A two-person book club with your teen
Teens often don't want to talk when you ask them to, but they'll talk about a character. A two-person book club gives you a regular time together and something to talk about that isn't their grades.
- Time
- 30 min
- Cost
- $0
- Ages
- 12 and up
- Where
- Just the two of you
What you need
- Two copies of the book (library, e-book, or share one and take turns)
- Sticky notes or scraps of paper to mark pages
- Fries, pancakes or a drink somewhere, your treat (optional)
Before you start
- Know what's in it. Teen books can deal with self-harm, abuse, drugs or suicide. Skim ahead or ask the librarian so you're ready to talk, not lecture.
- If it gets real, take it seriously. If your teen talks about wanting to die or hurting themselves, stay with them and call or text 988 together. It's free and open 24/7.
- What they say stays in the club. Don't bring their opinions up later as ammunition. If it feels safe, they'll bring you harder things.
Steps
- Make the pitch. Ask: "You pick a book, I read it too, we talk over fries?" Let them choose the first one.
- Set the chunks and the date. Split the book into three chunks and put three meeting dates on the calendar.
- Read and mark two spots. Each of you marks one line you liked and one part that bugged or confused you.
- They go first. Let them show a marked spot first. Listen, then ask "Why that one?"
- Share yours honestly. Share your spots, admit what confused you, and disagree without lecturing.
- Set the next one. Confirm the next chunk and date. When the book ends, take turns picking.
If it stalls
- If they didn't read the chunk, meet anyway. Talk about what they did read, push the date a week, and skip the guilt.
- If all you get is "It was fine," ask something concrete: "Who in this book would you actually be friends with?"
Books finished · who picked
Signed off: can do this.Signed by Date