Tips: For Spending Quality Time with Your Teen

1. Create a Family Calendar
   Just as you keep a calendar for work, start keeping a calendar of scheduled family time.  You should schedule family events in advance.  Keep those times logged in your date book as you do other engagements.  Be sure to encourage your teenager to make suggestions on what the family can do together and include him/her in making the final decisions.
2. Get Involved
   As a parent, you should become involved in the activities your teenager participates in regularly.  Volunteer to be a coach for your teen’s sport team or Girl/Boy Scout troop leader.  Participate in PTA activities at the school or plan to chaperon a field trip.  Getting involved with your teenager’s activities gives you the opportunity to share untraditional quality time with your child.
3. Involve Children
   As a parent, your busy schedule (work, meetings, deadlines) may often take you away from your teen for a period of time.  If you participate in activities such as golf or tennis, include him/her in a game or two.  If you are scheduled for a business conference out of town, and your budget will allow it, make plans to bring your teenager along. Perhaps time will allow for tours or other city attractions during your down time.
4. Plan Outings
   Family time does not necessarily have to be spent in or around the home.  Pack a backpack and go camping. Plan to schedule exciting outings that include attractions in your hometown or neighboring cities such as amusement parks, museums, etc.
5. Be Interested
   Middle and high school students often come home with assignments or school projects.  Take an interest in their school assignments.  In these ever-changing times, teenagers may take an interest in various hobbies or activities that you are unfamiliar with.  Ask them about these interests.  You may be able to incorporate their hobbies into a family activity. 
6. Take Advantage of Mealtimes
   Mealtime can be one of best times of the day for capturing family time.  Make it a priority to plan a little time during the morning to chat and offer inspiring words before starting the day.  Conventional times allowed families to have dinner together.  Get back to tradition. Make dinnertime a ritual where it is always at a set time during the day and everyone in the family knows how important it is to share dinner together.
7. Acknowledge Generational Trends
   Teens today are apart of the technology age.  They have better and quicker access to more things than perhaps your generation.  Try to relate to and/or understand your teenager’s generational trends, such as clothing and music.  Learn what is attracting his/her attention.
8. Listen/Talk
   Sometimes as adults we become so caught up in our own lives, we don’t hear the things our teenagers are saying.  Take the time to talk with them.  Show them you are interested in hearing what they have to say.  They will appreciate you for it.