Are you worried that you have drifted apart from your older teen? If so, then you need to make sure that you are fixing the situation. Here are a few ways you can re-engage and reconnect with your teen.
Plan A Project
First, you should think about planning a project that you can do together and spend some time on. One example would be fixing up a car or a motorcycle together. There’s a lot that goes into a project like this. For instance, you need to think about sourcing things like BMW motorcycle parts. One of the best things about this is that it allows you to both focus on the same thing together and, more importantly, eventually see the results of your work together. It’s a memory that can last a lifetime, and fixing up a vehicle is just one example.
Find Out What They Are Interested In
One of the common mistakes that parents make is trying to get teens involved in what they’re interested in or what they think they should be interested in. A classic example would be a dad encouraging their kid to sit down and watch a sports game with them when the reality is that they have no interest in sports. Instead of taking a step like this, you need to make sure that you are finding out what your teen is interested in and where their passion lies. You’ll always find it easier to connect with them if you do this.
Give Quality Time
Next, you should think about making sure that you are providing your teen with real quality time. Teenagers notice more than young kids when they are not getting the full attention that they want from their parents. So, how can you provide quality time to your kids? Well, one of the ways that you can do this is by making sure that you have a no-tech rule. It doesn’t matter whether you are watching a film together or playing a game. The important thing is that your face is not stuck in your phone screen. This will always send the wrong impression.
Show You Care
Finally, you need to make sure that you show your teenager that you do care about them. This is more often than not just a case of ensuring that you show up when it counts. For instance, if your teen is appearing in the school musical, then you need to make sure that you are booking to see it. Or, you should make sure that you show up to watch their sports game. Again, this is about demonstrating that what matters to them ultimately matters to you.
Get Active on Social Media
Finally, you could also think about getting more active on social media. This is a great way to connect with your teen and see what they’re up to. It can be a great way to start a conversation too. Just make sure that you aren’t overstepping any boundaries.
We hope this helps you see that re-engaging and reconnecting with an older child who has drifted apart from you isn’t the massive challenge that it seems. If you take the right steps here, then you can make sure that you have a great time with your kid and that they do feel closer to you.
