Positive outreach to parents: spend more time with your teenagers!

The SAMAN-Group (TOGETHER-group) is an interdisciplinary group of people working on young people and prevention, including social workers and representatives of various NGOs. One of the group's main purposes is to promote positive messages to parents about their role as their children's educators with an emphasis on families spending time together.

Date 2016-07-25 Author Icelandic Safer Internet Centre
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In recent months, the group has tried to reach parents by posting videos on Facebook where adults talk about what matters most in the upbringing of children, what they enjoyed doing with their families when they were young, and what they would do more of if given the chance to travel back in time. The videos have gained lots of views, likes and shares but the group felt that it would also be appropriate to get young people to make an appearance, telling parents what they think is important for them to hear. As a result, members of the SIC Youth Panel were asked the following questions on camera: What do you enjoy doing with your parents the most? What do modern parents need to look out for? Why is it important for parents to spend time with their teenagers?
 
The answers were straightforward: they enjoyed simple things as camping, travelling, playing cards or board games, going to a restaurant or to the movies. Modern parents need to be involved with their children online and make sure they don't spend too much time there. And parents need to spend time with their teenagers so they know someone is there for them who loves and supports them: "It is the parents' job to show them love so they know that they are important for this world."  
 
Find out more about the work of the Icelandic Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline and youth participation services.

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