5 Best Ways To Get Your Teenage Daughter To Spend Time With you

Let’s face it, teenagers are not the most observant folks when it comes to the consideration of their parent’s feelings, wants and needs.

We all hear stories of teens that are so absorbed with themselves and their social circle of friends that, at most times, it would appear that you don’t play a huge part in their lives.

I heard it said that one of the reasons for this is that the part of their brain which governs such activities doesn’t truly form until around 21 or 22 years of age, which would seem logical considering that’s about the age where they get some sense and reason.

That said, you still want to play a big part in their lives, you may be wondering what’s the best ways to get your teenage daughter to spend time with you?

After all, you love them with all your heart and soul so naturally, you want to be there for them as they grow and mature into what you hope will be respectful sons and daughters.

If you are in this situation – as I have been – then today’s your lucky day! Through my research and trial and error, I have compiled what I believe are the top methods that will allow you to continue the bond throughout their teenage years and beyond.

Get To Know Them, Seriously:

I know it may sound a bit cliche, get to know your teen. After all, you know what school they attend, the foods they like, whether or not they play sports and all that other stuff.

But let’s face it: most parents only really know the superficial things that make up their son or daughter…

However, if you really want to connect with them you will have to go that extra mile by really getting to know them at a much deeper level. Find out why they enjoy hanging around with a particular friend, take an interest in their life and show them you want to be a part of it.

If they love football but you absolutely hate the sport, attend a game with them and make a day out of it.

You may view it as a boring game where people throw a ball around, but many people still attend games because they are able to feed off the energy, and they love the fact that it brings people closer together. Therefore, the sport itself becomes second nature.

Spend Time With Them On Their Own Terms:

All too often, parents will dictate to their children what they need to be doing, and that’s fine when they are very young and still learning the basics about life. However, when they get into the teenage years they already have life mapped out to the degree where they can form an opinion and express their likes and dislikes.

Therefore, if you want to really begin bonding with your teenage daughter it’s important that you show them that you care by letting them plan out a date where they can really enjoy themselves and let loose.

The last thing you want your teenager daughter to do is roll her eyes the entire time you are supposed to be bonding with one another.

Volunteering Will Do Wonders For Your Relationship:

Volunteering time with your daughter will do wonders for your relationship

When my daughter was seven years old, I planned a day where we would go down to the local food bank and volunteer our time to help feed the homeless.

Of course, feeding the homeless is a wonderful thing to do, but the larger picture is that the two of you are able to do something for the common good and bond around that experience.

I suggest afterward you ask your daughter where she would like to go for dinner, after a hard day of lifting boxes and packing and unpacking non-perishable food items let her know how great she was working hard for the disadvantaged.

This experience will also help educate her on the growing food crisis, and how fortunate she is to have the life you provide for her.

Take Pictures And Create New Memories:

They say a picture creates a thousand words, and when it comes to bonding with your daughter this couldn’t be further from the truth.

My daughter and I often look back at some of the memories we’ve created over the years, and these pictures certainly serve as a great way to memorialize your experiences with one another.

And the beauty of this is that you can take pictures pretty much anywhere thanks to the advent of smartphone technology.

I would suggest that you make a point of taking pictures everywhere you go and make a habit of storing them digitally in a safe place.

I also suggest you print them out so you could both make a collage together, that way you can immortalize the time and the experience you spend together.

Include Them In Your Life Everyday:

I know I gave you several suggestions on the best ways to spend time with your teenage daughter, and of course, they are great ways to cultivate and build a strong bond. However, the number one way (and surely the most underrated approach) is to include your daughter in your day-to-day life.

Working late?

Do some facetime with them and day good night…

Don’t have a lot of money to go out?

Take your daughter for a hike and some ice cream afterward…

Got a bunch of errands to run?

Take them along with you and make a day out of it…

I think you get the point 🙂

The bottom line is that if you want to build a strong bond between you and your daughter, then you have to really put some time and effort into the relationship.

Kids won’t be kids forever, and the time you set aside today will go a long way to building lasting memories tomorrow.