Young kids are still fun, you can tell them what to do and follow your instructions but as they approach teenage, you cannot just make them spend some time with family. They don't listen to you and whatever suggestions you have to make regarding their life, career or friends, are, well, you know. Blah!

When I was young, my grandfather had Sundays booked for family brunch and the maintenance of lawn. He made order for Maya flowers & gardening tools for various outdoor activities for me many times. He made sure that none of the kids missed it unless there were exams or a health issue.The kid sharedtheir food, worked and laughed together. Despite working till afternoon, covered in sweat and dust, the kids looked forward to the next Sunday. Now when I think of it, I believe that it helped us avoid the most overwhelming teenage problems, social impairment and aggression. We learnt to be patient with each other and work together to solve differences, if any. We learnt that even the biggest of problems can be solved amiably without verbally assaulting each other or even as much as increasing our voice. Little did we know that entire exercise build up a strong camaraderie, which eventually became a friendship for life.

Now, when I am all grown up and became parent, I understand how gardening proved to be one of the best tools to boost creativity, bonding as well as foster opportunity. When we worked together, we took care of each other's interests and learnt to control our behaviour, not to mention developing the competency and becoming committed to our social responsibility of keeping this planet green.

We started to respect each other's preferences. Gardening enhanced our skills and immunity as we worked together in summer and. For us kids, every empty container in the house became vase or planter! We looked for numerous ways to contribute to the garden and initiated ways to introduce green to our house. Even today, nothing feels more rewarding than blooming flowers.I have tried to nurture the green thumb in my kids too.I ask them to help me with my garden and this, while promoting social awareness towards the environment, which is much-needed cause in itself,brings my kids together and helps them appreciate nature. At first, they weren't much inclined to leave their iPads and smart phones but when they finally did (after much persuasion), they loved it! It feels amazing now when my son watches over the herbs he has planted for kitchen or picks me roses to put in a vase!

Not just gardening but any other activity that can help you engage and work with them in the most creative manner, can enhance family bonding. As you work together, you can solve out differences in indirect way. Don't boss around when you share instructions.Talk to them in a friendly manner. As a parent, you also have to learn and understand that kids also have wonderful perspective to look at a situation. So, when you work together, make learning and sharing a two-way process.