What Teens Want

Hi,
I'm so blessed to have a teen daughter. Just like any other teen gal, she is on the phone like stamp on a letter, there is a continual running list of things that she 'just has to have'. This summer has been full of places to go, things to do, and friends to spend time with. It's been so fun and thoroughly exhausting. lol. When does school start?
I've been hearing a lot on the news about what teens really want. They want time with their parents. I love a homemaking site that I was visiting this morning and came across this article that is just on this very subject. I have been wondering if I should cut and past it here or just post the site. OK, cut and paste and hopefully it isn't way to long.

13 Ways to Spend Time with Your Teenage Daughter
by Rachel Paxton The older my daughter gets, the more it's sinking in that I don't have much time left to spend with her! She's turning 16 in a couple of months, and I know I won't be seeing her much after she gets her driver's license.It's hard to find things to do with your teenage daughter. You might be busy, they might have better things to do...I encourage you not to let this time slip away from you. Our interests may be very different from theirs, but there's always things you can do to bridge the gap.If you have more than one daughter, then make sure they each get their special time alone with you. I have found that these activities are also great for bonding with teens you want to reach out to and build relationships with, like a step-daughter.I've done all of the following activities with my daughter and/or step-daughter and haven't regretted a moment. Someday I will be able to look back and appreciate the moments we shared, and I hope they will too.1. Take your dog(s) on a walk together.2. Cook dinner together, letting her choose the menu and help shop for the ingredients.3. Pick her up from school and take her out to lunch, even if she misses part of a class.4. Drive to the closest big city for the night, stay in a hotel, and spend all the next day shopping and sightseeing, taking time to stop for lunch at an outdoor cafe.5. Read the same book together and talk about it when you're done reading it.6. Do a scriptural book study together.7. Get up early on a Saturday morning, go get coffee, and spend the morning going to yard sales or looking through thrift shops or dollar stores.8. Make cookies together to give to a friend.9. Make holiday gifts together to give to friends and family.Visit http://www.crafty-moms.com for easy craft ideas.10. Go with your daughter to the concert of her choice.11. Buy her the materials to start a high school scrapbook. Work on your scrapbooks while she works on hers.12. Join a local fitness club and work out together. My daughter and I joined a local women's gym that is very inexpensive ($40/month for both of us). We get up at 5:00 a.m. three days a week to go exercise before she goes to school and I go to work.13. Go to the local video store and rent a couple of "chick flicks" to enjoy together in the comfort of your home. Kick the men out of the house and lounge around in your pajamas.
About the author
Copyright 2003. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer, mom, and owner of four home and family web sites. For scrapbooking, card making, gift-giving ideas, and more family memory-making activities, visit http://www.crafty-moms.com.

I hope this is helpful to moms of teens.

Have a blessed day,
Sheila

A Great Day Today

Today has started out to be a great day. I took my daughter out to breakfast and had a wonderful time just chatting. It's great having a 13 year old who is so wonderful! I feel so very blessed!


One of my goals lately is decluttering! Thanks to Flylady, I'm doing a pretty decent job of it. Today I'm starting in the family room. I have told my family that we are going to pretend that we are moving and that we must get rid of anything and everything that we no longer need or use. OK, so here are the rules: 1) if you use it all the time, put it where it belongs. 2) if you use it occasionally, pack it up and put it out of the way. 3) If you haven't used it, worn it, read it, etc. in 2 years or more. out it goes. Oh, and if I don't get the help from my family I will hire help to help me get it done. (shall I let you know that eyes got big as saucers?) I had to smile, inside of course, couldn't let them see that I was giggling over 'saucer eyes'.

Hubby has been helping more. Thanks, hubby! Daughter is coming along, that is if i can surgically remove the phone from her ear. lol.

Today, I am also going to put on some praise music and delight in the blessings that Jesus has blessed me with. God has been so good to me, how can I but praise Him as I get to clutter the abundance of accumulation that now needs to find it's way to the trash, the Good will, or to others. I am so thankful to have this wonderful home and so I look forward to making it really a home of peace and joy.

I love Psalm 103:2 "Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:" I love the whole chapter because the rest of it tells what His benefits are. There are a lot! so go and look up Psalm 103 and find out what benefits there are that Jesus has for us when we live for him. If that doesn't make me want to declutter and do it with praise in my heart, I don't know what can.

I am having a great day!