SUGGESTIONS FOR BUILDING ASSETS

Asset # 20- Time at Home

(Young people have a balance of time at home with their family, structured activities, and hanging out with their friends.)

To Build Asset # 20 Parents and Extended Family Can . . .

* Role model: don't fill up your time with activities away from the house either!

* Have games and things around the house that your children enjoy doing. Turn the TV off and help your children invent games and activities to play with each other.

* When you are visiting a family with kids, invite the young people to be in the room with you. Try to make the children feel welcome around adults.

* Be clear with your teenager about limits to time he or she can be employed. Help your teen be very clear about this with his or her employer.

* Treat your kids with respect and love. Make your home a happy and comfortable place for young people.

* Some families face issues like alcoholism, violence, or emotional abuse. If this is the case, home is not especially good for kids. If you have these problems, be courageous and get help — for your kids' sake.

* Have some time scheduled into the week so your children get to decide what they will do at home. Go along with their choice, even if it wouldn't be your choice.  Make this a part of family boundaries. Talk about it as a family and agree to a plan.

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50% of youth surveyed by Search Institute have this asset in their lives.*

*Based on Search Institute surveys of almost 100,000 6th to 12th grade youth throughout the United States

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Words of Encouragement

Typically, teen years are a time for young people to move out into the world, and pull away from their families. It is common for young people to want to spend more time away from home, with friends, or simply be left alone (given some privacy) in their rooms. Sure, we adults understand this natural need to move into independence. We all had to go through this developmental process too. However, we also remember that the goal is not simply independence - from family, culture, and supportive people. Actually, what wise people have taught us over the years is that we are to work toward interdependence. Interdependence can be found by the simple act of allowing the youth some supported freedom in their move toward independence.