Olympic TV and Family Time
Watching TV with your teen is a great way to promote family bonding. Typically this consists of watching an adolescent drama and then attempting to engage in a relevant growth promoting conversation. I support and encourage all parents that do this.
This month, however, there is an excellent TV opportunity that every member of the family can enjoy—The Winter Olympics! And here are some tips to make this a true bonding experience.
- Make a Date – Get the entire family together to watch the opening ceremonies. Build a fire and have favorite foods available. The agenda for this evening….to eat lots and enjoy each other’s company.
- Learn about a new sport – peruse the different events and have your teen choose a sport for you to watch together. Then go out and try it for real or play the video game. Shaun White Snowboarding on the Wii is blast and appropriate for all ages.
- Get high tech—there are more than 800 hours of Olympic programming that will be delivered through the internet, on mobile phones, and video on demand. Sit with your teen and have them show you how to find their favorite events in a non-traditional viewing format. They will be excited to dazzle you with their computer skills.
- Explore a new culture – Ask your kids to suggest a favorite foreign land, and then root for them to come in second, behind the USA of course. Decorate the TV room and plan a meal around that chosen country.
Enjoy and please post any ideas that you may have about how to bond over the Olympics.
