Page 3 | To find Christmas Day a bit dull with teens.

TheMagicDeckchair · 25/12/2021 21:22

@UpToMyElbowsInDiapers

This thread inspires me with so much hope. My DCs are 4.5, 2.5 and 6mo, and Christmas feels relentless. What I wouldn’t give for 3 hours of quiet to read a book by the fire! I’ll look forward to the day they disappear to their rooms for a few hours after lunch. :D

I was thinking the same thing! I have an overstimulated and tired 4 year old and two 8 month old babies. Just thinking about the long bath I could have if they were teenagers who disappeared off to their rooms for a couple of hours…

Buddhabowl · 25/12/2021 21:40

I find this quite depressing to read. I have small kids so no experience of teens but my brother and I loved family Christmases as teens. We played computer games but my dad would always watch and join in, we played loads of board games, looked at our presents together, had lunch, watched a film. I never spent a Christmas day in my room and would have been gutted if my brother had!
I wonder if it's due to how technology has changed so much now, smart phones and more personal devices.
Hope you still had a good Xmas OP.

confusednortherner · 25/12/2021 21:52

I was just thinking actually mine have been lovely! Dd 15 walked dog this morning with me and has helped in kitchen only going off to her room just now to watch new tv. Ds 13 has spent a whole day away from Xbox!! He's been building Lego all day in lounge and both were good company with in laws. I'm sure tomorrow we will be back to normal service though😂

middleager · 25/12/2021 21:55

I'm with you OP. My teens surfaced after 12, we did presents, Christmas dinner and they retreated back to their rooms for gaming.
Perfectly normal - as a teen I listened to music in my room, alone.
But yes, bit dull dor DH and me!

Titsywoo · 25/12/2021 21:57

@Buddhabowl

I find this quite depressing to read. I have small kids so no experience of teens but my brother and I loved family Christmases as teens. We played computer games but my dad would always watch and join in, we played loads of board games, looked at our presents together, had lunch, watched a film. I never spent a Christmas day in my room and would have been gutted if my brother had! I wonder if it's due to how technology has changed so much now, smart phones and more personal devices. Hope you still had a good Xmas OP.

Why is it depressing? Most of us are saying our teens have spent the day with us. When I was a teen in the 90s I spent most of my time at home in my room reading - most of my friends did similar (maybe watching TV/playing video games etc) - it's a pretty normal teenage behaviour and not much to do with technology.

middleager · 25/12/2021 21:57

@Buddhabowl

I find this quite depressing to read. I have small kids so no experience of teens but my brother and I loved family Christmases as teens. We played computer games but my dad would always watch and join in, we played loads of board games, looked at our presents together, had lunch, watched a film. I never spent a Christmas day in my room and would have been gutted if my brother had! I wonder if it's due to how technology has changed so much now, smart phones and more personal devices. Hope you still had a good Xmas OP.

I don't think so.

In the 80s as a teen both my brother and I were in our individual rooms playing records/tapes, watching videos etc.

Not everybody did the charades/board games, jigsaw thing.

Buddhabowl · 25/12/2021 22:00

@Titsywoo I didn't read every response but most of the ones I saw seemed like teens tend to disappear to their rooms. I just found it depressing as I've got small children so thought it might be a sign of things to come!

Trixiefirecracker · 25/12/2021 22:04

I just told them no phones today as it’s family time. We have laughed, played games, watched two films and made a little video to send to friends. They’ve been great company but I know if I would have let them they would have disappeared, however they both admitted how much fun they have had so it was a good call.

SnowWhitesSM · 25/12/2021 22:05

My teens woke me up just after 8. We opened presents, ate croissants, drank bucksfizz and then put away our presents. They disappeared to their rooms after showering and I made Xmas lunch. We had a lovely late lunch, the dc and the ex cleared up as I cooked, ds is now on his new pc and me and dd are on our second film.

I like them at this age. It isn't relentless parenting, it's sitting on the sofa and eating chocolates whilst watching films.

HarrisMcCoo · 25/12/2021 22:08

Played Hero Quest with my teen tonight but otherwise rest of day he was on PC.

SmallElephant · 25/12/2021 22:11

I have two teens and a pre teen. We opened presents around the tree this morning, they disappeared for a couple of hours while DH and I cooked lunch but have been around since lunch playing games, watching Xmas TV etc. Nice.

SirChenjins · 25/12/2021 22:12

Ds has played a couple of board games with us and has been in and out of his room. I don’t recall spending every moment with my parents on Christmas Day, I loved spending time in my room with my present haul, listening to my music. Nothing to do with technology.

Bunnyfuller · 25/12/2021 22:24

Mine were hideous today, had to be dragged down to open presents and sulky all through dinner.

Miserable fucking day, I don’t know why I bother. DH as usual made sure he had his Christmas by leaving me to try to deal with them, as well as cooking for everyone.

I’m a fucking mug.

Queenie24 · 25/12/2021 22:25

@Sk1M0u53

Nothing really as 18 and 17. Suggested a game, watched a bit of a film with one until she went off to sleep. Guess I’m a bit bored.

Mine are 20, 17 and 15 and want to do their own thing. My son who is 19 is with his girlfriend today.

Christmas with teens is definitely different. My sister was meant to be here with here little ones but a positive covid result stopped that happening.

Alittlenonsensenowandthen · 25/12/2021 22:25

This is the first Xmas I noticed a difference (age 12 and 10). Ten year old bounded into our room. Full of excitement. Other two I had to wake up! Made me a bit sad for the younger one as felt like he missed the camaraderie of excitement with his brothers. Had a lovely breakfast together, then church, present opening then didn't see them much of rest of day as they all had big Lego sets. They would've done them downstairs but we didn't have space so unusually they have been upstairs. We also usually do a board game and a walk together but the weather was rubbish so no walk and we decided to save games for tomorrow. It's definitely different- quieter, pleasant, but not as exciting in some ways!

nokidshere · 25/12/2021 22:26

Don’t get me wrong, thoughtful presents and their presence at Christmas lunch( which is over so quick) but the rest of the day they disappear and it’s just me and Dh. Could be any other day and it’s dull. Is that just the way it is?

It is here too. Presents were great, food/drink and chat, and I haven't seen them since. Me and DH dozing/watching crap tv with wine and chocs.

I was just thinking we might need to switch it up a bit next year.

Xmasfairy86 · 25/12/2021 22:28

Mine are 10 and 13. First year we’ve spent the day all together. Was so lovely. Few bickering moments due to hormonal DD13 but overall a lovely day. It also proves that she doesn’t need her phone ALL DAY!

They are currently having a sleepover in the lounge.

QuornSausagesAreTheDevilsPenis · 25/12/2021 22:35

I voted YABU because we've had an awesome day with ours. They've been simply delightful and we spent the majority of the day in the same room together (including the best part of 5 hours playing Dungeons and Dragons!). 12 & 18. I'll treasure it for a long time, it's a rare treat to spend so long in each others company, plus its the first Christmas Day I've been at home with them all day for years. Magic.

GuyFawkesDay · 25/12/2021 22:38

Ours have been fab, been downstairs most of the day but gifts went upstairs away from the puppy once opened. So we've played games together and watched a film but this evening both kids upstairs enjoying their gifts

ipodtherforipoor · 25/12/2021 22:41

God it's been dull! Wake up at 830 and Lay in till 930. DS16 made croissants and mimosas and opened a pile of books about Ancient Greece and philosophy!

onedayoranother · 25/12/2021 22:46

My son woke at 6am (he's 18!) and as he's staying in the room next to mine I woke up too. Then after presents and breakfast (at 10am) he went off for a nap while I started the lunch. He reappeared for lunch (my 16 year old helped out) and was full of energy for dog walking and board games etc while I was tired out. So we reconvened for supper and a film, with the promise of board games and crackers tomorrow. Then I take him back to where he lives (70 miles away) the next day.
So it was fine - low key as just the three of us and we didn't quite sync our biorhythms but we have time tomorrow!

Boulshired · 25/12/2021 22:49

DS1 went through a few years between 16 and 18 when he would pop the toilet and be gone for a few hours. He is year 3 at university and as spent the whole day with us this year. DD who is 19 has always stayed with us Christmas Day. I’ve never tried to force it.

NeedAHoliday2021 · 25/12/2021 22:55

I’m clear about the plan for the day so when it’s free time (totally get that they want time in their rooms) and when it’s family time - mostly food and a film or game (sometimes both). We usually go for an afternoon walk to walk off lunch/ for the dog too. I’m assuming there will be a point dc will stay home and dh and I will go for the walk as a couple. I love dh’s company though.

EdinaMonsoon · 25/12/2021 22:57

I don’t recognise many of the posts here as regular teen behaviour. Shuffling off to their own space on such a family centric occasion seems sad to me. Ours are 21 & 17. They come into our room for stockings at 9 today followed by a lazy breakfast, disappeared to rooms for getting ready showering etc & then reconvened for a day of gift opening, snacks, chatting, etc. We had our Christmas meal on Christmas Eve but had enough leftovers to repeat today & we all mucked in, sharing the work & having a laugh. Christmas has pretty much always been this way since they were little. Of course they have gone off to FaceTime friends/girlfriends etc but have mostly been brilliant company & willing participants in family traditions.

Thickasmincepie · 25/12/2021 23:08

I hated Xmas as a teen. Couldn't see my mates cos they were all with their, much more fun, families. I was stuck at home with boring parents and bond films.

I've tried to make it more involved for my own kids. Ds keeps saying that 'it doesn't feel like Xmas this year', but I think what he really means is:"Xmas is different when you're 12", because we're doing exactly the same Xmas things we always do.

Xmas as an older teen was more about the going out around Xmas, not Xmas day. Then Xmas as a parent of little kids is magic again.