Normal behaviour for 13 year old boy?

[CockLodgerDodger]

This post risks sounding a bit pathetic... DS no longer wants to hang out with us (DH, DD9, me). He opts out of family activities at almost all times now. He eats with us, but then disappears up to his room (to chat online with his mates, do some gaming, reading, listening to music). At the weekend, he's off to the park with his mates (or, again, online chatting with them via gaming).
He seems basically happy (albeit moody), has lots of friends and is doing very well at school. He just doesn't really seem to want to talk to me much any more (he's not usually rude, and is quite affectionate at times, just not really interested).
Normal stuff?

Yes, upsetting but completely normal.

Yes completely normal, I hardly ever actually see my 12 year old DS. I know he exists because he texts me from his room.

Oh no, my teen is never like that. I've definitely never bribed him to join in with a family day out with the offer of a McDonald’s.

It's normal. I do push a little (bribes, begging, sad face) for him to spend some time with us and he does enjoy it when he does.

Everyone’s an individual and we all have a family culture. It’s not normal amongst my young teen and his friends. Well not yet anyway.

Having once been a 13 year old boy, it strikes me as perfectly normal.

Another here with a nearly-13 year old DS who communicates in texts, grunts and monosyllabic words.

OK, that's reassuring @hangonamo, @Bunnybigears and @o0. Thank you.
I've tried bribing too sometimes, but even the lure of Macdonald's/cinema doesn't cut it now

Sounds normal here. We have a 13 year old son in this house.

Thanks @SaggySadSack and @BingoLittlesUncle - good to have more abandoned parents onside...

@ILiveInSalemsLot what's your secret?!

Very reassuring @Bingolittlesuncle. My DH "can't remember" being that young...

Normal. He emerges for meals and when he needs a lift somewhere. Otherwise he is in his room strumming a guitar. I

Welcome, @MrsBlondie, to this "lame" club....

@Patchworksack, guitar sounds very wholesome by comparison with FIFA online...

Well this has been most reassuring. Many thanks all

Yep! My 15 yr old usually has his earphones in and a scowl but is doing brilliantly at school and seems happy enough. There's usually about 10 mins each day when he'll get really animated and initiate a chat with me and we bond over the Apprentice. My lovely boy is still in there, I'm sure yours is too!

Cock (if I may call you that 😆), my teen responds to all questions about school with, "fine," and info is hard to come by! But I get him to help prepare dinner (peeling, chopping etc) so he's doesn’t feel pinned under my gaze or questioned and talk happens much more naturally. And usually instigated by him! Don't know if I'm telling you something you already know but thought I'd post just in case it might help.

I was a 13 year old boy once, and sullen avoidance of everyone was par for the course.

Normal. I was a 13 year old girl once and it was also normal for me. They just naturally break away at this age, it is part of readying themselves to go off into the world on their own

@o0, please do - I'm sure it won't be the first or last time
Very good suggestion and point. I'm thinking about how this kind of more casual "doing something together" might work (I'm not optimistic about veg chopping for DS). We do watch sitcoms together, which is a start...

@Knackeredmommy, yes, bonding over TV very useful....

@BarbedBloom and @DisgraceToTheYChromosome, thank you - reassuring.