School is out! These are the words many kids long to hear. Free from homework, tests, getting up early, or keeping up with scheduled activities, students may look forward to a summer of taking it slow, sleeping late, and hanging out with friends. Taking a break is healthy and refreshing for teens, yet relaxing can grow dull quickly. That's when your help and encouragement can go a long way toward helping your child find interesting things to do.

Knowing the Risks of an Idle Summer

Guarding against teen drug use is a year-round concern for parents, but risks increase during the summer - especially when too much free time leads to boredom. With time on their hands, restless teens may fill the void with unhealthy and risky activities such as alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drug use.

Coming Up With a Plan

What can you do to make sure that your teen has a good summer? You can start by making sure that your teen is occupied and supervised. However, a bit of planning can turn summer from an exercise in killing time into a chance to learn and grow while still having fun.

What are your child's interests - sports, music, art, cameras, cars, computers, children, or animals? Does he want to learn new skills or help others? Whether your teen wants to be outside or stay indoors, get physical or exercise his mind, he has plenty of choices.

A teen with a clear interest such as creative arts or a sport simply may need approval and help in finding an outlet such as a league, club, community group, or studio. Some kids may hesitate to try something new. They may be unsure of their ability or what their friends would think. Some teens may not know what they would like to do.

Shop for Choices

No matter which of these descriptions fits your teen, you can ask questions, suggest ideas, and voice approval to prompt your teen to get going. Shop for choices - check newspapers and Web sites for ads and announcements. Park and recreation centers, colleges, civic groups, and faith centers are some places to start. Parents can help a reluctant teen by urging her to think for herself or by going with her to check out a new activity; consider taking one of her friends along.

What if your teen doesn't embrace any single idea for summer enrichment? That's okay - a fruitful summer does not require one big idea. With parents' help, youth can sample an array of activities to stir their curiosity. New experiences may involve getting out of your town or neighborhood. Going with a child to enjoy nature, listen to music, or look at art provides a chance to share views and to consider meanings and possibilities that can deepen your relationship.

Putting Work Into the Mix

Neither play nor personal interests are the only paths to a meaningful summer. Work, whether paid or volunteer, can expose teens to a slice of life that builds social skills and work habits. Examples of volunteer activities include helping at a shelter or daycare center, working with Habitat for Humanity, or working in efforts to improve the environment.

If your teen takes on a volunteer project, caution him to follow through. Just because he isn't getting paid does not mean that he can dodge the job he promised to do. Work also can focus a teen's outlook on the future by providing a close look at a profession or work setting and helping develop good habits in managing money.

Making a Difference

Time off from school presents a chance to tap into a youth's interests or to inspire new ones. By getting involved, parents can help teens see beyond their daily lives and surroundings. Such views open a window to the future.

Conversation Starter

What would you like to do this summer to make the most of your time away from school?

What three things - even ones that seem kind of silly or that "no one else" is doing or that look too hard to learn - would be interesting to try? (Get a head start by researching magazines, the library, or the Web together to explore possibilities that your child hasn't discussed before - crafts, art, music, dance, sports, nature studies, Web design, graphic arts - the possibilities are endless. Community centers, colleges, recreation departments, and faith centers may offer free or inexpensive programs.)

About the Author

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SAMHSA works to improve the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, alcohol and drug addiction treatment, and mental health services. Includes links to support groups, information resources, events and articles.