Crazy Summer Days - Focus on the Family Africa

Crazy Summer Days

by Grace Fox

Our kitchen looked and smelled like a bakery. Fourteen apple pies cooled on the counter. Cardboard boxes were packed with dinner rolls, caramel corn, chocolate chip cookies, mini banana loaves, biscotti and pretzels — homemade goodies destined for the local farmer’s market.

My teenage daughter, Stephanie, and I surveyed the results of our 12-hour baking marathon.

“Mission accomplished!” Stephanie said.

Mission accomplished in more ways than one, I thought. You’re ready for tomorrow’s market, but you’ve also found something to keep you busy this summer.

As summer vacation approached, Stephanie sought retail and fast-food work, but when her searching yielded no jobs, I began to feel anxious. She needs to do something productive, I said to myself.

Fortunately, Stephanie felt the same way. One afternoon, after another unfruitful job search, she decided to sell baked goods at the Saturday morning farmer’s market. Her plan worked. A potentially boring and frustrating summer (for teen and parent alike) became an opportunity for her to learn new skills and earn money in the process.

Keeping teens busy in the summer is a challenge. They’re too old to play all day but too young, perhaps, for an employer to hire them. What are the options?

Having raised three teenagers, I know it’s possible to overcome the challenge and turn a teen’s summer from flat to fantastic. Here are several suggestions:

Attend summer camp either as campers or in leadership training programs. The latter often run for several weeks. Most programs include discipleship courses and teach participants to lead group games, share their testimonies and perhaps co-counsel in a tent or cabin during children’s camps.
Get involved in vacation Bible school. These church programs need volunteers to baby-sit, teach classes and crafts, serve snacks, lead games and perform skits.
Participate in summer missions. Our youngest, 17-year-old Kim, went to Mexico to teach Bible clubs. Involvement in missions helps teens discern their spiritual gifts and sometimes helps them make career choices.
Volunteer in the community. Explore possibilities at the local community center, the parks and recreation department, hospital, public library or animal shelter.
Develop entrepreneurial skills. Creative teens can make and sell crafts such as jewelry, candles and greeting cards. Farmers’ markets provide a great venue, as do craft fairs and local shops willing to sell on consignment.
Teach music lessons. A friend’s 15-year-old son plays the drums and earns money by teaching weekly half-hour lessons to beginner students.
Adopt a grandma or grandpa. On Stephanie’s nonbaking days, she visited the local nursing home and played checkers or card games with the residents. Their appreciation made the effort worthwhile.
Do odd jobs. Does an elderly neighbor need a fence painted or a garden weeded? Could a single mom use help mowing her lawn, or does she need a break on a Saturday afternoon? Knock on neighbors’ doors, or ask church folks if they have odd jobs.
Host a garage sale. Clean out the attic and empty the storage room. Sort, clean and price items. Then make posters and have a sale.
Learn life skills. Hectic schedules during the school year often make it hard for students to help prepare dinners. Summer is different. Let them plan the dinner menus, buy the necessary ingredients and cook the meals.
Encourage interests through sports camps, music festivals, swimming lessons, writing or drama classes. Check the local community center or newspaper for listings.

Keeping teenagers busy in the summer is no small feat. It often requires a parent’s supervision or involvement, and it can sometimes be inconvenient. Stephanie’s baking project proved time-consuming for me, but it also carried a bonus: several hours each week to discuss friendships, goals, music and other topics while we worked in the kitchen.

As parents, we can encourage our teens to develop their strengths and venture beyond their comfort zones.

Summer doesn’t have to be boring or frustrating. With prayer and planning, this season can provide a wide-open window of learning for teens.

Grace Fox helps her daughter bake in Heriot Bay, British Columbia.

This article appeared in Focus on the Family magazine.
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