to find school holidays with teenagers hard work?

[boschy]

so, the DDs are 15 and 13. Quite self-sufficient in lots of ways, generally nice to have around. BUT (there's always a but isnt there?) AIBU to think it is hard to actually know what to DO with them at this age? - and what to do with myself as well?

All the places we used to go to they have grown out of; most of what they would like to do costs megabucks which we havent got; we live fairly rurally so transport links are poor and limited, so I have to be the taxi driver. The rural location also means they cant just go out and find holiday jobs (even assuming there are any these days....)

So far this holidays we have had sleepovers here and at friends houses; they've been to the cinema once and shopping twice (once with me, once with friends); we had a big family lunch at Easter. We are seeing family friends tomorrow, got a day trip to France on Friday, sleepover here for DD2s birthday on Sat, DD1 is riding on Sunday and then its back to school on Mon. Oh and in the meantime I have been coping with my mum being ambulanced into hospital for 24 hours, and all that that entails.

DD1 has just told me that it is all my fault that she is so bored and we are so broke, we NEVER do anything nice blah blah. But when asked what she would like to do she cant think of anything; or says ludicrous things like "Thorpe Park" (err, it's now mid-afternoon, its a 2 hour drive, and we cant afford it anyway!) I suggested the library, but that is "pointless and sad" apparently.

To be fair, I'm also a bit bored - they are old enough not to want to do the things we could do, but not old enough to just bugger off and do their own thing, which means I am not free either!

Does everyone else's teenagers have a much more exciting life than mine?

Why aren't they old enough to go out with their friends?
Presumably they get the bus to school on their own?

We are lucky as we are 25 minutes on the train from central London with great bus and train services.
I haven't seen much of my dcs (same age as yours).
Dd has just gone on the train to her singing lesson, angling for a lift but I refused. She has had a lot of homework sadly.

Can they not occupy themselves? You don't need to come up with a comprehensive list of activities. If you're in the country just turn them loose and let them get on with it.

Besides, it sounds like you have loads planned!

DD1, 16 has been revising for GCSEs all holiday.

DD2, 12 is alternating between going on facebook and playing on Skylanders on a virtually 24 hour basis.

I don't really "do" cries of boredom. If one of them says they are bored I direct them to the hoover or the bathroom cleaner. It works wonders in terms of how quickly they find something interesting to do!

In all seriousness, DD1 has seen a friend once this holidays. DD2 has twice. We took one friend ice skating at the beginning of the holidays and she decorated some eggs with another last week. We went shopping with my sister Monday.

Other than that, they get on alone and I go on MN.

13yo DS is amusing himself. He is currently running around outside in the hail, pretending he is being shot at (I think )

To be honest I expect them to sort themselves out and certainly wouldn't be offering day trips to France for moaners. Your DCs have a much much more exciting time than I've ever offered mine in the school holidays.

DD2 is 18 and home from university and so spending most of her time catching up with friends. DS is 15 and he has revised for GCSEs (year 10 ones), done a couple of outings with friends and is now writing some sort of film script.

I am a firm believer in letting children and teens be bored. This then develops their creativity.

I don't really find teens difficult in the holidays. They get up in time for lunch, and then are able to spend the rest of the day and evening pottering about. If I don't do too much nagging, my teens can be very pleasant and helpful. If they have no ready made activities to do, they are quite happy to go to Sainsbury's and pick up what we need for supper - and then make it.

A couple of mine have been to Thorpe Park these holidays, but they arranged it themselves. The only contribution I had was to buy The Sun so that they could get 2-4-1 tickets.

Mine have had project type homework to do as well, which they have found fairly enjoyable (art, textiles).

DS was completely knackered at the start of the holiday after a busy term and has been very happy to chill out and catch up on some sleep.

If mine complain about not having anything to do, I offer to furnish them with a selection of household chores to help alleviate the boredom. They soon find something to occupy themselves.

Yours sound as if they have an action-packed schedule already. If they don't find what you've already offered sufficiently entertaining, then a spell of sorting the recycling, hoovering the stairs or hanging laundry to dry should help them concentrate their minds on their good fortune.

It's obviously just mine then.... Yes I've offered the tidy your room/hoover/cook something/go boil your head scenario on many an occasion and usually it works. Just not today.

In answer to someone's question yes they are old enough to go out for themselves - and they do - but if friends arent available DD1 wont go (not cool to be seen on your own).

Thinking about it, it could be a case of not-my-birthday-itis, as DD2 is 13 this saturday.

They are old enough to entertain themselves.

Are you a Redcoat?