When your children are younger, finding new ways for you to have fun together is much easier than you can imagine – even during covid. However, as they get older and enter the terrifying period known as their teenage years – keeping your kids entertained and willing to spend time with you can seem like an impossible feat. This is because the concept of the fun mom seems completely alien to them once they hit 13. 

However, don’t worry! This is perfectly normal for teenagers to want a little space from their parents – after all, these years are crucial when it comes to self-discovery, and they have to do a lot of learning on their own in order to grow. However, while this does mean that you have to give them your alone time when they need it – there are still plenty of ways that you can have fun together! 

Photo by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash

Here are some great ideas to get you started! 

  • While you may want to soak up every available moment with your kids, try not to force them into spending lots of time with you if they want to spend time with their friends. Instead, try to schedule in some family activities once a week. Planning ahead also helps them to better manage their plans and reduces the chances of them being double-booked. 
  • When they were younger, you were in charge of finding fun activities to participate in with your child – from playgrounds to playdates. However, if you want to keep yourself entertained – then you should let them decide how you spend your time together. For example, they may want to check out the latest movie or go to dinner. Giving your teen the choice to decide shows that you treat them like an adult, not a child – which also goes a long way.
  • Putting together a ‘bucket list’ of activities you want to complete as a family is another great way to start spending more time together and ensuring that you have a lot of fun while doing so. For example, if you’re on the lookout for a rainy day activity, you could head to a local escape room and put your mind to the test in a race against the clock. If you’re looking for a real challenge, you could split the family into teams to see who can get the better score. 
  • With work, school, extra-curricular activities, and socializing, it’s likely that every member of your family is working on a different schedule. Therefore, it can sometimes be hard to find enough time to hang out. However, by ensuring that you eat at least one meal a day together – be that breakfast or dinner – you’ll all have some of that quality time that you deserve. Furthemore, the dinner table is the perfect place to catch up and have a conversation about what is going on in your lives. 
  • Let your teenager know that they can approach you no matter what – even if they are dealing with something they know may cause concern or anguish. This is an easy way to reduce secrecy and ensure that you can maintain an open dialogue with them as they get older. In return, you should also be open and honest when talking to them about what is going on in your own life.