To ask what your teens are doing in lockdown

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Particularly boys.

Ours have lessons all day until 3/4 pm then they just want to game. At the weekends they want to do it all day. No self regulation!

They do have various chores to do (hoover, clean bathroom, walk dog etc...) then they’re wanting to get back in the Xbox or watch YouTube. I don’t mind some Xbox as they’re chatting and playing with their friends. So a really important lifeline I think at the moment..

However, they never want to just “be” or potter.

I was thinking of set times for gaming then out with that they can amuse themselves.

They’re 13 and 15. We’re both working (from home) so can’t be checking them all the time and at the weekend we also want to relax/do chores not be checking what they’re doing non stop(games room at top of tall narrow house!) They have a tendency to sneak back on. They don’t read for pleasure (dyslexic) but they do have audiobooks but again on devices so there’s a temptation there.

It would be good to hear what others are doing.

I’m leaving mine to their own devices (literally). These are strange times for all of us, and if gaming and chatting to friends online is keeping them happy and entertained, that’s what they’re doing.

The fact that yours have school work to do all day means they need even more to have some proper downtime, and if that’s gaming, let them do it!

As long as they get out once a day for a walk and get to bed at a sensible time, I don’t mind what mine do for entertainment.

My DS is older than you's (Uni student) but its very hard for them at the moment and I think its tough to deny them time on their Xbox or YouTube. The fact that they are doing school work until 3/4pm is really good. Xbox at least means they are spending time chatting to their friends (I threw my DS's Xbox out when he left for Uni ).

I looked at my own iPad usage (I am furloughed) and it is shockingly high .. I did start lockdown with grand ideas about reading all the books I have waiting, sorting out the house etc etc but it is hard to keep motivated as an adult so even harder as a teenager.

We have our evening meal together and often play a board game or cards after dinner but really .... I leave our teen to himself most of the time. He's currently in the garden having his hair cut by DH .

Mine is doing her school work, practising her football skills, baking and watching endless episodes of Ru Paul's Drag Race.

Sitting on xbox or arguing about the prospect of doing any school work. It's not fun, my DS is 13.

Same here. 3-4 hrs school work with phone, gaming or netflix rest of the time. Wholesome walks or exercise, creative hobbies- none. I despair of getting him out of this rut afterwards but any conflict over it and life becomes intolerable.

Exactly the same here. Get school work done then I force them to take turns baking every other day, they make their own lunch, do a few chores and a some exercise (15 year ds old keener than 13 year old dd), 15 year old is doing some coding. Apart from that YouTube or gaming with friends.
Both pretty happy but really missing friends

My 14 year old daughter does school work 9 to 4 Monday to Friday, chatting to friends on FaceTime, zoom but it’s so hard at that age. She goes for walks, exercise with her brother who’s 28 but my heart goes out for young people, it’s so hard to comprehend.

That’s reassuring!!! 😁

I think we’ll have a discussion with them later and see what they think. I’m a bit disappointed that the younger one hasn’t wanted to do more fitness/sports skills (he’s extremely sporty).

Ds is 13 in a few months

Weekend gaming and eating (maybe a walk if he has to)

Weekdays school three times a week, some school work at home, lots of arguing about school work, gaming and eating

The odd shower

He is very happy so I let him get on with it. He told me this morning he is really really missing Nando’s

DS17 and DS15.
College and school work. Lots of Xbox, iPad, phone.
Basketball and baseball in the garden. They get on pretty well luckily.
Helped paint their bedrooms.
Few chores.
Sometimes come out for a walk/bike ride/play board game.
But mostly schoolwork and screens.

I’m a bit disappointed that the younger one hasn’t wanted to do more fitness/sports skills (he’s extremely sporty)

My sporty one says she's finding sports stuff the hardest because she misses the socialisation that usually comes with it

Doing uni work, writing, playing guitar, writing songs, going for long walks on the beach.

Reads three or four books a week. Also plays FIFA or SIMS.

Sits around with me watching TV. Same as usual really.

They are actually both really happy as they’re chatting to their friends loads.

@tenterden yours seems to have a bit of a balance which is good! Wish mine read, without having to have their arms twisted 😁

My 14yo ds is spending a lot of time online gaming. To be fair to him though, he’s been great about staying home and is getting on with his schoolwork without any problems, so I’m letting the amount of gaming slide.

DS1 is 13. Formal ish learning in the morning, piano, guitar, Lego, bike ride, baking whatever in the afternoon. Both DC get an hour gaming time in the evening, they are happy with that. He can WhatsApp or whatever when he likes. Plays with younger DC a lot. He's really enjoying this period apart from not being able to cycle with friends.

I have 2 boys 14 and 12 so similar ages if a little younger. Our routine is very similar to yours although I am strongly encouraging them to keep up some exercise. DS1 is going for a long walk every day doing at least 1 short run a week and doing some kind of exercise routine in his bedroom. DS2 is running 2-3 times a week plus whatever his PE teacher has set. This week he had to design an 8 station circuit in the garden and then have me photo/video him doing it. This was great fun so might be something you could all do together.

Sleeping. Gaming. School work. Sleeping a bit more

Dd has a full zoom timetable from 9am-3/4pm. She usually goes out for a run once a day and sometimes offers to collect food. The rest of the time she reads, watches Disney Plus, Netflix etc etc

Ds’s GCSE’s have been cancelled. He spends most of his day either video calling friends, watching YouTube, Disney Plus etc and spending hours playing the piano and creating music tracks.

My 16 year old dd does an hour or two of coursework (A levels) and then sits on her phone watching You Tube videos all day! I am just leaving her to it to be honest. Some days she will come out for a walk with me and ds (aged 7). I am extremely laid back though and don’t force either of them to do any school work, ds has autism and finds the whole thing really stressful.

One of them has gutted their bedroom; stripped and painted the walls and demolished and built furniture. She has also been going out for her usual daily run (she has been doing this for years)

The other has gone between PS4 and Nintendo Switch 🙄

Neither have done much in the way of work but school haven't really fished anything out yet. New school year and timetable started this week so expecting some engaging with school to take place from Monday onwards.

My youngest is 13 and he ..

Does the school work that comes in. In a rather slapdash and hurried fashion but still, he does it.

He then plays on x box with mates and we have lunch together. He then does stuff on his iPad, watches a film and FaceTimes with friends.

At 4pm each day we go for an hour walk along a canal close to our home. It's then more playing, chatting and dinner and he watches some tv with us in the evening

He's happy enough. And as long as he does some school work each day and comes out for an hour walk each day, I don't mind what he does

He's also up at 8.30am and asleep at 11pm (an hour later than usual) so I'm keen to keep him in a proper routine

If they are doing school work and chores well, then what they do the rest of the time wouldn't bother me too much. In an ideal world, they'd leap out of bed, go for a jog etc, but even I don't feel like doing this right now. They sound fine. My girls game a lot but together so at least it's sociable.

18 year old DD has currently set up a workout routine, and started running again. Other than that she has a day of college lectures online, and spends most of her time watching Netflix/Amazon/Tik Tok. She's watching old series of Hell's Kitchen at the mo! She's been knitting a lot recently. I've barley seen the 14 year old! She spends all her ti9me in her room watching stuff or playing with her rats. She'll take the dogs for a walk most days, and is always attached to facetime. My 21 year old son lives with his dad and is likely playing on his Xbox 24/7

Really interesting to see how everyone is managing this. Thanks for your replies. 😊