Daily routine of a teenager during the holidays

[BedofRoses19]

What does the daily routine of your 14 years old boy look like during the holidays? What is the first thing they do when they wake up?
I am concious it’s a tricky age but I am wondering if all my efforts teaching my son to block-time his activities has been in vain. Waking up, first thing is games, not doing anything meaningful throughout the day. Should I let it be? Having said that, he’s excellent academically and is engaging well with the activities I lined up for the holidays. It’s just at home - staying in bed playing games, snacking in bed. Is this just a phase?

If he is excellent academically I’d let him holiday for a while! No doubt you have family activities and plans also during the summer holidays.

What do you want him to be doing? Mine was gaming / tv and seeing friends at that age.

Thanks for posting this @BedofRoses19mine is 13 and just finished first year secondary school. We are in Ireland so he has been finished since May. He had a couple of swimming galas and soccer tournaments so didn’t start his summer until late June. He had a week of half day rugby camp in July but that’s it. He has been decompressing as he’s usually out 7 days of the week doing 4 different sports.
So far he’s been playing loads of games, meeting up with friends, we’re away on holidays at the moment so just going out and doing whatever we fancy.
Last night I insisted they were in bed by 11 as we have been keeping very late nights meaning we’re up a bit later than normal.
@mumumentalwhat do you class as not excellent grades? 😂
Last year sports galas, matches almost took over and his summer grades suffered slightly. Hoping to approach it differently next academic year, we have talked about it, just need to put plans in place.

And breakfast what do they eat? Gone are the days of porridge/weetabix (13 year old allergic to eggs). Now it is granola, sausages, pizza.
Apologies for taking over the thread ☺️

DS is 13 and we seem yo have found a pretty good balance. We have planned it so of Mon- Fri he has at least 2 days of either football camp or seeing friends. The other days we let him chill and game etc but he has a list of jobs eg water garden, unpack dishwasher, peg out washing.

if one of us is at home he will come for a lunchtime walk (if we call at the cafe for hot chocolate afterwards 🤣)

He doesn’t seem overly bothered about seeing friends but we have instigated or encouraged it at least once a week. He eats in front of the tv but not in the bedroom as I would necer find any plates again!

Mine (13 & 16) are currently still in bed, so....

@vladimirVsvolodymrThanks for your insights. When I say, playing games, I mean on screen. For e.g. among us, brawl stars, etc.

At that age, in the holidays, my children were up until about 3am and getting up around 3pm. When they were up they were gaming (lots of gaming), seeing friends, spending time with us, walking the dogs, doing their hobbies, sports and a few chores.

Dinner was always at the table as a family but other meals and snacks could be taken to their rooms if they chose. They often made food together for breakfast/lunch when they got up at 3pm ish and ate that while chatting and again made food in the early hours. 🙄 Lots of snacks in rooms. We had a rule that any plates, cups etc had to be put in dishwasher each day so nothing was allowed to fester. 🤢

I have not been able to implement the job list idea. He will if I say come and help me and we do it together but not as in he does a job by himself.
@vladimirVsvolodymrtoo, he has fencing, music-related activities. But the minute he walks through that door at home, he’s off in bed playing video games. It makes me question does what home and holidays represent to him. Asking him lead nowhere.

Ive always had a no gaming til after lunch rule. Now the teenager sleeps til 1, it feels a bit pointless. Age 14 he'd be out seeing local friends for a game of football or reading or lego.

Holidays I think are a chance for them to do nothing / what they want away from the restrictions of a school timetable.

That sounds pretty normal. Getting up late, spending a lot of time gaming. But equally prepared to drop it and go out when there was a planned outing/activity to do.

I would expect regular jobs, but I'd expect them regardless of holiday.

I guess a key question is what you want him to be doing? If I had nothing else pressing to do I'd have no issue lounging round the house doing what I pleased, and so I suspect woud many others.

I dont think the gaming system should have been set up so he can play it in bed tbh. Thats bad for his posture, sleep hygiene too

Yep I understand you 🤣 I don’t mind as much as he plays for a couple of hours with his brother, we play some board games and they go on the trampoline when we’re home or up to his friends house and sometimes they head back to the rugby pitch and play some rugby.
During term time, they usually play games at the weekend but that is limited as they have sports on both days.
You know when they’re little and you’re told that when they’re teenagers they never get out of bed, that is because they go to bed so late during the holidays 😩

I will let him be, he sounds like my 13 year old with tons of activities. Mine is not interested in swimming at the moment but once he gets to training, it is full on. Maybe he’s decompressing, I’m assuming he just finished school earlier this month. Asking him what holidays mean to him, I love that 😂😂😂

@MyDarlingRose There is not gaming system in the bedroom. He plays on the tablet and phone

@vladimirVsvolodymr thanks for your reassurance as did other posters here. I would say he does need decompressing after a hectic last term. I find it interesting to know his perspectives.

The OP assessed his grades as excellent, and I saw no reason to question her.

Mine are both bedrotting, gaming and nocturnal 🤦🏻 I am taking them away next week "on holiday by mistake" whereby I fully expect to need a cattle prod. Good luck with yours x 🍀💐

Mine is a bit older, he plays games for a couple of hours every morning but not from his bed. I would not be having that.
Then he makes himself a huge brunch/lunch, does any jobs I’ve left for him (empty dishwasher, sort his sport emails etc) and then usually heads out with his friends to kick football, play padel or golf.
Back home for more games before dinner, he either cooks, helps or tidies up afterwards. Then watches tv/more games until bed about midnight.
As long as he’s getting out of the house everyday for fresh air and not making a huge mess I leave him be, it’s the holidays.