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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what you do with your tweens?

41 replies

Funkyslippers · 11/03/2020 09:09

DD2 is nearly 11. She would be on her tablet all day if I'd let her. I like to spend time with her but this morning she said "none of my friends' parents play with them, why can't you just let me have some freedom?" She has plenty of freedom btw. I tend to suggest playing a game/arts & crafts or sometimes we still play with the Barbies(!). Not all the time - maybe an hour a day. But it seems she's telling me to back off. What do you all do with kids of a similar age?

OP posts:
Mummymummums · 11/03/2020 09:52

Mine are 13 and 11. Of a weekend we'll try to get outdoors, but if weather bad we often play a game - Ticket to Ride, Dixit, Monopoly, Exploding Kittens. Something like that.
My DD13 was very keen to watch Stranger Things so we joined Netflix and we watch that of an evening all on settee probably 3 times a week. I know it's a 15 btw and we usually stick to age guidance but this seems ok - swearing and a bit scary but ok. We're enjoying this and hopefully afterwards we'll find another Netflix series to all watch together.
They do a lot of activities too so couldn't fit much more in. They see friends quite a bit too or play outside with neighbours' children. Even now I feel I should be interacting more but they're growing up.

billy1966 · 11/03/2020 09:53

All very normal.
The most important thing at that age is that you lay good groundwork for them gossiping with you about what's going on and you can steer them in the right direction re avoiding drama, watching out for themselves, navigating friendships and talking to them about SM.

My girls give me all the news from school every day and I am their sounding board.

I want them to know that I have their back, always.

It has stood them in good stead🤞

3littlemincemeatpies · 11/03/2020 10:20

This is interesting to read as I have 3 girls and all completely different.

I have an 11 year old who’s will occasionally play with her little sis but it’s definitely becoming a lot more grudged which breaks my heart as she is only 8 and would play all day every day if she had someone would.

However 11 and youngest DD are both very sporty and also both have ponies which takes up a lot of our time as they compete in various disciplines, have lessons and spend a lot of time outside and on the go with them and so the amount of free time after that is quite limited and it does give me reason to say to youngest it’s chill/tv/tablet time without feeling too guilty.

Eldest has just turned 13 and though obviously doesn’t “play” as such has definitely turned a corner in being a lot more sociable, interested in clubs etc and just seems a lot happier. She has now came back to her piano, will come and chat to us (often!!! Grin) and is a very open book when it come to friends, worries, problems...it has however taken us a few years to get here.

I think 11/12/13 there’s a lot going on for girls, bodies are changing (or not) there is a lot of hormones brewing making them feel a 100 emotions at once, they are also trying to find a bit of independence as well as discovering who they are. I think it’s ok to take the expectation and pressure off a bit and let them come back to you in their own time. If it helps I always found instead of making an activity/time together so planned I’d make the most of smaller impromptu moments, my eldest loves me Dutch plaiting her hair on a Sunday night and always try to make sure it’s just the two of us and spend much longer brushing it than needed so I can have a no-pressure chit chat with her. (non eye contact conversations are great as this age) My middle daughter and I go and get the ponies in every morning and again this is our time to catch up, sometimes we will have a race and be silly, sometimes we don’t even speak but it’s lovely having that time with her.

Here are things my 3 are always keen to do together and things that have helped.

Sport/hobby find something she loves and get her out there doing it, go and watch, if she’s good push her gently at it. Make it “your” thing,

Baking. sometimes we bake together, but all 3 of mine now have a bit of independence in the kitchen and can make basic fairy cakes, scones, brownies etc. My rule has always been “as long as you tidy up after yourself” My eldest says has always found baking makes a rubbish day better and I have always felt that little bit of independence

All 3 of mine love dancing and singing and once a month we will have “a show” we will have a bit of piano, a gymnastics routine, some impro musical theatre, then entire greatest showman playlist and they absolutely love it, lots of silliness, a time to show off what they are good at and not tablets or phones in sight apart from the backing track Grin

Shopping!!!

Games nights with snacks, fizzy drinks (mine aren’t allowed of normally) my girls at card sharks and we love UNO, 21 etc and have a lot of fun.

Finally I find it helps to keep up to date and embrace all the nonsense, trends, sayings, music etc that are forever changing.

I remember growing up I though my folks were on a different planet and would never get me as they didn’t have a clue about anything and didn’t even try, it made it harder to open up to them as I just didn’t think they’d understand.

Peachypips78 · 11/03/2020 10:38

We have some quite strict rules which seem to work and we have really improved our weekends and evenings as have grown much closer as a family. I'm sorry if I sound a bit 'worthy'! 12 and 9 yr old boys.

We have no devices at all in the week, just an hour on Sat and an hour on Sun. No TV before 5:30. Every weekend we go on one walk that lasts a minimum of 1.5 hours and often stop in the middle for lunch. We play games together- decent board games that are actually fun!

Other than that they play together- Lego, Warhammer, make 'bases', read, nerf wars, trampoline, park.

strawberrylipgloss · 11/03/2020 12:24

Sport
Baking/cooking
Watching something together so you've got that to discuss too
Are you or her good at doing hair? I've got long hair so dd practiced French braids
Does she like painting? Crafts?dd liked nail art videos and used me as a guinea pig

Thisisworsethananticpated · 11/03/2020 13:23

Same
The Lego gathers dust , as does the drawing paper and football boots

All he wants is screen time and YouTube
Plus multiple emotional outbursts to add spice

Sports , museum and shopping helps
Bike rides
And play dates with other Friends with similar aged kids

Thisisworsethananticpated · 11/03/2020 13:24

Peachypips78

Wow
Iron will and skills

Mine are same age and we have gone too far. Sadly

Skyblue1234 · 22/10/2020 00:51

Hey

Skyblue1234 · 22/10/2020 00:54

I done some tie dying with my 11 year old today she also loves shopping. Friends become more important at this age so getting to know them and including them in your plans would help. X

Guineapigbridge · 22/10/2020 01:00

@Thisisworsethananticpated watch the Social Dilemma on Netflix before you let it go further. It was a massive wake up call for me and DH.

ShinyGreenElephant · 22/10/2020 01:04

Dd11 likes to act in front of her mates like I'm an utter embarrassment but in reality she gets in bed with me for cuddles and long chats about rubbish, she loves playing board games or card games with me, doing art/craft projects together, we have at least 2 nights a week where DH is banished and we watch reality TV or a movie together. She loves showing me her dances and occasionally I let her teach me a tiktok dance. I try and read to her at night although that depends on how easily little DD goes to bed. Her and DH go on bike rides together and have 'their' shows they watch together, and she loves helping him with DIY. Shes also brilliant at playing with DD2 - she has endless patience for tea parties and pretend play, and reads her story after story. Just hope it continues into teenagehood!

Guineapigbridge · 22/10/2020 01:07

We are getting a dog soon so I'm going to try to make a point of going for a walk with her and the dog. Just her, no siblings.

I find this age hard. She doesn't really want to do anything. Not into craft, or cooking, or playing with toys. She never really was though. She might do an easy puzzle or word find but won't persevere with a more challenging one. Not interested in riding around on her bike. Will sometimes tinkle on the keyboard. She likes reading but not much else. What she really wants to do is eat loads of crackers, mandarins and bananas and snipe at her siblings. Fun.

Stompythedinosaur · 22/10/2020 01:16

My tween dd plays out a lot and is a keen skateboarder and rollerblader. We also play a fair few board games as a family, and have a film night at least once a week (this is secretly because the dc tend to let me cuddle them when watching a film which I love). Or sometimes we get into a show like Strictly and watch that together instead.

I dont really play with toys with her like when she was younger. We do word games, puzzles and riddles though. Or I just spent time asking her about her life at school and her thoughts about different things.

IJumpedAboardAPirateShip · 22/10/2020 01:42

@ShinyGreenElephant you could be describing my 11yr old DS

I agree with posters who say seize the moments they ask for your attention, mine are nearly 9 and nearly 12 and the older one will acquiesce and play games with me or the younger one will bake but it's always more successful if they come to me and say "can we do x" and I drop everything and just say yes - am still not great at doing that (why IS the washing up more important?!) but am trying to yes more.

I also read to them both, separately, most nights of the week. I love it and I'm REALLY good at doing character voices and it feels like really special time, everytime I finsih a book with my eldest I think he's going to say ok we're done but so far he seems to love our one on one stuff.

I think finding something that's just yours is good - you might need to do a gentle push to make it happen (DS and I run twice a week together and DD and I go on mini bike rides) and they also have their own (annoyingly screen based) thing each with their Dads.

We are very strict with screens in the week - tv can go on at 5 until dinner but that's it. Weekends are a total free for all but I think it helps that there's no games in the week

IJumpedAboardAPirateShip · 22/10/2020 01:44

oh and to add - my nearly 12yr old definately needs time to himself and I've found when I make sure he gets it, he then comes to me for interaction/entertainment/hanging out way more

CustardyCreams · 22/10/2020 02:23

My DD is ten, and quite grown up.
We:

  • watch movies or silly stuff on YouTube (magic tricks, art demos, snips of natural disasters, amazing sports feats, etc)
  • do Buzzfeed quizzes
  • go for a bike ride or ramble
  • do arts and crafts projects side by side
  • board games sometimes - mainly Trivial Pursuits, Labryinth, an RPG game she likes, Santorini, chess
  • make curry or bake
  • sometimes do work in the garden , or wash the car, or sort out stuff to sell on eBay (she gets a bit of pocket money for helping, usually 20p to 50p)
  • home manicure or pedicure
  • look at old family photos
  • go through my box of (pretty naff) jewellery
  • introduce her to new music on YouTube

My DD still plays with her toys, but on her own and I don’t get involved there.

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