your child may not want to take part in a Zumba or Yoga class, this doesn’t mean you can’t work out together. Head to the gym and use the ellipticals or treadmills. Talk about a tv show you enjoy or a concert you would both love to attend. Kids often share more when they don’t have to look at the parent in the face, and this is a great way to approach topics that may be sensitive.

Get Outside

When the weather turns warm, grab your teen and head out for a walk. Spend this time talking about any topic your teen desires, whether it be clothing, school, or a film they want to see. Thanks to the nice weather, which may have been a ten-minute walk could end up lasting an hour or more as you enjoy the warm weather and the conversation.

Take In a Ball Game

Does your child love sports? Secure tickets to a local event in their sport of choice. This doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune to get tickets to a professional game. Simply reserve seats at a high school or college game or match and enjoy the time you spend together watching the team play.

Breakout Games

Escape room adventures are a fun activity for parents and children. Furthermore, this is a great way to spend time with your son or daughter’s friends. Invite a friend and his or her parent along to make your way through the puzzles and break out of the room. Everyone will have a great time and you get to know the child and parent better without the need for a great deal of small talk.

These are only a few of the countless ways you can bond with your teen today. Give one or more of these activities a try to see how it helps you move close to your child once again. Although it is important to give a child some freedom during the teen years, your son or daughter still needs you. Keep this in mind and find the right balance between being the parent and being someone they love to spend time with. You won’t regret it when you see how your relationship benefits from the time spent engaging in these activities.