Ds is 12 and I'm really struggling with him. He's a lovely lad, no issues with behaviour ( except the usual pre teen attitude) but I find free time with him like weekends and especially school holidays really hard.
I have two younger kids from current marriage and ds12 is at an age where none of the things I do with them are suitable or interesting for him.
Equally he doesn't seem fussed about doing things with me alone either. I've booked time off work when the little ones are in nursery to take him to the cinema etc and he's not just bothered. He plays a lot of sport and keeps himself occupied with that but that's it.
I encourage him to see friends and offer lifts but he doesn't have the initiative to actually arrange things and most of his friends live out of the area so without solid plans he can't just turn up or wander around to the park iyswim.
When he's home he's no bother. He will kick a ball around outside, game, read, but I just have this constant guilty, anxious feeling that I'm not doing enough and it's really annoying. It was so much easier when he was little and I could take him to farm parks or soft play etc!
I would happily take him and friends out but it's tricky with the little dc too and again, requires organisation with friends which he doesn't seem to have the skills to sort.
I'm hoping things will get better and this is just a particularly awkward in-between age?