What does your 12 year old do after school?

[bottleofredplease]

My Dd is 12. She is home from school by 3pm. Yesterday she sat on her phone for two hours and I told her to do something else, she said she didn't know what to do! She doesn't really watch TV and when on her phone she just looks at Pinterest- Stuff about Harry Potter etc or is on WhatsApp.
She loves books and reads for at least an hour a day and she plays keyboard for half an hour.

I just realised that she has about 6 hours from getting home from school and I think she would like to do something else but she doesn't know what to do! She has clubs two nights but they are only 1.5 hours so still plenty of time for stuff.

I don't want her to end up sitting in her phone the whole time.

What do your kids do?

I don't imagine she is alone in that! Does she not have homework? How about learning to cook? Or drawing or more clubs? Mine does sport twice a week and drama twice. Still manages to play on PlayStation for ridiculous amounts of time though. I could do with some suggestions too!

Sewing is a interesting hobby (and life skill). There are plenty of Harry Potter fabrics around and Pinterest is full of inspiration.

12 here, gets home at 4:15. Reads, might watch ani player, takes the dog for a walk, plays tennis a couple of nights a week, waters the garden every day, lots of homework and music. Sometimes, but less so these days lego.

I don't mind a bit of phone time but DD isn't particularly glued to hers.

I also think that, like me, DD needs down time and the freedom to choose what she wants to do - even if that is nothing - so I wouldn't want to fill her evenings with plans.

I would just limit phone time in the situation you have described.

I have a 12 year old also home just after 3. On the days when no clubs are on, I limit phone time, same at weekends. Also, mine have to empty dishwasher, set & clear table. I think the thing is not to worry if they're bored, they'll live!

Only whatsapp allowed - no other SM allowed at the moment too.

My daughter is very much the same.
I'm just trying to remember what I did after school at that age before all the technology.

I think we spent time listening to Radio Caroline or watching tv .

Can't remember what my DS did at that age, he was quite sporty so there was often training or matches- but yes, a lot of time spent 'aimlessly' on his phone probably.

I spend far too much time endlessly wasting time on Mumsnet to my shame I worked out that in the 18 years I have been on Mumsnet I could have probably done a Masters degree, renovated a house, learned a language etc etc .

Various (including watching TV and tablet)

Choir, singing lessons, singing and guitar practise, homework, reading, occasionally helping her 5 year old brother with reading, listening to music, having friends round and sometimes helping me cook - she also does any baking that ever gets done in the house as shes given up in despair the hope her mother will ever master it

I have an 11 year old and a 13 year old. I limit their screen time (phones, tablets) to 30 min while I cook dinner (in the holidays I don't limit). At the moment they don't have any clubs. I try to get them outside after school (doesn't always work) or do some activity. It does help that we have a dog that needs walking and chickens that need feeding/cleaning. I take them swimming once a week, not lessons, just swimming/playing in the pool. They read in bed before bedtime.

Does she not go out with friends?

Sports clubs every night, homework, phone for an hour only otherwise she'd be on it constantly

Ragwort

Same as Op. DS plays on his computer, watches tv, might play swingball in garden, might read, have dinner, do homework, chat to us, shower, bed.

Everyone needs downtime. At weekends he has a sport hobby and goes swimming.

I don't really regulate it strongly, unless he is obviously grumpy or tired. He's quite good at self regulating and gets his homework done etc (God knows how this has occurred. His brothers were quite disorganised at this stage).