10 Things To Do With Teens In The Evening
There are seasons of life where we are so busy we can’t see straight. In those seasons we need to take extra special care of ourselves and our children so that we don’t crash land in burnout-ville. What can you do when you find yourself with a permanent view of your child on the couch…wait for it…on their devices?
Screentime.
The bane of my existence!
Okay, that may be a little dramatic but for real, screentime is a hot topic in my house constantly. Please tell me we’re not alone!
First of all, we’re not anti-screens. We enjoy our phones and love all the wonderful things they help us do in our everyday life. We love being able to connect with our kids through the use of our devices as well. We feel that cell phones greatly enhance our lives when put in their proper place.
But that’s where the issue lies. Proper place. Proper place is not something that young people have a very good concept of. That’s where we come in! It’s our job to teach them how to put a device in its proper place. Sometimes life gets out of whack, and so does the balance of their screentime, despite having set limits and encouraging them to find something else to do.
That brings me to the list.
I was exhausted from the holidays and had really let things go in this area, so I went on a hunt for things to do with my teenagers, (notice I said with), and found very little advice out there. There are tons of things to do with little kids, but mine are not so little anymore. So I decided to test a few of my ideas and then share them here on the blog.
# 10 Housework
Don’t throw stones at me. Hear me out. Life is busy and the to-do list piles up! Delegate some of that work to your kids with the familiar chant of “Many hands make light work!” Making a list of all the things that need to be done and explaining to your kids how much of a difference they can make by helping support the family will bring blessings upon blessings as the years pass by. This is #10 on my list because it’s definitely not my go-to for a casual family evening. However, when I do enlist their help and we knock out a big chunk of the to-do list, we all end the night feeling happier, freer and more thankful for the easy nights that look more like the rest of my list below.
# 9 Crafting
This one is #9 on my list because it is a little tricky for us. Crafting for teens (especially boys) can bring lots of challenges. Whittling, leather crafting, building models, woodworking, and DIY gift making are a few ideas to get you started. This one has me a bit illuded because my boys grew up with crafts being a central part of home life, so at this point, they feel as though they have pretty well dabbled in them all and aren’t driven toward continuing very many any of them into their teenage years. It’s worth a try though!
# 8 Family Read-Alouds.
Not every family is a read-aloud family, I get that. But reading aloud is a great way to experience the world from the comfort and safety of your home. There are many audiobook sites to choose from as well. Check your local library to see if you have access to audiobooks that you pay for with your tax dollars! And don’t forget YouTube. Tons of books are read aloud on YouTube and are free for you to access. Your teen may not warm up to this idea on their own. You might have to have a “just trust me on this” talk. I promise you that reading aloud to your teen will create a bond that you may have never expected.
# 7 Yard Work
Most families have a yard. And if you have a yard then you know that it needs almost constant tending throughout the year! The kind of dopamine that is released in the brain through the satisfaction of picking up their phone can also be released upon the completion of a job well done. Hard work makes us stronger and if our teens are going to succeed in this fast-paced world, they need to learn to work hard. If you don’t have a yard of your own, find an elderly person who needs the help and take your kids on an adventure of giving back that will reap rewards much greater than simply working in your own yard.
# 6 Cook Together
Cooking is a skill we all need to possess in life. Kids are no exception. A teenager who cannot cook is at a great disadvantage in life. What better way to connect than to have them join you in the kitchen a few nights a week for some one-on-one time with mom or dad? You get the help you need and they learn valuable life skills. Not to mention the memories they will carry through life having stood alongside their parents in the kitchen while growing up. This is another one that has so many benefits it should be its own blog post!
# 5 Family Movie Night
I know this one involves screens, but not in the same way as a kid who is staring at their phone. Needing a few good suggestions? Check out Plugged In by Focus on the Family for honest reviews that can help you decide what to pick for your next family movie night.
# 4 Baking
Let your teen have the freedom to choose a recipe and pick a night to make it. My oldest recently made a soufflé from a recipe he found on Pinterest. It didn’t turn out as yummy he expected but he was so proud of himself for trying, and he had a huge smile on his face while we all enjoyed his hard work.
# 3 Sports!
Whether your teen is on a sports team, or just likes to throw a ball in the yard, you can’t go wrong with playing sports in the evening. Throwing a football or a baseball, shooting baskets, tossing bags in corn hole, simply serving the volleyball back and forth and hitting the birdie in badminton are all simple games to play that don’t require much to make for a really good time!
# 2 Go For a Walk
There is nothing simpler than taking a walk with your kids. Whether you life in town or in the country, this is by far, the simplest thing you can do together. But don’t be fooled, simple does not mean boring. Going for a walk has more benefits than I can name, but doing so with your kids provides ample opportunity to break apart the monotony of a boring evening and get you in touch with each other out in the fresh air. Give it a try, you’ll see for yourself!
# 1 GAMES!
Board games, card games, dice games, oh my! We absolutely love playing games in our house and on any given night, if I see my teen is glued to a device, all I have to do is ask if they want to play a game with me and voilà! They are up off the couch and ready to beat mom and whatever game is our current family fave. Games in the evening are definitely #1 on our list. I would say that UNO Flip is our all-time favorite because we are actually on our second deck in just two years! The first deck is so worn out that we had to bite the bullet and purchase a new one recently.
So, there you have it. Ten fool-proof ideas to try with your teenager in the evenings. Give them all a try and soon you may find yourself with a new memory-making strategy to get you off your devices and into each other’s hearts.
Blessings!
Christina