Sometimes, despite all your efforts and pleas, your teenaged child just doesn’t want to spend his or her free time at home. At this age, many teenagers want to assert their independence and express their individuality, doing so by choosing to spend more time out of the shadow of their parents. Fortunately, there’s a way for you to let your teen enjoy his independence while keeping an eye on him.

You just have to make sure that your home is a teen-friendly zone. If your house is fit for ‘hanging out’, you can encourage your teen to just spend his free time at home. You can even let your kid invite his friends at home.

If you have the room to spare, design an area of your house so that it can cater to the recreational needs of a teenager. This works best if you have a spare bedroom, a spacious attic, or a roomy basement. Put a sofa, some armchairs, or beanbags in the room so that your child and his friends will be comfortable while they hang out in the room.

You can ask your teen what he wants in the room in terms of entertainment. Many teens are content with a TV and a DVD player or a videogame console, so that they can watch movies and play videogames with their friends. The equipment in the room will largely depend on the hobbies and interests of your teenaged child and his friends.

Food is another thing you’ll need if your teen and his friends regularly hang out in your home. This is especially true in the case of teen boys, who usually have healthy appetites. You won’t have to prepare meals for your child’s friends, but make sure they’re well supplied with snacks such as potato chips, tortilla chips with salsa, and brownies. For more satisfying teen-friendly food, try pizza, French fries, and chicken wings.