It’s hard for a lot of people to communicate with their teens because, you now, it’s a teen thing to not hang out with your parents–but maybe we can break that with a little help from Pokémon GO. It’s an all-around great idea, because, we could all use a little exercise and, if at the same time, you can Bond with Your Teen with Pokémon GO, all’s the better, neh?
Pokémon Go has everyone under its spell–well, everyone with a phone, a penchant for Pikachu and a few minutes to spare–which is just about every teen on the planet. Heh.
It’s just such a new and improved (and more IRL-integrated) way to play this classic and beloved game that some of us grew up with and others are just starting to grow with…which is kind of a unique situation I feel like we should be taking advantage of. I mean–how many other things do you think you REALLY have in common with your teen? That are flexible enough to be done pretty much anytime you have time, gets everyone outside–and you can have fun doing?
Yeah–this is something special. So, let’s use it to our advantage and weasel our ways back into the fun part of our teen’s lives. (enter diabolical laugh track here)
How to Bond With Your Teen With Pokémon GO
Start Playing
Some of you may already play the game, but I know there are some that roll their eyes at it. Well, don’t. In order to bond with your teen you should pick up your phone and play with them. That means YOU have to play. Not just look over their shoulder.
Yes, some teens will find it “weird” at first, but they will get over it once you start engaging with them about the game (you might even impress them with your insights). This gives you both a common interest that will allow you to bond and chat. You can talk about what Pokémon you’ve each caught or what your favorites are. Easy. Peasy.
Go With Them
It is rare these days that a teen will want to hang out with their mom or dad, but throw this game in the mix and BAM! You can spend some quality time together hunting Pokémon and battling at gyms.
Just make a point of offering to go for walks with your teen so you can both hunt for your local Snorlax (still haven’t caught mine) and find Pokéstops. This can be a great time to have some chats about what’s going on in their lives, sex, why the sky is blue, etc.
Discovering New Places
By getting out and “wandering” while you hunt, Pokémon GO gives you a new perspective on your own neighborhood–and you find hidden places or things in your area that you may have never known were there (I had no idea there was a community garden just down the street from my house?!).
Discovering these new places with your teen helps build a certain type of bond. A certain since of accomplishment and wonder. I don’t know why, maybe because you’re both amazed that you’ve never come across this certain area in your town before? Either way–it’s something great to take advantage of.
Adventuring
This game can take you all over the place to catch all types of different Pokémon, empowering even an otherwise unaccomplished person a chance to be the best trainer possible. So playing this game with your teen enables you to go on adventures to places you otherwise wouldn’t.
Say you have free time on your hands–you now have a great excuse to just up and take your teen to the next town over, on a hike, or maybe a museum or walking through downtown. It’s a chance to empower them to do something fun that allows you to almost build a mini-vacation (or, heck, a WHOLE vacation) around–shaping an adventure just for you two.
Seriously, this game gives you SO many opportunities to bond with your teen because it gives you both something in common, to talk about and get excited about. It lets you step into their world and see what they are interested in–and taking away the barrier of the electronic device between the two of you and turning it into the shared interest. What do you think? Will you give a go at bonding with your teen while you play Pokémon GO together?
Let me know in the comments, below. And, don’t forget to share this with your friends…they deserve a chance to get some insight on how they can can Bond with Your Teen with Pokémon GO, no? LOL!