Open Talk Mom

Tips to Keep your Teens Busy this Summer

Posted on25. May, 2009 by Mary Lutz.

One of our Authors here at Open Talk Mom, Aurelia Williams, had me as a guest on her “Parenting My Teen” podcast show. This was the first time I’ve ever been a guest on a podcast, so it takes a little getting used to hearing my own voice. The discussion is natural, like between two old friends talking about what they’re doing to help keep their teens busy this summer. You can listen to the podcast here for all the ideas we’ve come up with. Feel free to leave your feedback in the comments if you have other ideas, or even if you disagree with anything that was said.

Some of the ideas we cover are:

• Helping your teen get a summer job
• Volunteering for non-profit organizations
• Helping others in your community
• Enjoying sport activities such as swimming and skateboarding

Summer is a great time to help enhance your child’s education as well. Listen to the podcast for ideas on how to encourage them to prepare for the next school year and beyond during the summer months.

Summer doesn’t have to mean laziness or trouble for your teen. By helping them keep busy, you won’t have to worry about them as much, meaning a more relaxed summer for you as a parent of a teen. Hop on over to the podcast show now, and take a listen to learn how you can keep your teen busy this summer!

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Family Cell Phones Keep Everyone in Touch

Posted on04. May, 2009 by Mary Lutz.

Don’t you love the convenience of cell phones? How about the safety factor or those times you may have needed it in case of an emergency? Do you feel more connected to your children and spouse with a cell phone? I know I do!

There have been many times when my teens were out and about and how safe I felt knowing I could call at any second and know they were okay. I’m not a fearful person, so I don’t go around calling them every minute or ½ hour to check on them, but just knowing I could call if needed gives me a real sense of security, especially when they start driving.

It continues to surprise me how many kids actually have their own cell phone these days, and at the young ages they are getting them. Cell phone communication is a great way for families to keep in touch with each other. This is the main reason we chose to get our teens cell phones a few years ago. Now with some companies offering family plans, it makes a whole lot more sense for each family member to have a cell phone so they can stay in touch with each other throughout the day.

We even use our cell phones for grocery shopping. I will text my husband the few things I need at the store so when he is on his way home from work, he can pick them up. Then I don’t have to drive ½ an hour into town later, saving us money on gas.

Speaking of texting, kids and teens love to text! I believe more kids communicate through texting than through talking. The other day I was driving one of our youth group girls home and she was texting me while we were in the same car. I just had to laugh because I thought how funny it was that she felt more comfortable typing words out to me than actually speaking them.

With smart phones becoming less and less expensive these days, communicating via Twitter and Facebook on the cell phone has also become a popular way to communicate. Some phones even have a MySpace application.

With communication so readily available and cell phone packages becoming more and more reasonable, there are no reasons why families shouldn’t stay connected. Of course there are safety precautions that need to be taken and rules should be enforced upon your children when they first receive a cell phone. So, if you’ve been thinking about getting your family connected with cell phones, check out all the safety tips and other guidance you’ll find at Family on the Phone.

Mary Lutz is a busy freelancing mom of four who is writing for Family on the Phone, a blog about how families are staying connected in the digital age.  Visit http://www.familyonthephone.com for tips on keeping your digital family safe.

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