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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what your 13yo boys get up to...

21 replies

inmyshoos · 12/03/2017 22:40

My 13yo ds has been constantly going on about getting a pit bike. There is no where to ride one here so I have said no. He is desperate for another hobby because he is constantly complaining he is bored (we live rurally no friends nearby) but im at a loss with what to suggest.
Can i ask what your 13yo boys do?

OP posts:
Poorlybabysickday · 12/03/2017 22:41

Plays on his computer constantly. That's all he does Sad

Original poster
inmyshoos · 12/03/2017 22:43

When my ds had xbox 'live' he just played it constantly and he hasnt renewed his live membership becauae he got bored 'just sitting there'.

OP posts:
HemanOrSheRa · 12/03/2017 22:49

My DS is a bit younger at 12. Yes, he spends time playing on his computer. He seems to play games with his friends on there - he is very LOUD Confused.

He also does Taekwondo. He loves it. He has to do 2 training sessions a week in order to get the hours in for gradings. He also meets up with his mates which I appreciate is difficult for you.

Brighteyes27 · 12/03/2017 22:55

He doesn't seem to do much. Always on his blooming phone listens to music on it snapchats mainly but occasionally posts on instagram. He has to be nagged into doing any homework. He does at least two organised sports sessions a week. His school is 20 odd miles away so has long days and doesn't see friends too often as they don't live locally but he likes meeting up with friends whenever he can. He is a townie and they like trying clothes on in Topman going for a Greggs or a milk shake at a trendy cafe or to a local trampoline park or just hanging out.

dalmatianmad · 12/03/2017 22:56

My 13 year old goes on bike rides with his mate from school

Plays football

Xbox

Goes on his quad bike when I walk the dogs over the fields, I don't let him go out unless one of us is with him, it's fast and even with body armour and a helmet I still worry he will come off it and get hurt. He's desperate for a pit bike, we're lucky enough to live across from loads of fields and woodland but I prefer him to have the quad!

tigerrun · 12/03/2017 22:57

We're in a town so he goes to the gym (teen member, restricted hours but with a friend & enjoys it), goes swimming, they go into town at the weekend & wander about getting milkshakes bimbling about doing nothing, play football at the park, go to the cinema, have sleepovers eating pizza & watching films, makes incredibly dull you tube videos that nobody watches & occasionally gets forced to come on family walks or socialise with us or do his bloody homework.

Also reads a fair bit & imo spends too much time on his computer but we try & restrict the times when we're on the case.

Wish he wanted to do more clubs etc or pick up the guitar that has been gathering dust for two years but am getting nowhere with encouraging that!

Original poster
inmyshoos · 12/03/2017 23:31

Thanks for replies.
My ds is allowed to go to town on the bus (it is 26 miles away) and is a member of the gym there but most his his friends are not allowed to do this or are not members/not interested in the gym.
Because of where we live its a tiny school and a tiny circle of friends so this adds to the boredom issue.
dalmation you are very lucky to have somewhere nearby where you can ride a quad. Whilst we live surrounded by fields and forestry there would be hell to pay if we let ds drive anything motorised in either. It is most definitely forbidden on our forest tracks which is a pity as would be a handy way for ds to exercise our dogs Grin
tigerrun all those things sound fab. I reckon lack of friends is what limits the possibility of most. Sad

OP posts:
gabsdot · 12/03/2017 23:36

We live in the suburbs of a city. My 13 year old plays a lot of Xbox, he plays football and basketball, rides his scooter around, chats to all the shopkeepers in small high Street. This weekend himself and his friends started a YouTube channel. It's full of videosof them messing around in the park.

WhereDoesThisRoadGo · 12/03/2017 23:42

My friend got her children into swimming aged 11 and 13 to get then interested in something other than computers. They are now 19 and 21 and swim for GB. It involved her driving them about 3/4 times per week but totally worth it.

SaudadeObama · 13/03/2017 01:56

Swims a lot, rides his bike with his friends, goes fishing, rides the horse, plays football, plays on his gaming pc and watches youtube. He had a pit bike but bits kept breaking, it was always being repaired for one reason or another. So we sold it. We are very rural but we have a cattle ranch so lots of land to use.

fairweathercyclist · 13/03/2017 09:57

DS is 14 and spends most of his non-sleep and non-school time on the xbox or watching Sky Sports news.

He also goes to an athletics club twice a week and swimming teenfit once a week so does get away from screens on occasion.

Occasionally he'll go for a bike ride or do parkrun with me.

Badders123 · 13/03/2017 13:44

My 13 year old plays for a local football and badminton team so Mondays, weds, Saturdays and Sundays (in football season) are pretty busy
Other days he tends to just watch stuff on iplayer/Netflix to relax

BarbarianMum · 13/03/2017 13:52

dalmatian do you own those fields and woodland? Because it's illegal to off-road without the permission of the land owner.

golfbuggy · 13/03/2017 14:01

PS4
Cycling round with mates
Hanging round the park with his friends
Mixing coke with mentos and watching it explode
Setting fire to deodorant bottles (I think/hope he only did this once)

He does also go to Scouts and spent 4 hours a week doing martial arts

RubyWinterstorm · 13/03/2017 14:04

Yes, lots of X box here but alsosports/activities I drive them to.

Starting cadets next year too

Original poster
inmyshoos · 13/03/2017 14:50

golf the mentos and coke experiment Grin

OP posts:
BartholinsSister · 13/03/2017 15:03

Perhaps he'd enjoy the air cadets, OP? Camping, shooting, archery, marching, visiting airbases, flying (if he's v lucky), more marching, new friends & experiences.

MirandaWest · 13/03/2017 15:07

DS is currently into his rubix cube. Other things that happen include basketball (either in the kitchen or on a hoop on the side of the house) playing PS3, playing the piano, lying in bed watching YouTube/Instagram/snapchat, playing the guitar or mooching around with friends in the village. Also watches Netflix

MirandaWest · 13/03/2017 15:08

I am sure he would do the mentos and coke experiment.
Also goes to scouts once a week

Jeeves93 · 15/03/2017 12:33

How about army cadets? It is like air cadets but with a more comfortable uniform and more outdoors stuff.

SPARKLYSTARSHINESBRIGHT · 15/03/2017 13:31

My 14 year old is into Scout Explorers and is doing his Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award, my 12 year old has just started Air Cadets and loves it, he will get to go up in a plane this summer and will learn to fly a glider. Other than this they sit in front of a screen :-~

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