What do you do with your children at the weekend...

[Archersandlemonade]

....if they don’t have any hobbies? I have a 13 and 15 year old and we get so bored ..... looking for inspiration ..... unfortunately they don’t enjoy any clubs so they wouldn’t be up for say joining a netball
club. We do crazy golf Sometimes, tennis, bike rides etc
but it always feels we are scratching around ..... and they never seem to want to see friends unless we are seeing the parents as a group.

Mine will go for countryside walks with me on promise of take away chips.

Typically one hour walk, chips & ice cream, one hour back. So 6-8 hours roundtrip.

Nothing here - I haven’t been successful in getting my teen to do anything with me for at least a year! I’ve given up and do things without them.

I just feel so bad if I go
out without them - but maybe I should maybe that willl give them a kick up the arse

Typically one hour walk, chips & ice cream, one hour back. So 6-8 hours roundtrip.

I’m intrigued-what are you doing the other hours?!

Sounds like they like some outdoor activities, would they be interested in something like kayaking or climbing at a local outdoor pursuits centres?

I think you just have to OP. I can walk to an amazing NT site, cinema, restaurants, beautiful walking country, tennis and golf clubs. Swimming pool with a sauna. Train into a couple of big cities.

Teen doesn’t want to leave the house with me and I’m not prepared to stop living!

Mine has swimming most Saturdays and goes climbing most Sundays. These small outings (sometimes with a friend over afterwards) are enough to keep him happy and then he does homework and messes about online with his friends the rest of the time.

I think he is not easily bored though as he loves chilling in his room and I'm ok with that.

Think you need to be persuading them to hang around with their friends. They need their own social life at this age snd a life outside of you. Not to say that they should never spend time with you though!

I don't do anything specific with my dc; they either play with their friends on the street or stay in and watch YouTube. It's kind of a balance at the moment. Sometimes they come shopping with us but rarely as we have no money.

It is all about friends, bring a friend or send them out to one.

They are not little kids, you don’t have to provide entertainment, let them get bored and they themselves will find their way out of it.

Not much to be honest. I do my jobs and go for a run, they hang around at home or call on their friends and go into town or to the park, or gym or cinema. However to prevent me sounding too smug, one DC had bad anxiety during lockdown so this new development is a major achievement for us

C25K together?

I had a job at that age, as did all my friends.

My dd was in sports so that’s what we do on most weekends. Or I’d drop her at her friends house and she would sleep over til Sunday which was awesome. Otherwise we would just get food and watch a movie.

Local walks. Mooch into town for coffee. Doing our own things at home. Homework, housework. Watch movies / TV.

Nothing really my kids never want to do anything. Maybe the odd walk round a park or pub meal. But they just want to stay in there rooms . It makes me feel like a bad mum though ☹️.

And catching up w friends occasionally (separately); occasional days out somewhere further away; all of us or a subset depending on mood/other commitments.

Mine both play sports so there is usually training or a match. They play with their friends in the estate or play video games. Sometimes we will go to the local park/cinema etc. TBF they play out mostly and love time with their friends

Country walks, sea side, swimming, cinema, volunteering, visit some relatives, baking, shopping, indoor climbing wall

Would they join guides / scouts? Hobbies don't have to be sport based.

Mine (15) has a couple of hobbies but this year we bought season tickets to our local theme park. Yes, they were expensive but we have had so much fun together already. I've turned them into a rollercoaster lover 😂 and I know that's something we'll continue to share.

maybe you could all volunteer at the foodbank, walking dogs for a rescue charity, ecology /wildlife volunteers doing nature surveys/ litterpicking, volunteer at local National Treasure gardens. Get an allotment, or start a project in your own.

What about paddle boarding?

I’m lucky that mine are in the army cadets so they are away a lot of weekends with friends doing fun stuff but when they are home we go kayaking, paddle board, climbing/bouldering, cinema, walk the dogs or they just chill at home chatting to friends on video call. The odd time they will go out with friends.
if they don’t want to do anything just do what you want they either come or they don’t.

I know how you feel as I used to feel the same but now I do what I want and if they want to they come.

What is available to you?

Mine are younger but we are in Central London so that opens up a lot for us (kids were at St Paul's Cathedral and South Bank today for example!)

15yo does fencing Saturday mornings.

Sunday free to do as he wants.