Spending Quality Time with your Tween/Teen Daughter

I remember the first day I was back from the hospital with my eldest child. I put her in a white bassinet and looked fondly upon her for many minutes. She was so precious and beautiful! So many questions were going through my mind: will I be a good mom, will she keep her dad’s blue eyes, will she be healthy, will we have a close mother-daughter relationship, what will she be when she grows up, etc…  At nineteen, she is now a young woman and no longer my little girl. I have to say that as parents, my husband and I can certainly give ourselves a pat on the back, as she bloomed into a responsible adult in her second year of university in Nursing.

From the moment she came into my life, I wanted us to get along and have a close relationship. When puberty kicked in for her, I wondered if there would be a huge generation gap and if she would use her independence as a way to reject me. Fortunately, I was one of those lucky moms that didn’t have to go through too many mood swings and tantrums with her daughter. I did learn to give her space and time to think things through when I could see she needed it, and she knew she could come to me for guidance and support no matter what the topic or issue might be. If you wish for your daughter to spend quality time with you when she is a tween/teen, the open line of communication has to start when she is little and must be continued through puberty and into adulthood. Once this is achieved, she will be more willing to spend time with you and enjoy mother-daughter time.

Of course, tween/teen girls still prefer to be with their friends, but they also enjoy one-on-one time with their mothers. The key is finding out the activities they enjoy and what really interests them! Next, plan an outing or time alone at home with no siblings or spouse. And last, enjoy each other’s company and laughing and talking with each other!

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I thought I would share 10 ideas on what do to on a mother-daughter date:

1. Prepare lunch or dinner together and watch a movie with popcorn
2. Shop for clothes/jewelry at the mall and treat yourselves to a yummy snack
3. Head outside for a nature walk or to a bike trail
4. Take a class together like yoga, art, or scrapbooking
5. Bake a fun dessert or treat
6. Go bowling, swimming, or mini-putting
7. Volunteer together
8. Have a spa-themed evening
9. Visit a museum
10. Paint, draw or sculpt

The possibilities are endless! What’s important is having this special bonding time just between the two of you!

For tips to help through puberty, your daughter can visit BeingGirl.com – a mom-approved site that can help her with all of the questions she might have. 

What mother-daughter activities do you do with your tween/teen?

Although this post has been generously sponsored by Always, the opinions and language are all my own, and in no way do they reflect Always.