Teenagers - Fun activities to do together

We have put together a range of activities for you to do together!
Some may ask you to think carefully about how you respond, especially when things aren't going well and others suggest ways to cope.
So what are you waiting for?
Start with the first exercise and go back to when you were a teenager!

What were you like as a teenager?

Write down all the things you can remember about being a teenager.

Check this out with your young person to see what they think?

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What is your teenager like?

Complete the boxes below, start at the top and try to identify as many positives as possible!
Then move onto what you would like to be different.
Ask yourself: can you see a pattern from your own teenage years in the first exercise?
The first step is to understand what is happening and think about the things we would like to change; but a word of caution here- it can be difficult to ask others to change if we can't see the benefits of changing ourselves!
So, talk things through and think about how you can work together to make things better.

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Teenage pressures:

See if you can write down all the pressures your teenager may be under.
Include things like school, friendships, exams, family changes, adolescence and relationships.
Share this with your young person and see if they agree?
Ask if they could add anything?

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Family Tree:

Young people can be intrigued by how their family has developed over time. This can also be a way of exploring a change in the family or understanding relationships, especially if this is complicated!
Get a large piece of paper and use colours, shapes, pictures and your imagination. Include grand parents and other important 'special people' or close family friends and pets if you want to.
Start by showing your immediate family members, use names and ages if you want to, and draw lines to connect each generation.
You may want to keep adding to it as time goes on and see how your family changes over time.

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Family Shield:

Once again you will need a sheet of paper. Draw a 'family shield' and design your very own Coat of Arms!
Think of the following:
What are your hopes and aspirations? These may be as individuals or together.
What would your 'motto' be?
Write these on the shield and ask yourselves how you can work towards these.
How supportive are you? How can you help your young person recognise and build hopes and aspirations for the future?.

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Mapping the Problem:

This exercise is great for when you have a problem which keeps reoccurring or one that you don't really understand how, why or when it started?
This is an exercise in observation, both of you and of others who might be involved in some kind of problem situation.
You can complete the questions individually and then compare responses. It is probably best done when things have calmed down rather than when you are in the heat of an argument.
This will give you time to talk things through and really try to understand the others persons point of view.

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