I have monosyllabic 15yo to myself this weekend

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He used to such a nice lad and he still really but he's retreated right inside himself and become the stereotypical grunting teenage boy. I think he's OK, but he's still lively with friends and reasonably chatty with GPS etc but at home he says little and doesn't want to "do" anything.

I used to look forward to days when I had one of my DC on their own for some quality time but it's really hard work to achieve that with DS2 atm. If we watch a film he'll either fiddle with his phone or wander off, but there's nothing he wants to see at the cinema, if we go out for dinner it's a real struggle to get any conversation. Going for a walk was always a winner with DS1 at this age. He might not be keen to go but once out would chat happily, whereas DS2 can say nothing for hours. In the past I've taken him into London for one of the museums but he doesn't want to do that....

So, do I give up and spend a weekend in separate rooms/take the time to myself or force "quality time" on him? If so, what?

You could try a phone ban for a short time. Not a ban, but 'put your phone away for half an hour please'...
How about doing something like watching a prog of his choosing, some music or doing a crossword? I was gobsmacked that this worked with Ds last weekend. Only for a short time til he got bored, but some progress. He actually started talking to me.

Don't give up!

Thanks Wow. We do have limited phone use and never phones during dinner but it doesn't make him any more chatty

Go for moments, not big chunks of time. Plan a few; go to Parkrun together, cook a meal each day together.

All the Monty Python films are on Netflix at the mo. We had some good moments with those. Ds only 14.5 though...

Haha Annadale. I'm a regular parkrunner, as are DH and DS1. DS2 will agree to anything not to have to come, even just for a coffee. I agree about moments

"still lively with friends"....there you have it!
Why should he want to share mum-son time with you at a museum,etc. when he can be hanging out with his friends? Mums are great(and essential) in small doses, sure, but as someone to hang around with? Keep open house for his friends so they all want to spend time together at yours. Worked for us.

'Will agree to anything...' aha!

'Ok ds your choice; parkrun at 9 or table tennis at 11, you choose.' Table tennis is superbly short.

What is he interested in? Or was he interested in? Ie lego? Could you get one of the big sets to build together?

You don't have to entertain him, he's fifteen. Quite likely he'll have something to do with his friends at some stage over the weekend. Just do what you would normally do. Don't try and make conversation, there's nothing worse than small talk being forced on you.

He might even have long lie ins which will allow you to either do the same or go running.

He sounds quite normal to me.

Ooh yes, drinks for parents and fortnite for teenagers party at yours saturday night? Ask him to do a suitably geriatric playlist for the adults' room. They can surprise you with their top hosting skills = opportunity to like and praise them.

when I get my 16 yr old to myself, we binge watch crap of her choosing.

Another quite good one is to do a 'job' that they get sucked into helping with. Sorting through old photos works quite well (for a little while). Or doing a job together to earn a reward (like a takeaway, so you don't have to bother with cooking).

Agree about the moments.

Make a deal that you leave your phones at home, but he can pick where you eat and the activity.

Please leave him alone and don't force it!
Your idea of quality time is different from his. Normal and acceptable - you are different generations and he is growing up.
Forcing yourself on him will make him retreat even further.
Did you want to be with your DMum every minute at that age? I sure as hell didn't! It doesn't mean he doesn't love you any more.

My very nearly 15yo has become a tiny bit monosyllabic of late.

In your shoes, I would go to park run, then pick up something mice for breakfast on the way back, McDonald’s/croissants/whatever floats his boat. Then if I felt the need of his company I would trade off - come to the garden centres with me and we’ll stop at the guitar store on the way home so you can buy yet more strings & picks.

I’m pretty sure they come out the other side. I think it’s a great sign that he can be charming when he chooses to. Does he have a job? That has been a great thing for mine, although I know they’re hard to come by.

Make it a jokey competition.

My brother never spoke and I never shut up! So one weekend my dad decided I was only allowed to speak for the first 10 minutes of every hour. If I succeeded I got a fiver for every hour that I managed.

My brother was paid 1p for every word he spoke! He walked around with a clipboard tallying! I walked around with one writing stuff down. It was a ridiculous weekend which culminated in an epic game of trivial pursuit!

A very fond weekend memory of mine.

I still speak A LOT and my brother still rarely speaks, but it was a funny weekend.