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Teenagers

Lethargic teenagers.....

8 replies

fartmeistergeneral · 02/04/2013 19:18

My ds is 14 and is totally lethargic. I realise that this is probably par for the course but it pains me to see so little activity!

He does one activity during the week (one evening)
Eating terrible, very limited and fussy and often doesn't eat much of evening meal and therefore gets nothing til the next day
Hardly drinks any water at all
Glued to ipod - we haven't found a solution yet that suits him and us - I realise that it's part of their life these days, but today (when I was at work) - he probably spent about 7 or 8 hours on it, messaging people (!!!)
Not remotely interested in school work even though he was extremely able at primary

So, what to do? I've suggested activities for him in the past but he either tries them and quits immediately or doesn't even want to try. Eating - difficult for me to manage when he's at school, but when he gets home he's allowed one biscuit and it makes no difference whether he bothers having that or not - it doesn't seem to relate to whether or not he eats his dinner.

I can totally see that a full life of activity and healthy eating would make him feel much better (not sitting at the dinner table with his head down on the table as today) - but how to convince him of this? I've told him so many times I just cannot tell him again. At 14 he must have an awareness of activity + healthy food = energy.

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chickydoo · 02/04/2013 19:28

He is 14...I have the carbon copy, don't worry I'm told they grow out of it. My boy is lovely but like yours is as lazy as sin, and we are lucky to get 3 grunts and shoulder shrug. My DS does eat well, & plays footie in the garden with his brother when the weather is good. Otherwise it's Xbox or iPod or pc.
At least he's not out drinking & being a menace to others.....yet...he will be fine OP

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Bunfags · 02/04/2013 23:12

It must be a 14 year old boy thing! My DS isn't exactly the human dynamo. He eats well, but only if it is an elaborate home cooked meal - usually made by me!

With the healthy eating, he will happily eat obscure things like fennel bake with a basil and creme fraiche sauce or Morrocan style vegetables and chickpeas. Not normal meat and two veg though. Confused

He is an awkward so and so! Tbh, this is the only way I can get him to eat plenty of veg and healthy foods. We end up with some interesting meals. It hasn't galvanised him into action, so I don't worry too much fartmeister. As for exercise, he isn't up for that and never has been, he does martial arts once a week.

Luckily, he is starting to get into cooking, but otherwise he would spend all day online and never leave his room.

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fartmeistergeneral · 03/04/2013 09:15

I was never like this as a teenager so I don't get it but I do remember being unemployed once and sleeping in, watching daytime tv etc and feeling awful. The less you do, the less you want to do. It's just breaking that cycle!

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fartmeistergeneral · 03/04/2013 15:54

Bump for any other advice?

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watchingout · 03/04/2013 17:11

No advice, sorry Blush just joining the thread to pick up some tips as my DSS is lounging on my sofa glued to his laptop as I post. I couldn't even encourage him into a (short) walk to the village shop. Always struggling cos he only visits for a couple of days a week and so has no real space here to call his own so I appreciate its awkward for him too.

My own DCs get booted outside/ encouraged into activities but are more sociable anyway. And typical, they are off with XH!

Lurking I hope of ideas.....

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chocoluvva · 03/04/2013 21:35

Do you have a gym that he might enjoy going to?

Photography? (Sorry if that's irrelevant - the amount of photos teenagers seem to take these days...)

Skateboard?

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mercibucket · 03/04/2013 21:50

we see a big difference with iron supplements, floradix, and vit d supplements, solgar 20 000 iu weekly

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fartmeistergeneral · 04/04/2013 17:25

I did wonder about vit supplements!

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