Before we know it, the mid-September heat wave will give way to cool mornings and evenings so pleasant we’ll want to open the windows to let some fresh air in. Fall is a magical time. A cool respite from the summer heat and a perfect time to do a little home maintenance and maybe a few upgrades you’ve had on your to-do list. If you’ve been thinking of adding smart technology and appliances to your home, but are unsure of where to start, don’t fret! You can get all the advice you need on new tech for your home with the Best Buy free in-home consultation. Read on for details.
Showing posts with label
connect
Before we know it, the mid-September heat wave will give way to cool mornings and evenings so pleasant we’ll want to open the windows to let some fresh air in. Fall is a magical time. A cool respite from the summer heat and a perfect time to do a little home maintenance and maybe a few upgrades you’ve had on your to-do list. If you’ve been thinking of adding smart technology and appliances to your home, but are unsure of where to start, don’t fret! You can get all the advice you need on new tech for your home with the Best Buy free in-home consultation. Read on for details.
Busy. Our teens are busy kids! Which usually means parents are busy with our teens activities too. For instance, both my daughters are in choir and both enjoy doing theater when their schedules allow it. Both girls are involved in clubs, fundraisers, attending school related events (football games, etc.), so free time during the week to just sit and chat is hard to come by. Today, I’m sharing three easy ways I’ve found I can still feel connected with my teens during the busy times.
1. Read their books:
Young Adult, or YA books, are
written with your 15+ teen in mind, but don’t let that stop you from reading
them! Some of THE best books I’ve read this year came directly from my teen
daughter. When you see your teen engrossed in a book, take notice. Better yet,
ask if you can read it when they are done, and then talk with them about the plot and
characters as you read.
Not sure where
to start? Popular picks are: The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, the
Divergent series by Veronica Roth, The Selection series by Kiera Cass- (start
my daughter’s reviews here). The much anticipated Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and two by J.K. Rowling and our personal pick and hands-down favorite , The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.
2. Listen to their music:
Most parents know this time
all too well: You’re in the car with your teen, taking them to their after-school
activity again. They make small talk
with you for five minutes, and then in go the ear buds and you’ve been tuned
out. The same thing can happen when you take them out to eat.
Keep the
conversation and the fun going by inviting them to keep some of their Cd's in
the car, then pop one in while you are driving them to their destination. Once
you get to your destination, if you see those ear buds come out again, ask them who they are listening too.
The point is to engage and
connect in their world often! Some of
the best and funniest conversations I’ve had with my girls is talking about the
lyrics to some of their favorite songs. Our top pick right now is “25” by Adele, followed closely by "Blurry face" by 21 Pilots.
3. Include them in your work:
I have the privilege of
working from home. Both my businesses- blogging and Avon are businesses I work
mainly from home, so my teens have gotten used to seeing me work on a daily basis. I’m inviting
them in and keeping this part of my day open to connecting possibilities. They respect what I do and actually look for
ways to help me.
Teens are plugged in to what’s in, what’s trendy and relevant
to them which is invaluable to anyone in a marketing field. Which is why my
oldest daughter didn’t mind helping me with a recent photo shoot at Toys “R” Us
for a brand I was working with.
Asking your teen for their
opinion on a related topic to your industry can be a great way to connect with
them as well. My teens know it's not all fun and
lip gloss in my businesses because they see me doing the back office work too.
We bounce ideas off each other often and they have opened up my eyes to a newer,
fresher way of seeing the world. Why not show your teens what you so all day as well? Bring home an
assignment to work on after dinner and ask them to check it out.
There you have it! Three easy
ways to stay connected with your teens. Try one or all three over the next week and
you may see your teens in a whole new way, you may even score some cool parents
points!
Please share in comments: How do you connect with your
teen? Do you use one or more of my
strategies?
Even though we officially kicked off fall this week, the temperatures
here in the south remain summer like. My teen daughters and I have started taking
afternoon walks again and we usually wind up on the front porch to cool off. That’s
when we enjoy big flavorful glasses of home brewed iced tea. I love connecting
with my teens as we sit and sip together. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we just
rock and listen to the busy birds- either way it’s the time spent together that
matters.
Recently I received a box full of Tulsi flavored teas from Organic
India as part of the Moms Meet program. While I did receive these items free of
charge, I only share products I believe in and feel will be of value to you, my
readers.
Some of you may remember the
first time I wrote about this wonderful company and their story and mission
remain relevant and important enough for me to share them again today.
One of Organic India’s main missions is to
create a sustainable global environment by working with thousands of family
farmers in India on tens of thousands of acres of organic farmland. These are
causes I very much believe in and want to champion.
Tulsi is considered India’s Queen of herbs for more than
5,000 years and has been revered as one of the most sacred herbs in India,
infused with healing power because of its abundance in antioxidants. I can’t
speak to this teas healing power, but I can speak to its flavor.
This week we are enjoying a special blend of home brewed iced
tea using a mix of Tulsi Original tea and Tulsi Raspberry Peach tea. It is a
delightful, flavorful blend my whole family loves. You can also purchase Tulsi in: Sweet Rose, Lemon Ginger, Honey Chamomile, Peppermint, Jasmine and many more by
visiting their website.
Each box of Tulsi tea retails for $5.99 and is certified USDA organic. You can save 20% on your Organic India
products by using code kiwi20 for your online purchases. Also, be sure to visit
Organic India on Facebook and Twitter where you can learn more about their
humanitarian causes.
I invite you to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and get
outside! Go for a walk; enjoy the view as the seasons slowly blend and change;
or just sit and sip some iced tea together. It’s a perfect way to connect with
your teens, your husband, your dog, even yourself.
From our home to yours- we wish you a Happy Fall!
Please share in comments: Which tea flavor listed above you would you like to try?