AIBU to ask what your teens do all day during the holidays when both parents work full time?

[Bebs677]

Up until now I've worked part time in a school in order to fit around family life (husband's job has zero flexibility) but I am bored, unfulfilled and unchallenged and feeling like I really a change. I can't find anything part time that is going to help with this but wondering, if I go full time, what on earth my DC (12 & 13) will do throughout the holidays when most of the clubs only take them up to age 12. I feel they are still too young to be left to their own devices for such long periods of time but don't have any family nearby to help. What do others do? TIA oh wise Mumsnetters!

Not currently working but when I was, annual leave shared between both parents and parental leave. Kings camps etc take teens so we used those for a week .
You can’t leave them alone it’s not about safety it’s just not fair.

You call on favours, you split your annual leave, you work from home if at all feasible and you book them in for every activity you can imagine. Give it 12 months and they will be fine.

I've been thinking about this exact thing! I've spent the last 13 years in a pretty dull job that fit around the kids and school hours. DS starts secondary in Sept and I'd like to start thinking about making a change. The childcare around here goes up to 14 but neither of my DC like that sort of thing. I can get childcare for two days a week but no more. DD would be ok by herself but DS I'm less sure about. Mostly I worry about them killing each other and spending all day on their computers/phones!

Dd is 14, ds is 13.

Sleep in, Play Xbox, go out with their mates (Costa, McDonald’s, mooch round the shops) park with a football/skateboard/scooter.
List of chores for them to do (ha!)
Dd sometimes babysits locally.
Cinema if they’ve not spent all their allowance

^ pretty much the same as they’d be doing if I was at home

0to3 - how long have they been doing that for? Since the start of secondary?

My mum was a single parent who worked full time (like out the door by 7am and home around 6pm). When I was younger, I stayed with grandparents (until they passed away). From 11, I stayed by myself. It was totally fine. I watched tv, read, walked to shops or visited friends, tidied up, did some food shopping sometimes, whatever really. I also did overnights from 12 when my mum had work travel. It was fine. I was responsible and this was even before mobile phones existed. I was glad I could make things as easy as possible on her because work was important to her and necessary.

Ime they spend all day on their phones.

My boss and his wife used to take their annual leave at different times. Kids spent one week with each set of grandparents. This amounted to 10 weeks annual leave in total

@titsywoo yes. There’s no childcare for 11+ so as a single parent I had no choice. It’s done them the world of good. As long as they know what to do in an emergency (where stopcock is, what to do if fuse trips etc) and can cook a simple lunch (or go to Greggs/the chippie) then I don’t see the need to wrap them up in cotton wool.

Mine seem to rise bright and early and,after some healthy oats for breakfast, generally check over the home to see if anything needs washing or polishing. The dogs usually get a good walk then, after texting me to let me know all is well and seeing if I need them to get any bits from the shop, usually turn to their school books to do extra reading/revision etc.
I love school hols because I come home to a spotless house, a cup of coffee and sometimes a homemade supper

Sleep until 1pm. Then gaming

I think they should be okay at that age.

😂😂😂 @crunched

I have 4 teens ! They generally lie in bed until about midday, play on their Xboxes or phones, sometimes do a few jobs for me if I leave a note ! Occasionally they go out with friends. My dd has been left since the age of 12 with older brothers around, she maybe spends a week at an Outdoor pursuits type place and has done a music course a couple of times.

My friends' dds are in that position - they do lots of residential camps, like orchestra camps or language camps in French or Germany.

Mine were 12 & 13 when I worked full time, they woke up at around midday and did what they would have done if I was at home. From when they woke up til I got home was about 5 hours.
Dh and I staggered our holidays and grandparents came over to stay for a week but on the whole they were fine. I had no choice anyway.

She also sends them out on day trips so they can learn to use trains independently - they've been to Margate by themselves, from London, for the day, for example.

if DH and I have not taken leave (actually even when we have!) they tend to make plans to meet up with friends. There is lots of "hanging out" in the local park and they are also in and out of friends' houses. Some of their friends live a bit further away, so DH and I do have to make ourselves useful sometimes by acting as taxi service! They also go and stay with GPs for a few days (though by all accounts, spend most of it glued to their phones.

We do generally specify one job a day (might be a simple as"unload the dishwasher") and sometimes ask them to prep for dinner(though tbh we do that in term time as well).

Sleep, eat, play on Xbox and occasionally go out. They have to text me if going out with details and they know not to to leave house a mess. I got bored being at home with them as they no longer wanted to go out/do a activities