- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preteenagers today articles
- preteenagers today q&a
- teenagers today articles
- teenagers today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
How Does Your Garden Grow?
A Four-step Approach to Gardening with Your Preteen
By Shel Franco
The family that sows together grows together.
OK, so it might not be the most popular rendition of the famous quote, but it's true, nonetheless. While there are no large, university-funded research studies claiming that gardening with your preteen can end teen angst, there are intimate ones conducted in backyards all over the world each gardening season.
"We've had a garden since we bought our first home 27 years ago," says Celia Ardmore of Salt Lake City, Utah. "The kids were never without homegrown vegetables, and they were so excited to pick pumpkins from their very own pumpkin patch or grab the biggest watermelon for our summer picnics."
While there's no doubt that the Ardmore kids loved eating from the garden, as they got older, they also loved caring for the garden.
"It was an enriching experience," says 26-year-old Damon Ardmore. "I have really fond memories of setting up the sprinkler system with my dad."
Damon admits that caring for the garden sometimes seemed like a chore, but he usually felt "paid back" for all his work. "They let me plant hot peppers and other foods that nobody else liked," he says, laughing. "It was like my own little corner of the garden, and some of my friends actually thought it was cool to come over and see how hot the peppers really were."