The older my daughter gets the more it's sinking in that I don't have much time left to spend with her! She's turning 16 in a couple of months, and I know I won't be seeing her much after she gets her driver's license.
It's hard to find things to do with your teenage daughter. You might be busy, they might have better things to do...I encourage you not to let this time slip away from you. Our interests may be very different from theirs, but there's always things you can do to bridge the gap.
If you have more than one daughter, then make sure they each get their special time alone with you. I have found that these activities are also great for bonding with teens you want to reach out to and build relationships with, like a step-daughter.
I've done all of the following activities with my daughter and/or step-daughter and haven't regretted a moment. Someday I will be able to look back and appreciate the moments we shared, and I hope they will too.
1. Take your dog(s) on a walk together.
2. Cook dinner together, letting her choose the menu and help shop for the ingredients.
3. Pick her up from school and take her out to lunch, even if she misses part of a class.
4. Drive to the closest big city for the night, stay in a hotel, and spend all the next day shopping and sightseeing, taking time to stop for lunch at an outdoor cafe.
5. Read the same book together and talk about it when you're done reading it.
6. Do a scriptural book study together.
7. Get up early on a Saturday morning, go get coffee, and spend the morning going to yard sales or looking through thrift shops or dollar stores.
8. Make cookies together to give to a friend.
9. Make holiday gifts together to give to friends and family. Visit http://www.crafty-moms.com for easy craft ideas.
10. Go with your daughter to the concert of her choice.
11. Buy her the materials to start a high school scrapbook. Work on your scrapbooks while she works on hers.
12. Join a local fitness club and work out together. My daughter and I joined a local women's gym that is very inexpensive ($40/month for both of us). We get up at 5:00 a.m. three days a week to go exercise before she goes to school and I go to work.
13. Go to the local video store and rent a couple of "chick flicks" to enjoy together in the comfort of your home. Kick the men out of the house and lounge around in your pajamas.
About The Author
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For more inspirational articles and tips for everyday living, visit her web sites at http://www.crafty-moms.com and http://www.crafty-moms.com
limousine Ackley .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareAccording to a September 2004 study by the RAND Corporation,... Read More
Maryann is so focused she's blind. She's slipped over the... Read More
Until the moment I became a mother, I couldn't quite... Read More
Some people can concentrate on an assignment, to the exclusion... Read More
Do you remember how you first learned the alphabet? I... Read More
Graphology for Child development.:- Graphology is the science of understanding... Read More
One of the most powerful tools that parents have for... Read More
When parents help their children learn to read, they help... Read More
One of the most prevalent myths of our modern culture... Read More
Fall marks the beginning of many new things both for... Read More
When a child wets the bed they worry. Children tend... Read More
Did you know there's a game children and parents play... Read More
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes around the brain... Read More
Family decision-making is an intriguing phenomenon. Many factors become part... Read More
Potty training fears, often called toilet terrors, are common among... Read More
Discipline is a necessary part of parenting yet it makes... Read More
Gift shops are a kid magnet and often a trip... Read More
At age seven months in the womb, humans begin language... Read More
Many families today are blending members from past relationships. It... Read More
Dining in a restaurant with kids can be very enervating... Read More
For the first year or two of life outside the... Read More
They Spur Members To Grow EmotionallyTatiana Tannenbaum grappled with a... Read More
When you hear the phrase, 'guerrilla parenting techniques', what images... Read More
Parents are in a unique position to "monitor" their children's... Read More
The back-to-school shopping is done. Brand new pencils, colored markers,... Read More
shuttle from O'Hare Alexander ..When my oldest daughter was born, I walked the floor... Read More
There is little doubt that reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic are... Read More
Dear Vijay,I worry about not being a good parent. My... Read More
Being a single mother is no easy task. I know.... Read More
Non-compliance is the family therapist's big word for your child... Read More
Remember when cash was a tangible commodity in all of... Read More
Spare the rod, spoil the child!This philosophy's been around a... Read More
Much has been said about the "gifted child" but in... Read More
Our children are our most important legacy to the world.... Read More
Emotional OverloadMany single parents say they deal with a variety... Read More
The 21st Century Problem in Schools: Bullying, and How to... Read More
Q. We are getting to the stage with our kids... Read More
Raising a pre-teen or teenage daughter (or son) is not... Read More
It's back to school time again. Does the thought of... Read More
Seven-year old Michael was on a school trip to a... Read More
Children think money grows on trees. Maybe not literally, but... Read More
A sure way to double the joys of parenthood is... Read More
When was the last time you and your kids rolled... Read More
Few things are more completely enjoyable than becoming a grandparent.... Read More
Every week I write something about the stock market -... Read More
Many children who suffer from the psychological effects of child... Read More
Self esteem in an important quality for all children to... Read More
It's no surprise that the self-image and self-esteem of overweight... Read More
Corolle Paul or Emma Drink-and-Wet SET potty dollsThis is the... Read More
Parents are in a unique position to "monitor" their children's... Read More
Parenting |