DEAR HARRIETTE: This is the first summer in years that my daughter is not going to camp. She didn’t want to go anymore, and my husband and I appreciated the financial relief of not having to pay that big bill. What we didn’t plan was how she would spend her time.
In the past, my daughter had a minimum of four weeks of completely structured time with counselors, advisers and friends. Now she likes to sleep in late and lounge around. This is not a practice we want to condone. I work for myself, and I thought I would have her help me in my business. She isn’t so keen on that, but I have to find something for her to do. She is a high school student, and I know she needs structure. We have a few weeks planned out when we will be going to the beach or to visit family, but there is still a lot of downtime in there. What should I do? -- Teen Time
DEAR TEEN TIME: It is wise to find ways to fill your daughter’s time, for sure. Yes, it could be good for her to shadow you at work. Set specific hours that will represent her schedule. If you can pay her something for her time, all the better, as it will serve as incentive for her to get up. Give her specific responsibilities, and hold her accountable for them.
You should also allow her time to spend with friends. Look at your city's website to see what activities are happening for teens, and encourage your daughter to participate in some of them with her friends. Whenever you can organize a mother-daughter or family activity, include that, too.