How to Make your Home Fun for Teenagers

As a parent you may really enjoy having your teens and all their friends around. Why? Because you get to enjoy their company, plus you’ll know where they are and who their friends are.

If you’d like your teen to spend more time at home with their friends, you need to make your house a teen-friendly place. Here are some helpful tips to make your home fun for teenagers...

01.  Remember that your teen needs time with their friends without you being around. Designate a spot in your home where they can enjoy time alone and not have you watching them all the time. However, make it easy to breeze in and out without making it too obvious. Dropping in with some yummy snacks every once in a while is a great way to check in on your teens without intruding.

02.  Create a room especially for entertainment. You don’t need to have a massive TV with surround sound to entertain teens. A simple TV, DVD player, gaming system, board games and some comfy furniture is just enough for teens to have fun.

03.  Always have snacks on hand. Eating is an important part of a growing teenager’s life, especially boys! Some healthy teen snacks include wholewheat crackers and salsa, apples dunked in peanut butter or some homemade brownies for a sweet treat. Check out some more delicious snack ideas here.

04. Don’t be embarrassing. You know when you sometimes do something and it makes your teen feel awkward? Well, try not to do that! You may think that you should try to be one of the friends, but it is best to be the adult in the room to avoid any cringe worthy moments.

05. Have fun activities to do. Movies are fun, but teens also like to get out there and be active. If you have room, a table tennis table or a pool table can be really fun. Or how about a little homemade fire pit in the backyard where your teen and their friends can roast marshmallows and hang out?

07. Always keep your standards. Don’t try to be the fun parent by allowing inappropriate movies, alcohol, tobacco and even drugs into your home. Your teens need to know the rules and respect them, as well as all their friends.

08. Make limitations. Just because you want to create a fun environment for your teen and their friends doesn’t mean your house must become a limitless place. Your teen needs to know that the house needs to be cleaned after they’ve had their fun and the noise needs to be kept at a reasonable level.

Making your home fun for teens requires a lot of patience and understanding, however it is worth it in the end!

The Assisted Learning Centre is a college in the coastal town of Fish Hoek. If you are looking for a learning centre that has only the best learning resources and the most qualified teachers - enroll today!