Adventure Vacations

Teens love an adrenaline rush, and going on an adventure trip is one of the best ways for them to experience the rush safely. Smuggler’s Notch in Vermont is a great location to take them because they can enjoy skiing and snowboarding to their heart’s content.

Theme Parks

No matter what kind of personality your teen has, a theme park is sure to get the adrenaline running. Older kids and teens tend to like Universal Studios. One of the most famous parks in the world is Disneyland. However, it may skew a bit young for teens.

Cruises

Taking advantage of cruise deals is a great way to plan a getaway that will keep your teens entertained. Many cruise companies provide activities that are designed specifically for teenagers. Cruises also give your teen a variety of places to explore as you stop at different ports throughout your trip. Look online at the many princess cruises available and select one that’s suitable for your teen.

Beach Trips

The beach has things to do for all ages and all members of the family. Breezes Curacao in the Caribbean is a great choice, where your teen can go snorkeling, diving and windsurfing.

Your teen is certain to be delighted with a trip that takes into consideration their tastes and preferences.

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Believe it or not, the smallest things can bring us the most joy. Listening to birds chirp first thing in the morning, experiencing a particularly colorful sunset and hearing a favorite song from the past on the radio are all examples of simple, small things that are just plain fun. Here are some other things that can bring people great happiness.
4 Things That Bring Joy 

1. Doll houses like these. Not only do doll houses bring little girls great joy, but they can be a source of joy for the entire family, especially if you build the dollhouse from scratch or furnish it by hand.
2. A favorite song list. What songs bring you happiness? Put together a list of your favorite songs in MP3 form or a similar format, and keep them handy on your phone, MP3 player or computer. When you’re feeling down, just play those songs and you’ll experience a lift in mood that is quite enjoyable.
3. A favorite game from yesteryear. A favorite board game or something silly like hide and seek or freeze tag can lift the spirits significantly. Try to play your favorite childhood games no matter how old you are.
4. Flowers. Fresh flowers, wild flowers, even dried and silk flowers can make people feel good. Purchase or pick some flowers and decorate your home with them. They will have a profound impact on your mood.

Small things like these can have such a profound impact on your happiness. Don’t forget to include them in your life.

Let’s face it, with all the financial stresses being experienced by families today in the midst of the current economic downturn, it’s become obvious that saving is something we all need to do, including children and teens.  How does the conversation start?

First of all, kids of any age need to have some money around that they can save. Initial savings should start through giving your child an allowance, in exchange for helping out around the house. Families will differ on how much to give for what, but it’s important that kids have some money to call their own.

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If your child is good about helping out at home, one idea is to offer “bonuses” for extra chores, on top of a basic allowance. Parents should encourage their child to start putting some of that extra money away in a “rainy day” fund that they can save.

Teen who start taking on jobs outside the home should have a savings account established at a bank, so they can put their earnings away safely and learn to keep track of what they earn.

Sure, early savings deposited in a piggy bank at home may not seem like much, but with time, earnings—and savings—can grow. It can all add up to a great learning experience for children and a lucrative one as well.

In earlier eras, parents had to worry about the influences of television and the evils of rock ‘n roll.  In even earlier times, parents worried about their children rolling their own cigarettes and spending time with ‘bad companions.”

Today, parents have whole other levels of concern, even as their children can enjoy the advantages of living in a more open and sophisticated society.  Families today can speak openly of certain realities, like concerns about the changes of puberty and the need for birth control. These conversations were once unthinkable in some families.

Yet with all this openness can come concern over a lack of control about what children are exposed to socially. The Internet, which is so new and so pervasive today, has quickly become a major social influence in education and family life.  It’s all happened before we’ve had a chance to think about the ramifications of it all – and it’s happened without our permission.

The power of instant communication with the Internet and all the social media it involves–including Facebook, Myspace, Youtube and more—can make some parents feel they are losing their power and influence over their children.

What can parents do to gain back their control?  Stay involved in what their children are doing and seeing. It’s age-old advice, but today it’s more important than ever that parents know what kind of information their children are getting off the Internet.  If too much is coming in—parents must know when it’s time to turn the cell phones and the computer off—and talk to their kids.

The idea of a “generation gap,” however, is relatively new, as is the concept of the teenage years as a distinct part of life. At the turn of the last century, in 1900, the concept of the “teen years” barely existed, as young people at that time were quickly absorbed into young adult roles in work or family situations once childhood had passed.

The most significant trend in establishing the teen years as a life passage in itself was the development of high schoo

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ls between 1910 and 1930.  During this time teenagers began attending high school in increasingly larger numbers.  That was a movement that did much to establish teenagers as a social entity

separate from adults.

Before too long, businesses noticed that working teens had money to spend and that their tastes differed from those of their parents. The acknowledgement of teens as a consumer group became more pronounced after World War II, and accelerated in the 1950s, as the society began to respond more energetically to emerging teenage tastes in films and music, fuelling the careers of major teen stars like Elvis Presley and then the Beatles.

Sure, that was then and this is now. If you can’t tell the difference today between rap and hip-hop and techno-pop. relax. Just remember teenagers are now an entity and a universe unto themselves, one we’re not really expected to understand or be a part of. Maybe that’s the good part of getting old….!