Tim Brooks

Activity: Stop the World-parents and teens taking time together.

Length: 4 hours.

Setting: home and elsewhere.

Objective: To maintain and/or re-establish connections with your adolescent child. To communicate your understanding of their continuing development towards adulthood.

Activity: Sit down with your child and let them know that you would like to spend a half day with them (give them a choice of a couple days on which they could do this, so they feel like they are a part of all decisions regarding the activity). Let them determine the activity, with the only stipulation being related to money and an agreed upon time limit. Let them know how much money, if any, is available for spending on the activity. If looking for free activities, check the local newspaper. Make an agreement with the child that you won't discuss the problem behaviors that have been occurring, that you want to spend time together and have fun.

Notes: This activity sounds simple, but it is probably the most important thing a parent can do with a child who is involved in problem behaviors. Regularly spending time with a child, and allowing them to have input into how that time is spent helps provide stability to a teen during a very difficult time when they are searching to develop their own identity. This time together, without the battling related to their behavioral difficulties, helps maintain an open line of communication between parent and child.