Here's a freebie to help your teen play again!

Aug 21

“Stop!”

“What is wrong with you?”

“Do you know how to act normal?”

Traveling with teens. Geesh. Am I right?

The tables have officially turned. These are the questions being asked of ME by my children. If I try to emulate a local accent, “Stop!”. If I stretch and happen to take up space, “What is wrong with you?!”. If I strike up a conversation with a stranger on the Spanish Steps, “Do you know how to act normal?”.

Their mortification is actually endearing.

I can handle it. Mostly because it was refreshing to see them so present and off of their screens. We had agreed as a family not to phub* each other while sightseeing and eating meals. The novelty of the European cities, the gorgeous Airbnb's and the kids’ newfound independence exploring on their own didn't hurt.

Speaking of our Airbnb's, here's a glimpse of where we got to stay in each city:

If you're planning a trip to Europe sometime soon, this is where we stayed in Rome, Florence, Barcelona and Paris. Each place was lovely and accommodating, making our European adventure even more memorable.

Once home, I know it won’t be as easy to keep them exploring.

That’s why I love my Toys for Teens list!

If we expect our tweens and teens to be active in "real life", we need to have things for them to do (and we need to stay strong in the face of their boredom).

Grab my list here: https://maryvangeffen.com/toysforteens

*phub means to ignore someone in front of you in favor of scrolling on your phone.