subject: Family Outings With Your Kids [print this page] One of the most memorable but challenging moments that come into your life is when you go on family outings especially with your teenage children. There is nothing like sharing happy moments with them in an atmosphere full of love and merriment. However, you may have that misconception like most parents do, that teenagers find family outings boring, and that they would rather spend time with their friends and not with their parents or younger siblings. So you end up foregoing any plans of bonding with your teenagers to avoid conflict which is totally a mistake.
Adolescence may be a difficult stage for a child because of the hormonal, physical and psychological changes that can affect their thoughts and behavior. It is also the stage where friends start to have more influence on them, and where your child starts imposing their authority and independence. Contrary to the belief of some parents to back off and give their children more independence in managing their lives, adolescence is a stage where the parents should even be more involved in their activities to continue mentoring them during this difficult period. Family outings are one the activities where you can promote mentoring and maintaining the connectivity.
Plan your outing ahead of time
Even if your younger children are not as difficult to tag along on trips as compared to teenagers especially on short notice, it is best to plan your family excursion ahead of time and inform your little ones about it a few days earlier. That way you build up their excitement and you can involve them in planning on what they should bring and what activities they would like to do. If it is going to be a long drive to your destination, make sure to include activities for your kids while inside the car such as guessing games, singing favorite songs, etc... Don't forget to bring their favorite toys that they can carry around with them.
You can try the following fun filled family activities:
Visit a corn maze - this is a fun activity ideal during the fall. There are also patches of pumpkin and farm animals that the kids would love.
River rafting in a kayak or inflated boat - you traverse the river rapids and get to commune with nature along the river.
Grab a bite of pizza - children love to eat out and they will enjoy a pizza anytime.
Watching a movie - taking them out to the latest animated feature movie not only excites them but you make them feel how important they are to you.
Ensure the safety of the family
Children can be the most difficult to watch over especially when they become very excited. That is why that outside of planning your outing ahead of time, you can also remind the kids how important it is for them to be careful and not to go anywhere on their own without you watching over them. If you have teenage kids with you, make sure to assign them to watch over a younger sibling.
You can only succeed in building a strong relationship with your kids if you make the extra effort to find the time to go out with them on family outings. Parenting is never an easy job, but you can always strive to nurture a strong relationship by giving them your time no matter how busy you may be. Remember that they will only be children once and you can never turn back the clock when you miss out in caring for your kids.
