TALLAHASSEE, FL - Monday's Teen Talk with Family Therapist Jane Marks is about making sure your teenager has structure this summer.
Viewer question:
It's summertime and as a soccer parent I have prepared many trips for my teens, however, one of my teen's best friends developed a significant depression.
This appears to be borne out of not playing soccer this summer and boredom.
I have followed teen talk for years and know that you have addressed this before, but would you please give us an overview of teens and summer structure?
answer:
teens are typically delighted by no school, no responsibility, and time to rest and recover from school structure. However, indeed this parent is right. It is a riskier time for teens.
teens with down time are at risk for falling into the wrong past times. Substance abuse and mental health services report that in the months of june and july, approximately 6,000 to 8,000 teens will try marijuana for the first time. In addition, your teen will be spending more time with friends and so alcohol abuse and cough medicine abuse also crops up in the summertime. So parents, the next two and half months can be a bit of a challenge but here are some activities that can guide your teen toward staying clear of potentially risky situations. Remember the key is, in summertime, a busy teen is typically a safe teen. The first thing that is most important is to have a conversation about the structure of summertime.
ideas might include;
1. Volunteer work. Work for a non-profit. There are groups and organizations in need of help. Keep in mind efforts like habitat for humanity, the local community gardens, the ronald mcdonald house or working with last year's teachers to help them get ready for next year. This is a great opportunity for unpaid internships.
2. Artistic opportunities in this community. You have to go no further than to talk with someone who is involved either with the museums or who is studying art and participating in art. Often they are happy to take on teens as interns both in internships or possible classes. Exposure to the arts is an invaluable lesson in terms of rounding out what teens are not able to participate in during the school year.
3. Consider a wilderness experience this summer where a teen would be involved in camping or backpacking or wilderness safety. This is a great idea to include the entire family.
4. Work during the summer. Get a local job in a locally owned business and talk about why that is important.
5. Mission trips. For teens who are craving adventure but also giving, this is a perfect combination where teens live with local families and work side by side in the communities in terms of a common project.
6. Required reading should be a part of the summertime experience. If your teen is not particularly inspired by reading here are several ways to inspire them;
a. Take a mini vacation or a time where you can meet the authors of some of your particular favorites.
b. Learn new cooking skills in regards to books. In other words, designate one night during the course of the week where your teen is responsible for not only introducing a book with regard to food and it's preparation but where he may have also checked it out among the world food blogs.
c. Throw a blog party. Make reading special by setting up a reading blog online such as blog or wordpress, typepad or tumblr.
d. It would be interesting for your teen and his friends start a summer reading series and even if the topics are not something you are particularly interested in, the fact that they're reading again keeps them busy.
