10 Ideas For A Special Parent-Tween Outing

There’s something about the tween stage of development that can make parents sigh, roll their eyes and wish for the days of diapering, but with some adjustment on perspective, these years can be a great opportunity to build your relationship with your burgeoning young adult.

- Meagan Church

Phyllis Fagell, a school counselor, psychotherapist and author of “Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond – and How Parents Can Help,” argues that while this stage may be messy, it’s also magical. Rather than taking a step back, parents need to be more available in order to help their children through early adolescence.

One way to be more available is to schedule a “date night” with your tween. Date nights are an opportunity to set aside the distractions of life and spend time connecting with one another. Not only do they provide an opening for the child to better know the parent, but they create chances for the parent to get deeper insight into the child, including hopes, dreams, fears, friendships and maybe even crushes. After all, change happens in the blink of an eye, so spending focused time together can reveal transformation and development that may have gone unnoticed.

Need ideas? Here are a few of our suggestions for a parent-tween dates specific to the Charlotte region:

Get immersed in art. Portal CLT located on Tryon Street in uptown Charlotte offers the opportunity to get lost inside the world of art. This unique art experience encourages people not to just view, but to become part of the art installments. The optical illusions and interactive displays encourage visitors to be hands-on and Instagram-ready. It’s sure to spark conversation, laughter and plenty of fun photo opportunities.