I DON'T DO TEENAGERS ◽ HOME
I arrived at the game where my daughter usually keeps stats for her youngest’s baseball team, and there sat the oldest…with the stat book in hand. He had watched his mom and learned the game, having played baseball himself, and now the book was in his hand. I was surprised and also thought it was so cool. And it made me think about all the things we can place in our teens’ hands to offer them confidence as they approach adulthood.
Whether we know it or not, our kids do like to have responsibility. 3 ½ year old Camp in our family was given a rag and shown how to wipe down the baseboards, something his mom thought would just be a fun activity. Camp was so excited to be useful, and was given a rag and a task that he could actually accomplish. His mom texted that he was taking it up on himself as his calling to be a baseboard wiper!
Now, of course, our teen won’t come to us and ask for responsibilities like cleaning the bathroom or unloading the dishwasher. Who wants to do that? But we will train them and show them, and require them to do chores. But for the sake of this article, let’s talk about things other than chores that we can place in their hands, things that might just make them feel important and useful:
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Meal planning – maybe one of our kids would love to plan a meal, shop for the groceries and make the dinner. If so, let them!
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Making and selling their craft – maybe one our kids is a robotics genius using a 3d printer and can design a cool fidget. Encourage them to create and perhaps sell their products to their friends.
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Banking – Got a numbers teen in the house? Maybe he or she is ready for a bank account, for saving and investing, and buying and all the things finance related. This can prove to be a great skill! And maybe they could help with grocery budgeting!
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Car detailing – If teens are about to drive or already have a car, they can have a car kit to care for their car, and be taught how to clean, vacuum, maintain and care for this gift – to steward it well.
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Their own business – maybe it’s mowing lawns, walking dogs, or other service type giving that our teens are apt to enjoy. They can make flyers, create a spreadsheet, manage their earnings, as their first business!
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Party planner – maybe the teens in your family could plan their own party or a family gathering – from start to finish. Themed, or not. And learning how to feed a crowd is a good skill.
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Snacks for games – if younger siblings are playing sports and it’s your family’s turn, maybe an older sibling could be in charge of snacks. Picking them out, figuring out how many, and bagging them. An important job!
Sometimes, our teens are just waiting to be handed the book, or the bag, or the sheet, or the list…and they’ll emerge with a new skill and a feeling of importance to the family and the world.