- Need Summer Now -
Though teens look forward to summer holidays they can be long and maybe even a little boring at times. We have created some top tips on keeping your teens entertained in Ireland this summer! It can be hard to get teens off their phones and out of the house, especially now that they are so used to doing just that. The summer is unstructured, no early mornings, no school, no homework and usually less extracurriculars. This makes it an excellent time for your teen to learn and navigate how to live without a pre-set schedule made and enforced by other people.
1.
Let them come up with their own plan. We give kids as young as primary school age access to the internet and phones, why not let them do their own research on what to do during the summer? Set a goal such as asking them to make plans for two whole weeks or give them a budget to work with. Value your teens input and they might even go for a walk in public with you to say thank you. Remember to help your teen achieve whatever plan, so if they want to learn a new sport like SUPing, research local teams, or if it’s a part-time job they want maybe book them into a first-aid or food safety course that will increase their chances of getting one.
If your teen needs a little bit of a push maybe even create your own list of things to do and ask them to pick whichever they want!
2.
Teen summer camps are a great way to get your teen out of the house, active and making new friends. Chances are your teen will want to spend the summer inside playing video games or scrolling through their phone. Teen camps are usually targeted towards an achievement at the end of the camp, where your teen will get a certificate or achievement at the end of the week. For example, our Coachford Explorers camp includes outdoor learning modules in which campers learn practical skills like shelter building in preparation for their expedition to Inniscarra Lake at the end of the week. Check out teen camps near you for a treat week during the summer!
3.
Encourage your older teen to get a part-time job this summer. Summer jobs are an amazing way to grow your teens independence and responsibility skills. It starts to build up their employment history so when they leave for college, they are far more hireable and capable. Finding a first job can be tough, so if your teen is struggling ask them if they would like to do a first aid or lifeguarding course to build up their cv without previous employment history. Younger teens can volunteer for organisations to teach respect and giving back to your community.
4.
Encourage your teen to get active outside this summer! If you know Ballyhass you must know we love getting our community outdoors and having fun. Set your teen a challenge such as building up to climbing a mountain at the end of summer, cycling every day, or learning a new sport like wakeboarding! Getting outdoors improves so many aspects of your health such as improving vision and increasing happiness. Take this as a chance to get yourself active too and even create a family competition or family step goal for the end of the summer.
5.
Get your teen creative and don’t forget about down time. Down time doesn’t need to mean staying inside scrolling on a phone. It can be way more exciting than that, like sending your teen on a trip on the bus with their friends for the first time, getting them to set up a water fight for a group, let them cook dinner for the family and even trust them alone in the house for a few hours. The more freedom and respect you give your teen the less likely they are to pull away. Remember to take small steps at the start and learn what responsibilities your teen is ready to undertake, every teen is different and some 14year olds can be more responsible then some 18year olds. Just remember to set very clear and consistent rules and spend time with your teen this summer!