Family Fun: 5 Ways to Connect with Your Adult Children
When your kids have grown up and left the nest, you can still connect with them, instead of waiting for a major holiday to roll around like Thanksgiving. It doesn’t matter what age anyone is, loving solid relationships still take work as both sides respect and appreciate their independence. The aim is to keep families together and not to make it a chore in doing so. There are many wonderful ways to reconnect with your adult children on equal footing, and our experts offer several ideas to consider.
Enjoy The Arts
We may not always have the same taste in music, theater, cinema, or art, but it can be fun to share interests and discover new cultural events together. For instance, why not plan a trip to a museum once a month or take in a concert together?
Maybe your adult child would think it’s pretty cool that his old man is learning to like Jay-Z’s hip-hop music. They would appreciate your open-mindedness about their generation.
The arts help us express ourselves through our feelings in media other than words or numbers and to celebrate multiple perspectives. The arts also teach people of all ages how to play and express joy.
Plan A Vacation
Everyone needs a little rest and relaxation, and why not kick back with your adult children.
It doesn’t matter where you go whether it’s near or far or how you get there. Choose a spot, map out a plan, and decide what gear you will need for your adventure.
This is also the ideal time to get to know the significant others in your children’s lives. Psychologists recommend embracing the people your adult children have chosen to love.
Don’t worry about your daughter’s partner who appears to have one too many piercings, for example. Get to know the person, and cultivate a warm friendship with them.
Hit The Open Road
Another way to have a blast and to bond as a family is by getting exercise, fresh air, and exhilaration all in one.
Taking off together and watching the dirt fly behind you is a thrill for all adult people and their momma, too!
Find the best off road vehicles out there, and start your engines. It’s an affordable recreational option that adults of all ages fall in love with, and let’s face it, whether it’s an ATV, dirt bike or go-kart, nothing beats hitting miles of trails and shredding the dirt.
Take Up A Hobby
It’s one thing to excel at a hobby, but it’s another to share it with someone you love. Spend time showing your grown-up kid how you enjoy creative moments and building something special.
Maybe you are very talented in ceramics or knitting, thrift shopping, or making furniture. Now is the time to show off your expertise and work on a project together.
Taking a few hours connecting with your adult child is not wasted time. In fact, it’s a great opportunity for catching up and having conversations that go beyond family matters. It is a good time to really listen to each other, and if your grown-up kid asks for advice, then as a parent, you are there to provide it.
Work For A Cause
There are many ways to give back to your community and to maintain a strong family relationship in the process. Some parents and their adult children join a cause and get out there to help make the world a better place.
Let’s take politics, for example. No, not every family always sees eye to eye on political candidates and party affiliation, but what if you happen to agree?
Why not get out the vote together and work for the common good. The nation could use more parents and adult children who encourage each other to stand for something and not be afraid to express their opinions. Maybe you could volunteer together for a political candidate.
Just because your grown-up kids are on their own and have moved out of the nest doesn’t mean that your family relationship has to change or be less than what it was before. Forge new ways of relating and communicating, and keep those family ties tight.
