Teens are enigmas. Their whole world can come crashing down in an instant over a retweet of a negative status message. Or, they can be uplifted and happy in the same second when they receive good news from a great friend via texts. In the world of technologies, it can be difficult to raise a creative teenager, but here are a few ways to give your teen the creative outlet they need—minus the electronics.
Give Them an In-Bedroom Office & Arts Space
Some people think of teens as defiant and rebellious, which are both things that they certainly can be. However, teens are also the epitome of creative. Between 13 to 19 years old, kids are natural-born artists, because all of those swirling emotions makes them creative and innately crafty. You should encourage this with an in-bedroom office, complete with used office furniture, and arts space for your teen. Fill it with their favorite things, like a graphic design-centered computer, an easel full of paper, paints, and art supplies, and lots of space to hang their artworks.
Encourage Hobbies & Passions
As aforementioned, teens are natural artists when it comes to letting their emotions flow and intermingle with creative mediums. Therefore, to encourage the artistic nature of your kiddo, you should encourage their hobbies and passions. Be ever-attentive and present for their creative ideas, then bounce a few back to inspire them even more.
Ask Them to Keep an Updated Wishlist for Holidays
When kids reach the teen years, it becomes more challenging to know what to get them for holidays. The shoulder shrug becomes standard response to the question of what the get them for Christmas or their birthday. To keep your kids on their toes for the holidays, and to spark their creativities, ask them to keep an updated wish list of things they want throughout the year. It can be hand-written, or on a store registry—just ask them to keep it well-updated for anytime use.
Set Forth Rules but Respect Creative Privacy
If one of the rules in your home is “no closed doors,” perhaps bend that a bit with an art room where your kiddo can keep the door closed, but not locked. Have an open door policy, but give them their space and respect their creative privacy. Set some solid rules for the house and craft time, but be sure you respect the same boundaries.
Letting your teen have a creative outlet is the best way to raise a compassionate, artistic kid—one in touch with their emotions and crafty sides. It can be as easy as putting a crafts nook in your home.