Keep the Grumpy Teenagers Happy at a Family Vacation
Parents patience is tested when the family is planning a vacation and their teenagers do not stop being cranky. You as a parent might be thinking of all the reasons for such an attitude. You may wonder that they are unhappy about missing their basketball shooting and basketball training lessons. However, it is not just that. Teenagers are often cranky at this age. They prefer being with their friends rather than families. To travel with parents, they have to say bid goodbye to their friends. Even though the separation is for only a short time, this is what makes them unhappy.
If you think that your teenagers will still be as excited happy about a family vacation as they were when they were ten, then you are daydreaming! Children as they grow up get a little distant from their family. Why is that? Well, there is no explanation for this behavior, but this is what happens. And, that is exactly how life was for you when you belonged to this age.
Now, you are planning a family vacation and you want your teenagers to be involved too. To avoid the grumpiness all along the trip, take their suggestions. They might like some adventurous things rather than just sitting around the campfire and talking. Take their suggestions for the activity they would like to do. Later, you can also put forward the activities you would prefer. If you accept their likings, they will accept yours. Deal!
Electronics, gadgets, gizmos, say hello to your new enemies! Your teenagers love them, and you hate them because they always keep them occupied. Have a set of rules applicable to you too, about the times when they can play video games, text their friends, watch TV or movies, etc. Other than those specific hours, do not let them use these things, and neither should you!
Keep in mind that it is a vacation so it makes no difference if your teenagers are sleeping late or not getting up with the rest of the members. A lot of traveling parents might suggest that you let them be flexible about their timings. After all, it is a vacation trip, not an army camp!
Next, it is about money. Before you board the plane, hand a reasonable sum of money to your teenagers. Let them decide what they want to buy because you made them authorized for themselves already, they will know how to manage their likings with the amount available to them. After all, they are old enough to know smart spending. Trust them.
A good idea is to include a close friend to the vacation. Not only this friend will keep the teenager smiling all along the trip, but it will also make him/her mannered during the journey. Similarly, if this friend gets along well with the rest of the family and other siblings, it is a win-win idea to include him/her in the trip!
Family vacations are a lot of fun if they are spent with good family bonding. With teenagers, things might get a little difficult to handle. However, you cannot deny that it is more fun to travel with grown up kids compared to younger ones. Make sure you know how to tackle this age. The vacation will surely turn out to be as exciting as you expected it to be!
Author Bio: Coach Stewart Wrighter operates a basketball web site that offers basketball shooting videos and training aids and coaching/instructional videos along with lots of free coaching content. He also offers basketball training techniques as well as pitching machines for his online customers.
Category: Family Concerns
Keywords: Basketball shooting,basketball training