Being in recovery doesn’t mean you stop wanting to enjoy family activities or the beautiful summer weather. Families need to be inclusive and consider some fresh ways to enjoy life together after alcohol abuse treatment. What sober activities can families enjoy this summer? Get answers by calling Foothills at Red Oak today at 866.300.5275.
Plant a Garden
Let the summer fun start in your backyard or a local community garden. Gardening has key benefits for the teen in recovery besides beautiful flowers or freshly grown vegetables. Gardening helps to foster responsibility and build self-confidence. Assigning various chores associated with the garden to each family member teaches the importance of teamwork and caring for something beyond themselves.
They will get a sense of accomplishment when picking vegetables to use for family meals. Gardening means healthy food, lots of sunshine, and exercise, plus a hobby that they can turn to throughout their life to manage stress and build a sense of self-worth.
Summer-Long Scavenger Hunt
Make this summer an adventure as you and your family search for goodies at all the local attractions. Set up a family day trip several times a month. At each, create a list of things to scavenge. For example, the family might spend the day at the beach searching for specific shells or rocks with key shapes.
The following week, maybe you head to the natural history museum. The scavenger hunt could be for different species or fossils from various eras.
Make a different scavenger hunt for each family outing. At the end of the summer, see who got the most items and give them an age-appropriate prize like an extra hour of TV or a chance to pick dinner for a week.
Family Bike Rides
Spend this summer exploring your local bike paths as a family. Many areas have a vast network of interesting and adventurous bike paths to explore. Pick a new one each time out and vote on which ones you like the most.
If bike riding ends up being one of your favorite family activities, use this time to train and build endurance. Next year, consider a biking vacation to Palisade in Colorado or head to the Turquoise Trail in New Mexico.
Volunteer This Summer
Volunteering together as a family is a great way to bond and help others at the same time. You might talk to your local senior citizen organizations to see who might benefit from new steps or other repairs around their home.
Also, look at volunteer organizations that work throughout the world, like Habitat for Humanity. You and your family can help to build houses for people in need.
Take Up Hiking
Like bike riding, hiking is an exercise the entire family can enjoy. Start slow and stick to your local parks or hiking trails. As the family gets stronger, you can make a sober vacation out of hiking. Take your hiking boots to Juneau, Alaska and hike around the Mendenhall Glacier or visit the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and explore its acres of protected lands.
Find Sober Activities at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery
At Foothills at Red Oak Recovery, we know the importance of sober activities. We incorporate them into our program for adolescent boys.
Our activities include:
- Equine therapy with our horses
- Animal caretaking
- Exercise therapy
Our program also provides academics, family, individual, and group therapy. We create unique care plans for each of our clients to ensure they get the treatment they need and still have plenty of fun things to do.
If your teen is having problems with substance abuse or mental health issues, give us a call today at 866.300.5275 or fill out our online contact form. Foothills at Red Oak Recovery staff is specially trained to work with adolescents in need of substance use treatment.
