How to Encourage Teens to Spend Time with Grandparents

Encouraging your teen to spend time with his grandparents, whether they live across the street or across the country, is essential to maintaining a strong family dynamic. As time progresses, most grandparents delight in sharing simple, precious moments and major milestones with their grandchildren. Even if they̵7;re miles apart, you can find ways to encourage your teen to spend more time with his grandparents.

Instructions

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      Set expectations. As they grow into their teen years, your children may not want to spend as much time with their grandparents as they once did. This is normal, but it doesn't mean you should allow your teen to be lackadaisical about the relationship and continually skip visits with his grandparents. Rather, discuss with your teen your expectations for nurturing his relationship with them -- and also talk to your parents and in-laws about their expectations as well. If you've promoted a strong grandchild-grandparent bond since your child was in diapers, your teen should continue to appreciate the support he gleans from this relationship, especially as he delves deeper into his teenage years and further asserts his independence.

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      Communicate often. If the grandparents live close, get together at least once a week for dinner, and, if time permits, stop by periodically. Encourage the grandparents to come to your home for visits, too. If the grandparents live out of town, take advantage of free, Web-based communication programs like Skype and schedule weekly video chats. If the grandparents are intimidated by technology, then rely on an old-fashioned phone call. As your child grows into her teenage years, she̵7;ll likely insist on scheduling these calls and visits on her own.

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      Encourage grandparents and teens to share hobbies and activities. Grandparents love spending time teaching and sharing their special skills, such as baking, gardening, fishing or woodworking, with their grandchildren. In addition to routine visits, set aside special times to allow your teen to bond with his grandparents over these hobbies. For example, if your grandchild and grandparent share a love of a certain movie, theater or music genre, purchase tickets for them to attend an event together. If your teen is interested in delving deeper into his ancestry, let him spend time with his grandparents working on a family tree scrapbook project. No matter what the activity or hobby, the point is to help your child recognize that this time together with his grandparents is special.

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      Be patient. Teens typically want to spend more time with their friends than they do with their families. It is important to remember, however, that this does not mean they no longer love their families or grandparents. It simply means they might not quite grasp the vital role their grandparents have played -- and will continue to play -- in their lives. While the teen years can be a challenging time for both parents and grandparents, try to be patient. Remember that, with time, your teen will once again learn to treasure and appreciate the special moments she spends with her grandparents.

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