Three Ways to Challenge Your Teen This Summer

How many times do we hear, "I'm bored"? Summer is a great time to challenge your son or daughter. Inactive minds usually lead to trouble or being comfortable doing nothing. This summer, take some time out to learn more about your teens and how you can help them help themselves.

Being a teen in our fast paced society is hard. There are so many worries, pressures, and expectations. A way to truly do something invaluable is to direct your teen. Find out three areas that your teen is good in. This example can be used with any subject that your teen enjoys. Aim for two subjects to keep your teen completely occupied.

Feel free to plug in this example for any subject your teen enjoys. If your teen loves art, do not stop with the general idea of art. Figure out what type of art they are most drawn to. For example, if your teen can draw well fully explore where this can go, get your teen to think and take action. Give them the opportunity to try other types of art. Pottery, sculpture, jewelry making, oil painting, sketching, woodworking, are all good starting points.

Do

Have your teen help you select how to DVDs and books offline. Go out and purchase the supplies needed for these projects. Set up a set time everyday for practice. Offer incentives, for completed art projects.

Improve

Once your teen has clearly shown a preference to one or two styles of artwork; see how you can help them become even better. Locate, and schedule for your teen to take an art class. Give your teen a choice about which class they will take. If there are no classes for teens, explore an adult continuing education class. Many schools will let your teen attend with parental approval and supervision at all classes. If your teens area of interest does not have a class, find a college student willing to help them explore this subject. Perhaps there is a science major, who would love to spend a few hours a week during the summer helping your child do science experiments that may be too complicated for you. If you can not find a class or person, Look for online groups that can direct you on where you can buy dvd and instructional books and tapes that are not found in main stream book stores.

See

Find out where the local art festivals are. Visit local artists, go to their shops. The goal is to get your teen to think. Go to jewelers with workshops, any type of business that sells some form of artwork. Show them, by visiting museums' or architectural landmarks in your town.

Budget

If purchasing art supplies, taking classes, and ordering books is not in your budget, do not feel discouraged. Visit your local craft store and ask the store attendants to help you locate the most economical set of paints, or sketching pencils. Find a book that your teen likes at the store, and look for a used copy of it online. You can find craft projects, patterns, and how to instructions online. If fabric is involved visit Joann fabrics or a similar type store regularly to get great prints from the $1 a yard rack.

Future

By helping your teen to fully embrace a skill that they have improved upon, you are opening many doors. What if their artwork leads them to have a true belief in themselves that they can be a successful architect, designer of clothing, or professional artist? Most importantly they have learned a skill, that can earn them an income at all times throughout their life. Once you learn a skill well, no one can take that away from you. Talk with them plans for their future. Make some type of a plan. Many teenagers do not pursue college, trade school, or additional training after high school for one reason. Because no one took the time out to help them with a plan of how to get to the next level of learning. Your teen needs to have a clear plan of a few avenues they can learn skills in to always be able to earn a living. This will be invaluable around graduation time.

Continue to encourage your teen. Create a space in your home, for them to express themselves through artwork. Frame their artwork, and display it in a highly visible area of your home. Help them put together a portfolio of their best work. Mostly importantly, you are building self esteem and a strong I can attitude in your teen.