When my youngest daughter was 15, she found a dog walking job in our neighborhood. It seemed like a great way for her to stay busy during the summer holidays. However, the job turned out to be more challenging than expected. The dog’s house was 1.5 km away on a busy road and the dog needed to be walked at noon every day. My daughter wasn’t comfortable biking there and the walk was too long. I ended up having to drive her to the job and wait for her to finish walking the dog.
Parenting expert and neuroscience educator, Nathan Wallis, says finding activities for teenagers during school holidays can be difficult. He suggests enrolling them in sports camps or online courses. If they’re going to spend time on the internet, they might as well learn a new skill. Wallis also emphasizes the importance of physical activity to counterbalance screen time.
Ellie Gwilliam, who works for a family charity, agrees with Wallis. She suggests using social media to keep teenagers busy and help them develop new skills. Her 16-year-old daughter runs a small baking business on Instagram, which keeps her occupied during the holidays. Gwilliam believes that technology can be a useful tool for teenagers if used creatively.
Vivienne Tor, a mother of two teenage daughters, encourages her children to go on daily walks and turn them into adventures. She also gives her younger daughter a list of spring-cleaning tasks. Tor believes that these activities help her daughters learn to assess and manage risks safely.
