What do your teens do on the weekend?

[Yumyumcakes]

prompting this thought was tonight’s after dinner walk with the dcs (preschool and nursery age) and we walked past a group of teens 15 or so all vaping (ages between about 14 and 16 by the looks) one girl, she seemed about 14 maybe younger (hard to tell) and a 40 year old man, clear that they were buying drugs off him. I’d almost forgotten what it was like to be a teen and have literally nothing to do on the weekend, I never touched drugs but I ‘hung out’ with on the streets and did stupid things, luckily I grew up in a very safe village but I was still taken advantage of. Back then there was still some provision for youth clubs and places for teens but now its something that worries me, especially seeing as youth clubs and the like have all but closed down and it’s something I’d not really thought about as my kids are so young.

what do your teens do that still allows them independence and socialising but ultimately keeps them safe

(not sure it’s relevant but we don’t drink or smoke for religious reasons)

Mine are into music so spend Saturdays doing musicianship and rehearsals. Both have a sporty or dance hobby and are involved in a few organised youth activities. We have lots of youth group options near us. They also meet up with friends and go to cinema, ice cream shops, coffee shops or each other's houses. They can get around London easily by public transport so that gives them a lot of freedom. Neither of them seem to be interested in drink or drugs (have offered them drinks at home and didn't like the taste).

Mine are 16 and 18.

They both have quite a lot of sport every weekend - DS plays 2 matches on a Saturday, and DD plays on Saturday and coaches 2 little league teams on Sunday.

They both have a bit of tutoring - an hour online each with a tutor.

They have chores - 1 does the bathroom, 1 does laundry. They usually clean their rooms.

They sometimes have a bit of schoolwork to catch up on - never more than a couple of hours.

They have a bit of time to themselves - ds games online with his girlfriend, and dd draws or reads.

Dd often catches up with friends - shopping or going to the gym. Ds more likely to see his friends online.

We usually hang out as a family a bit - even if it's just a take-out and a movie. Sometimes dd and I go shopping, or ds and I go for a run.

The only thing they definitely don't do is buy drugs off 40 yr olds and hang out on street corners.

I live in the midlands and there doesn’t seem to be anything around, now don’t get me wrong that may change in the next 10 years.

do the sports things have evening activities? I wasnt really allowed to have many hobbies as a teen so this is all new to me

gaming, PokemonGo, winding each other up, maybe cinema with mates, working (paper rounds), "projects", DoE, AirCadets activities, playing with pets, walks with me, skating with me, watching youtube videos

Few months ago one evening, while out PGing, DS ran into a bunch of kids he knew from primary school. They were hanging out vaping, nicking stuff from supermarket, larking about. He enjoyed seeing them, happily sampled some of their pilfered wine & came home to tell us all about it. He didn't admire their lifestyle or prospects (phew)

oh yeah, sports training too.
DD was hyper ambitious and studied too much, social media & chatting with friends

During the day my son did sport, matches, gym. Gaming and from 16 worked part time in a cafe. At night he did gaming or went out with mates. Went down to the seafront to have a 'smoke', hung out, camping occasionally (more 'smokes'). Occasional party. I'm sure he tried ketamine but mostly it was weed. Got drunk once or twice but no stealing. He had two serious girlfriends, first from 15 to 17, second from 17-18 but sworn off them currently. Now 20 works full time and doesn't socialise much (does the gym every day and kickboxing, occasionally gaming). Lives on his own.
Daughter (18) is an introvert doesn't socialise much outside of school. Quite self contained and has never tried alcohol and is very anti smoking/vaping etc.

My teen rides horses. We have a pony and she spends all weekends/evenings after school at the livery yard riding/taking care of horses and hanging out with her mates. On Sundays, she works at the yard mucking out for extra cash. It's a great hobby (if you don't mind the expense 😬)

My ds is 15. He swims, practices martial arts, eats pizza and giggles a lot over YouTube. And has actually done some homework this week.

I have 2 teens 17 and 15 - neither venture very far. My 16 yr old now has a part time job and my 15 yr old volunteers at the library and does performing arts classes and performs in local shows. When they aren't at work or performing they watch you tube or chill at home. Today my 17 yr old asked me why i don't encourage family time any more (I am trying to encourage them both to go out with friends and not rely on me and their dad) both don't like going out with friends as they often end up hanging out in the park or the town and they don't feel safe. Both are very sensible and totally against vaping and drinking which now makes socialising very difficult that is I am sure why they want to still hang out with mum and dad!!!

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Of course there are things around, in the Midlands. What an odd thing to say.

Between them, mine all did Scouts - so often away on camp or other activities. They each did different sports. One did drama / musicals.

I have 2 teen girls. 13.17. They stay at friends houses, go shopping, cinema. My 17 year old sometimes works at the weekend. They've never been a hang around on the street type thankfully although I was one of those teens smoking and drinking cider. I have lots of fund memories as a teen and although I wouldn't want mine drinking or smoking, I do worry they haven't had as much fun as I did.

Ds 16 sometimes goes to play pool, occasionally have drinks in someone's house. More often than not is at home. Goes to gym during day and football matches with his dad on a Saturday.

Dd 12 almost 13 is still happy on the trampoline, gets the bus into town with friends , hangs around here with friends, bakes. Isn't often out at night time unless it's a sleepover or something.

So far they are more sensible than I was.

When I was ds's age I was drinking in pubs every weekend and even though I was actually a good kid comparatively to many I did a lot of things that were stupid and dangerous and I hope mine never do.

DS1 is 17. He is either studying, working, going round his friends houses, shopping, cooking or watching things on tech.

DS2 is 15. Sadly we found out later that he was hanging around with kids who smoked, drank, etc but it went badly wrong and he now has social anxiety and rarely leaves the house. He spends his time listening to music, watching films or playing games

DS3 is 13. He loves sport and keeping fit. So spends his time playing sport, going to the gym and playing games.

DS is into cricket and going to friends houses. Now he's old enough he's added the pub on too.

DD likes to see friends but for things like dog walking or shopping and likes to spend time with family. I know this is probably a bit unusual.

The lack of funding for services for Terns is shocking.

Teens not Terns

My 13 yr old does a lot of sports on Saturday then watches movies in the evening. Sometimes she goes shopping with a friend, or the cinema, bowling, skating etc. Sundays are family days unless she has been invited somewhere, usually ice skating.

My friend’s 13 yr old, instead of specific activities, he hangs out with his mates. This translates as vaping, smoking weed and causing trouble. And putting it all on snapchat.

funnily enough we do have youth clubs quite locally. My children stopped going as the kids going were causing general trouble in the area, vaping, stealing from the local shop etc.

Ours are 17 and 15.

they’re both still in bed after a busy week of camping. Later they’ll probably go to the gym and visit their grandparents. Youngest is a bit of a musician so he’ll practice a bit ready for his next grading

The both play sports though there’s no matches or competitions during the holidays only training which is on weeks nights, oldest has a job in the week. They pop into our nearest city on the train for food with their friends, go the cinema etc. Go to the beach to swim or surf if the conditions are right. In the evenings they often have a fire and chips from the chippy on the beach with their friends, if the weather isn’t good they’ll game online with friends.

op, it doesn’t sound as if you live in the middle of nowhere so there will be plenty to do as they get older, you just don’t see it as it’s not relevant to them atm.

I think this is the point of all those after-school activities in the primary years. You are not trying to turn them in to an Olympian or conservatoire musician- you are looking for something that will 'stick' and keep them off the streets in the teenage years. Hopefully the 'thing' you find will help them to have a healthy lifestyle in the longer term as well.

DS usually comes to parkrun with me. Then he plays on his computer. Sometimes pops out to meet friends, although they always head home for tea then carry on gaming. He's not interested in hanging around outside when it's dark, he likes access to a fridge and food cupboards.

Term time mine do an all day music thing on Saturdays. On Sundays the older one will often go in to town for bubble tea and a mooch round the shops with her mates, the younger one might go to a mate's house. There's a lot of gaming, but H and I love a bit of Mario kart so no complaints from me.

We also often go and watch the football. Our WSL club charges £4 for juniors or £20 for a junior season ticket, so very affordable for teens on their own, and much better football than everything apart from the top two tiers of the men's game.

I've got 3 teens 16-19. Charity shop shopping, PlayStation, gym, cinema. We usually all watch a film Friday or Saturday night. Eldest goes clubbing or takes the car round to see friends. Part time jobs, football training etc. That all sounds really wholesome.. for balance, sometimes they don't get out of bed or leave their rooms! No street hanging though.

Sport all weekend for my two DS, 15 and 12. DS1 does a bit of gaming. Cricket season is winding down so only have matches twice a week, one night of training. Rugby season starts up soon. Neither interested in going out much and hanging around with friends drinking or vaping. Hope it stays that way and it will be worth the relentless sport running around we have done for years.

Reading with interest. Dh is concerned about youngest ds in summer holidays. Ds2 does nothing, until football season starts, other than lie on bed, on phone, plays x box with friends. Occasionally meets up with friends, to play football, or go to kfc, or to all go to liquid leisure or Thorpe park (they all have passes). But generally not a lot!

And I forgot sleeping as a major pastime.