Home Activities to Do With Your Teen

A teen with a substance abuse problem needs to feel supported in all areas of their life. While a teen drug rehab will provide them with many tools and help from medical and mental health professionals, having an enriching and safe environment at home can encourage personal growth.

teen drug rehab

Teen and Substances

When a teen uses substances like alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs, and party drugs recreationally, they are abusing substances. When the substance becomes an overpowering preoccupation and an impulsive need, it is an addiction. It is reported that one in three parents believe they cannot prevent their teen from using drugs or alcohol, but when parents are involved with their children, there is a greater chance of prevention. By showing deep interest in your teen’s life and their recovery process, you can improve your child’s wellbeing and, perhaps, curb their addiction. 

Activities For You and Your Teen

You and your teen’s mental health team may prefer that your teen stays in places that are supervised like the home, outpatient rehab, and extracurricular activities. Although a teen may find these restrictions boring or suffocating, you can try to make it stimulating. Here are some ways to connect with your teen at home.

 

  • Cook Together – Dedicate a day out of the week for the whole family to make a meal together. Plan ahead of time by voting on the favorite recipe everyone is up to trying. On cooking day, have each person fulfill a task such as chopping produce, sauteing, cooking rice, or seasoning the food. If you want a more face-to-face activity, jpick food such as dumplings, spring rolls, and sushi. Take turns each week choosing a music station and make light-hearted conversation. Cooking and eating is a bonding and joyful experience, and it can help your teen become self-sufficient.
  • Meditate – Find a time in the morning or before bed that everyone in the household can commit to each day. Spend 5-15 minutes meditating through a guided meditation, mindful meditation technique, or simply closing the eyes to relax. You can include a minute of gratitude by verbally sharing a few things each person is grateful for at that moment. Or each person can do it silently in their head. Setting the tone for the day or for dream states can help ease anxiety and encourage a positive outlook. 
  • Create a Book Club – Select a book to read each month or every other month. Choose an age-appropriate book if you have younger kids, or just include your teen and adults. Choose a day out of the week to discuss the book and see how your teen can relate it to real-life history, current events, or their personal life. You can make it more interesting by choosing a book that has been adapted to a film then have a movie night with snacks once everyone has finished reading the book. Then compare and discuss both.
  • Camp Out – If you have a backyard, sleep outside on a good weather day. Have your teen help set up a tent and start a bonfire. You can gaze at the sky with a telescope, make s’mores, play instruments, share stories with your teen about your past and relate to where they are in life now, and inquire about your kid’s dreams and goals. 
  • Open a Business – Inspire your teen to creatively express themselves, as well as sharpen their business skills. Have them choose something they can offer on an e-commerce site such as handmade jewelry, graphic tees, paintings, and woodwork. Work together to brainstorm on an aesthetic and brand identity, then curate their online shop. Each household member can take up a role like a photographer, customer service, and shipper. Encouraging your teen to learn and use entrepreneurial skills will strengthen their confidence and help them for future endeavors. 

 

For more information on how to help your teen during drug recovery, call Insight Treatment at (888) 295-9995.