One complaint that parents usually make is that they don’t have sufficient time to spend with their kids. In between their jobs, household chores and their  kid’s extracurricular activities and socializing, parents are not left with much time to spend with children. Moreover, with the onset of modern gadgets and technology, even the time spend together on dinner table has been reduced to nothing.

One major reason why parents spend less time with children is because they want to provide their kids with every luxury they can afford. For this, they spend long hours at work and try to busy their kids in as many after school activities as possible, so that they don’t lag behind other kids in any way. However, parents need to understand that no matter how much money they spend on their teens, the risk of spending less time with children is just too high. The time you spend with your child is something that cannot be compensated. Time parents spend with children is important and there's no replacement for it. This can even turn your child into a spoiled brat.

Therefore, parents need to get a reality check. Parents should understand that teenagers – though demand more freedom and independence – require their time and love to grow up into responsible adults. Quality time does not require much planning or money. All you require is some time during which you can  talk to your kid, without anything there to distract you.  This way you can understand their teen issues and be there to help  resolve their problems. Nothing can sum this up more accurately than how The National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) puts it: “When you spend time, not money, your kids are all the richer for it.”

Spending time with your teens can be a rewarding experience; not only for parents, but also for the kids. Parents are able to gain insight into the lives of their teens, which they are usually reluctant to share. This, in turn, helps the parents establish importance of family values and inculcates a sense of belonging among the teens. This way teenagers get the assurance from their parents that they will be there to support them whenever they are about to fall. Hence, they become more confident and self-assured. Spending time with your kids gives them a message that they are the most important to you, which makes them feel loved and increases their self-worth. Similarly, some casual family activities, like grocery shopping, going out for a stroll or renting movies together can help parents understand their teens’ likes and dislikes. It is mostly during such activities that teens open up to their parents about their private lives and issues faced by them.