To ask you for things to do with 12 yr old going on 21

[ShanequaAndWhat]

DD is gracing me with her presence tomorrow.

She is 12 going on 21 and typically uninterested in everything apart from shopping, particularly uninterested in spending time with me.

We live in Northamptonshire but can drive anywhere within reason.

My basic list is;

Waterworld
Alton towers
Bullring shopping
Trafford centre shopping
Milton Keynes shopping
London... shopping
Walk along a canal
Bowling
Cheddar gorge and caves

Only things she is interested in is... you guessed it... shopping.

Any ideas to help me bond and enjoy time with my very favourite person??? Please help me Mumsnet.

Lunch out or brunch (if she’s up in time 😆)

What about pottery painting? Anything crafty?

Have the whole day out in Birmingham and tick a few off your list! Some shopping, a walk along the canal, a nice lunch then bowling. Or if she fancied it something like an escape room?

I had a rare day with my daughter and without her twin brother this week. She's 13. We went to the Trafford Centre. Sephora has opened there. Loads of good sports shops too. To break up the shopping she had a go on the virtual reality ride ( you put a headset on and the carriage moves and it feels like you're on a rollercoaster/ in an alien movie etc. Starbucks etc too. We had fun. It's a bit materialistic but we didn't buy much and we had a good time 😃

@Aglassaday you're spot on. May start the day at 3pm 🤦🏾‍♀️

@thesandwich she is very crafty. I'll have a look but she doesn't want to be around anyone in close proximity. Thanks for that 😀

@5128gap great suggestion. If I can afford to park for that long and not get lost. I used to walk around the bullring and my dad would be obsessed with selfridges and then loudly oppose the prices. I don't want to be that embarrassing.

@twohotwaterbottles oh so you have the same! I hope it's easier for you 😂 it's so beautiful there and free parking. Just 3 hrs away 😬

My DD has just turned 13. I'm lucky in that she is still happy to do most things and is quite active and adventurous. She does love shopping though. I asked her what her ideal day out would be this summer and she said a train ride toa nearby city, lunch and shopping.

Pottery paining at Potz
A brows around Market Harborough
Axe throwing at Weedon

Meet her where she is- Take her shopping. Clothes, Sephora, bubble tea and posh lunch.

You might as well have a lovely (if expensive) time doing what she really wants as have a less good day trying to jolly her along.

Where she is, is the sofa, festering away for days watching tv and eating shit. I'm all for it but don't want to encourage it. Best open my purse from the sound of it

I don't know how to post gifs on the app but imagine someone just throwing money around posted here.

I text the axe throwing. She's not keen. Her dad will be tho... next date day sorted. Thank you.

They sound like twins. If no train, we will use the car and we will be listening to some absolute garbage all the way 😂

Yep, sounds about right.

You can at least get a lot of steps in round the Trafford Centre (well, I can’t because I’m a wheelchair user- but my son is at least vertical for the time it takes to queue for Sephora when we go…).

Milton Keynes has loads for this age group - trampoline park, clip and climb, cinema, ice rink, ninja warriors, arcade in same place as trampoline park, water sports at willen, go ape style place
Also further afield - Brighton with lanes for shopping and go up i360, Leicester space centre (maybe),

@Theoldlife that made me chuckle. Yes lots of steps. Finding all the bloody shops! Such a beautiful place tho.

I agree with @5128gap about a day out in Birmingham, could you get the train to Snow Hill or New Street? As both are in city centre. You could have a day shopping, does she have any birthday morning or anything she could use? And a nice lunch at somewhere like Ask Italian maybe. There's also a crazy golf in the Bullring and a massive Primark in the same sort of area if that's her thing?

I agree with Birmingham but are you able to get a train? You could do train to New Street and spend time at the Bullring and then get another train to Birmingham International and go to Resorts world which has a shopping outlet, bowling, cinema and then train home? Or look at how much it would cost to park at resorts world and then do it the other way round?

It sounds perfect but she's too lazy or mature or something.

Why don’t you go shopping? If she enjoys it and you want to spend time with her whilst she’s happy how is forcing her to do something she doesn’t want to do going to help?

@MaltipooMama she lives for Primark! She has full access to my money if she leaves the attitude at home and maybe £20 herself. I think that's the one.
@ByKindOpalPoet we were trying to decide this. I said park at the international as it's not much and then train to bullring but her dad said may as well get train all the way. Forgot about resorts world. Tbh she just needs a Primark and a Nike store.

I see what you're saying. I was hoping to find something she doesn't yet know she loves or has forgotten about because she is that age. I thought the hive mind may provide something I would never think of that she'd be excited about.

I think it's shopping!

There’s a Nike outlet at Resorts world so could be worth a visit and then head to Primark in Birmingham itself after some lunch?

Worth having a look around at where you decide to go and when she’s in a good mood suggest trying it. I know we can’t pander to them but equally at 13 they know their own mind.

@brunettemic isn't that the truth. I spend my time either sobbing to "slipping through my fingers", fuming at her attitude or missing the sweet baby/toddler she was only ten minutes ago. Anything to prolong our relationship and enjoy time together.

I used to like shopping with my mum even though we argued haha. Plus its free to browse and you can set a budget like £40 for shopping so keeps cost in control.
Another idea is getting your nails done together?

Spent £74 doing that last week 😫 I actually think that was the last time she spoke to me without "fire" 😂