To be shocked at how many teenagers do absolutely NOTHING on the weekends

[MrRected]

I reckon teenagers should be put to work - whether it be sport or actual work (waiting tables/supermarket checkout etc).

I think that letting them do absolutely nothing, doesn't help them in the long term and am surprised at how many people I know who think it's entirely normal for their little darling to hide in their bedroom for days on end.

What a strange thread to start

God knows once real life kicks in there's not much let up

Yes YABU

I think there are a lot more things in the world to be shocked about tbh

My dcs have had no problems getting p/t jobs

DD 16 has volunteered at a SN playscheme since she was 12 has been offered two jobs doing a few hours respite care. One for a teenage girl with Downe syndrome just taking her shopping and doing teenage things with her, the other is 4 hours with a little boy taking him to the park etc. She also just passed her NPLQ and is waiting for casual work at the leisure centre.

DD 18 started p/t at big electrical store over christmas when he just turned 16, also took his NPLQ and has worked at the leisure centre for over 2 years and has another lifequarding job a couple of hours a week.

Their friends who want to work seem to have jobs as well. There was even a young boy turned up on our doorstep last week wanting to wash cars.

Both of them also have gcses and Alevels in the next few months

what a stupid thread.

I have a 14 year old and therefore know a fair few teens.

My dd1 is busy at the weekend - running, homework, music practice (2 instruments), friends, film club, church, cooking, baking, boyfriend, art (draws incessantly!), reading and just having some chill time. Friends of hers are also in choirs, drama groups, football and rugby teams, sewing groups, reading clubs, guides, scouts, cycling clubs, national level athletics .....

I don't know any teens who do "nothing" all weekend!

My DS finished his IB last year. At the end he was exhausted. He was required every school Saturday for fixtures and had been for the previous 10 years, he did rugby or cricket for clubs in addition until he was 16. He spent most of Sunday afternoons/evening working (in addition to at least three hours Mon-Thursday). Add on a party hard social life on Fridays/Saturdays. He's in NZ now working across a range of family businesses and returns in the summer.

DD has GCSE's this year. She spent all of last Sunday rehearsing and sings in an almost professional choir. She babysat for four hours last Saturday night and is booked out over five half days in the Easter holidays to babysit too and I'm not particularly impressed and have had a word with the family very quietly that she wont' be able to fit in any more with exams coming up.

I'm sorry OP, how exactly do you want these teens to fit in work as well. What free time mine have they are more than entitled to.

YABU, OP.

My DD has been looking for a job that fits around her A Level timetable for over a year, has given out countless CVs, applied for several jobs online, and not got a single response.

Ds has had a weekend job since he was 16, also did DoE.
Dd 15 would love a weekend job, but there nothing at the moment ( &yes, she has been out knocking on doors / handing out her cv) , but has lots of study/music practice / Do gym.
Strangely, dh & I also like her to have a good rest/ see friends/ chill out, y'know, like a real person

My (pre) teens weekend last weekend:

Saturday 9am- 1pm dance classes (helps with baby class before her own lessons). Home in the afternoon to chill.

Sunday she was at the dance studio at 8:40am hunting for her lost tap shoes ready for her rehearsals that started at 9am. She had a one hour lunch break at 12 and then carried on with group rehearsals until 4:45 followed by solo rehearsal til 6:30pm.

That's a regular weekend for her. This weekend is similar. Classes all morning on Saturday, rehearsals 2:30-6:30pm, followed by a rehearsal on Sunday and solo rehearsals. This Sunday is less intense because its Mothering Sunday.

These activities are HER CHOICE. I would much rather have time to spend at home chilling out.

I'll do it for you Letsfacethemusuc:

Oh do fuck off OP

ok i will tell the OP to do one as well, what grates on me is the 'little darlings' bit as though parents of teenagers are just lazy as well or something.
why is society so down on teenagers? perhaps that would be a better place to start.
OP what children do you have?

I have two teens. We live in a rural area and so have long bus and train journeys to school and college. (out each day from 7.00 til 6.00)

They (and their friends) are also all trying for competitive courses at university so after their 11 hours out of the house each day at college they are up to their eyes in homework, extra study sessions, and voluntary work allied to the courses they want to do.

And they do the usual stuff like Guides, football club, swimming.

They work much harder (academically) than I did at that age and I feel it's a bit of a miserable existence with a lot of pressure for a lot of them.

A lot of parents I talk to worry about the lack of leisure time, hanging around with friends, going out etc, that we did at their age.

DH and I actively discouraged our DS from paid work as well, after he was quite unwell and run down last year. And we really aren't mollycoddling parents, have both worked FT since our late teens, left home early etc.

I hate teen bashing. Vast vast majority are doing bloody well and are turning out as great young people. (And I say that as someone who posts on the teens board about my tricky DS from time to time, so it's not rose coloured specs at all).

The job comment was just a point of reference - rather than an absolute direction. Insert , if that's better. I remain surprised that so many people think it's okay for young people to do bugger all with their lives besides gaming and sitting around.

Countless threads on here about non contributory teens. So not a taat, just an observation that a bit of exercise/ work would go a long way to resolving a whole heap of teen related issues.

Typical mn - anything that doesn't promote the right of the individual/child/teen even when if it's detrimental..... Shunned as crap.

No wonder these kids grow up so lazy and entitled.

but my teenagers are not 'lazy and entitled' - what the fuck does 'entitled' mean anyway? entitled to what?
and which 'kids' are you talking about? not the ones mentioned on this thread right?
so i will ask again, what children do you have?

Why do you think adults aren't expected to work 7 days a week? and why wouldn't the same reasons apply to teens.
BTW you know that most employ teens until they are past school leaving age ie end of July in Y11

I'm getting flashbacks from my 'youth'

My so. Attained church and tutoring on a Saturday he rarely gets in trouble in school of any note also is fairly well behaved at home after his two weekend activitys he has earned the right to do what he wants after

Where on earth do you live to see all these teen slobs op?? Can't be a very nice place...... Maybe better yourself and move?

If you can

My nearly-teen is out of the house by 7:45 every morning. 3 nights a week she's not home till gone 5 with after school clubs. Add homework and she's absolutely exhausted by Friday night.

She has chores at home which she does on a Saturday morning (nothing too serious) to earn her allowance and then she's free to do as she pleases

She's not lazy or entitled . Nor are any of her friends, or the other teens I know

Saturday jobs just aren't there like they were when I was 15/16. I also care for a 16 year old, who is desperate for a job to fit around her studies - no paper rounds (they tend to get passed from sibling to sibling around here), supermarkets and shops insist on more hours than she can fit round her studies and for every job there are about 20 applicants - who is going to choose an inexperienced 16 year old over someone older with experience? She's doing some voluntary work, but even that's really hard to come by round here.

Oh and 'countless threads on here' about non sleeping babies/non eating toddlers etc etc.... your point??

I'm shocked at how many posters have nothing to do but goad.

I have a teen doing A level art and that means when she's up in her room she is painting for her coursework and a portfolio for university interviews. She comes down and joins us when she wants to relax.

Funnily enough I'm at work early.... My teen colleagues are all arriving ( biked in)

I work for a company who employ a high percentage of teens and older people.... Well known for it. Some of my colleagues I remember from the maternity ward and I am friends with their mums!

Oh leave them alone OP. Most teens I know who 'sit around at the weekend' seem to do their activities/hobbies on weekday evenings, because that is when the classes etc are on A neighbour of mine has a long commute to school, doesn't get home until 5pm, is at dance training 3 evenings a week, is also a helper in Guides, and plays piano for her mum's choir at their Friday practice. At the weekend she seems to walk the dog and sit in her room giggling with her friends, and she bloody well deserves it.

I hate it when people have a go at teenagers. It can be really hard, being a teen, and I think people forget that sometimes

I think OP lives in Australia
OP Are you talking about Australian teenagers or Uk teenagers?