It has been a long sabbatical from blogging and we are back! As I am writing this blog, my daughter is busy singing BINGO for the 7th time today along with many other rhymes that she loves singing. Looking at her, I have a thought that though this blog covers a lot of topics about little children, I hardly blogged about teens. Improve parent teenager relationship with these 7 traditions and see your relationship blossom! I for sure plan on following these, either between me and Neah or between her father and Neah.
While researching for this article, I thought about my teens. The worst part or rather something I hated during my teens was advice and a heavy dose of it. That is exactly what I want to avoid with my little one as she grows up. Teens are a wonderful age, 13-19 years. It is a time when you start recognizing yourself as an individual persnality. Teens start having an opinion or even questioning traditional methods. This might not be a bad thing as a teen, but definitely irksome for parents. This divide of them asking “Why” and us saying “Cause I say so” is what causes teens to withdraw in their shells.
This shell can be quite tough to break once formed. What needs to be the resolution, easier said than done, is to start reevaluating your thoughts as well. A simple example from my teens is my question to my mother about why we fast during certain religious days, as an Indian. Her being a religious woman there was a no justifiable answer, but just that “because we have been doing it over the years to please the gods”. Though I don’t fast, the questions I face when my daughter is a teen will definitely challenge some of my ideologies. I am ready to accept them with an open mind.
Meanwhile, for all those parents who already have adorably irritating teens to deal with, try these traditions that will help build an unseen bond between you and them. This bond will act as a bridge during those times when your teen is looking for a person they can trust.
Family Feast Day
Once a month make is a tradition to involve everyone at home to make lunch or dinner. Everyone can chip in and create dishes. The fun time spent in the kitchen talking over trivial topics will help your teen realize that his parents and family aren’t all that boring!
Daddy/Mommy Date night
No – This is not a date night for you parents, but a one for Dad-Daughter or Mom-Son. The wonderful bond shared between dads and daughters or mothers and son can work magic. THat said – there is no rule that you cannot have a date night with your daughter being a mom.
Awesome secret family sign
I am so doing this. Our family can have a sign that we can sign to each other in presence of others to know that we are a team. Of course, this does not mean that extended family is not close. But, I love the idea of having a family sign that can be passed onto generations.
Family vacation
This is something I personally want to take off every new year. With kids, traveling is overwhelming and so the delay, but as they grow older, I wouldn’t want to miss this wonderful opportunity.
Yearly time capsules
Now don’t let the magnitude of this task scare you! If you involve your teens, it can be fun. What I plan to do is create a capsule box and ask my daughter to add one note per month about the most awesome event that happened to her that month. We can open the capsules at the end of the year. Now just her, I plan to start it with my husband and myself. Why wait to see the positives in our life that we safely exclude when sulking in our sadness about opportunities lost.
Housie or Scramble night once a year
You can chose to play every month or day if the love for the game is larger, but as the kids grow old, finding time to even play a single game seems impossible. I plan on dedicating the day of Diwali to play either of the two games as a family tradition with my daughter. Also, add in a mix of a gift for the winner. It is always nice to win something
Yearly picture
Oh this one is going to be my favorite. Imagine if you start this when they are really young, you will have a memory of every year passed by. Better still would be picture taken in the same order, in the same backdrop just to see how things have changed, how their parents have changed taking care of them
Teens are going through a delicate period and parents need to acknowledge that. Freedom and space to make decisions and us trusting those decisions is key. The worst case scenario is them failing and looking at us with puppy eyes, still filled with arrogance, to forgive them.
I am still battling toddler days with my little one, but as tough as these teen days will be, I can’t wait for her to blossom into a person with a unique personality. Do you plan to have some of these traditions implemented? Do you already follow some traditions? Share your ideas with us!
