Counting Down
The last summer home can be especially trying for parents with rising freshmen. Ideas of some special bonding time, family vacations, and special dinners are wonderful but often not shared by the kids. They are more interested in being with their friends, the friends they will be leaving in a few weeks. Mom and Dad aren’t going anywhere after all!
These differing perspectives are fine unless Mom and Dad fail to see where their teen is coming from and push too hard to do the things they want to do. Talk to your son or daughter now and get them to commit to one or two family activities that you feel are important. Then let them have the rest of their time. Maybe they’ll spend some of it with you if they don’t feel like they have to. Also, there will be time hanging out when they are just around home or running errands with you that can count as quality time too. Value it.
The best part is that a couple of summers from now they likely will be more interested in spending time with you than they are this summer!
And for those of you who just can’t wait, parents or teens, you might want to Google “countdown timer”.
