what to do with a 15 year old... help really needed.

[Iwantababynow]

Hey.

Two days ago a 15 year old came to live with me and my husband, he has chosen to leave home, due to violence, and hate shown from his parents. he has had a very bad start to live, he is also a bit of a trouble maker (just got kicked out of school) however, I understand the trouble making considering that his family live has been such a mess.

long story short, he will stay with us until a permanant home is found for him, they are just makeing a case for him now, so he could be here anything from some weeks to some months.

so... what should I keep him occupied with, we have done a lot of sitting and talking about live ect... and played ps3 and we will see movies, he doesnt get homework due to the school he has been put in for now has a no homework policy.(im brittish but live in another country so the system is different.

basically if we didnt take him in he would have been sleeping on the streets or round various friends houses, he spent one night sleeping outside the train station.

and ideas of good things to do with him? preferably things that do not cost a fortune, as my husband and i just blew novembers salary on christmas presents, the next few weeks are tight with money.

p.s. im only 22 qnd my husband is 23 so we do need a bit of advice, of course we can give him the basics of food and a bed, and try to love hi, but i just want to do more, we want that he can get over the beatings and rejection and feel truely valued and loved, and thaat he can turn his live around.

thanks for reading.

we have no other children although we are ttc now, so we can give him a lot of time.

what about taking him to museums? somthing like the science museum.
what about sports? do you or your dh do any? could you start something with him?find out what makes him tick apart from ps3.
he is a trouble aker now but his life is about to change so its a good time for him to start experimenting positive things.
what about cutural things? music, poetry, youth theatre?
lts of things for the youth are ceap/free/subsidised

goodvluck

also there is a "teen" forum on mumsnet, you might be more lucky posting there.

Agree the teenagers forum is excellent and many of us older ones will not look in this forum as it's a bit baby centred.
I'd say just do family stuff with him, he's old enough to do most of the things you and your DH do. Sit down and eat together, let him help plan meals he enjoys.
Does he have a friend he could invite?
My boys like bowling, cinema, paintballing, badminton, table tennis, pool, swimming.
Most 15 year olds also enjoy computer or console games.
Have you got a room he can call his own? They do tend to retreat a bit and like some privacy.

See if he's interested in anything in particular and then follow it if you can. And also, again it may be hard at first, see if you can get him engaged in doing stuff with you that has a practical side to it. Making pizza together for example, gardening if you have a garden, mending something round the house or helping to paint eg a door/a room - not something that he's going to feel exploited for , but where he can look at it with pride and say I did that, or where your and your partner can look at it. Get him to do some sport - with one of you? really helpful in controlling emotional swings.