Clingy 13 year olds. What's yours like?

[JoanJetandtheBlackCats]

Our 13 year old DD is so clingy. From the minute she comes in from school, she sits in the living room and doesn't leave it until bedtime.

We have 2 younger children who go off and play, sit upstairs watching TV, play on their consoles, read etc but she just won't do anything.

If she wants to use her laptop, she brings it downstairs and uses it in the living room.

If she has homework, she does it in the living room.

If she wants to listen to music, she'll use an mp3 player in the living room.

I've banned TV downstairs after 6pm and she would rather miss her favourite TV shows than go upstairs to watch TV in her room.

It's really starting to bug me because it's like she's always "there". Me and DP can't talk, we can't relax and watch the news or listen to our music or anything because she's always, CONSTANTLY in the living room.

Are all 13 year olds like this?? when do they grow out of it?

bump for you.

Sounds normal to me, but what do I know. When I was 13 I would be downsairs with my parents until bedtime (if I wasn't out swilling cider in the park ). I wouldn't particularly expect child free time before bedtime, but as my oldest is only 6 I could be mis-remembering.

Make the most of it.

I have a 12 and 14 year old and both spend little time in their room. They go to bed between 9 and 10 and DH and I nearer 12. What time do you all go to bed.

I wouldn't like them to be spending all their time in their room, they don't have tv in their room anyway and I would prefer ds to use his laptop downstairs

Why can't you talk to your dp/listen to your music/relax/watch the news with her there? I find it a bit bizarre that you feel she stops you from doing those things. You are a family, why do you want her to be by herself in her room while you have somebody to cosy up to downstairs?

My thought is maybe she is worried about something or wants to tell you something - stuff that 13 yo worry about.
By being there all the time she could be giving you lots of opportunities to talk to her about something

Or maybe she is lonely at school or feels vulnerable and wants to be nearer to you to make her feel safe

Just a few thoughts - which may be useless