Help! What do you do about your teens during half-term/hols if you work?

[Porpoise]

Hello. I have three DS, two now at secondary school (13 and 12). I work four days a week (but am home when they get in from school) - and I'm suddenly at a loss about what to do when they're not at school during half-term/hols.

The youngest DS is easy - he loves football courses etc and we have a much-loved babysitter who can watch him for the bits round the edges when I'm not yet home.

But the older two are too old for the courses (which all seem to stop at 10/11) and don't really need/want someone to make fingerprint paintings with.

What do you all do with your teens when they're off school - if you work?

Leave them to their own devices! They don't usually get up till lunchtime, and then they go and meet their friends or go to the cinema or just hang about on the X Box.

Well, mine are home alone...latchkey kids if you like. This has been the case ever since they went to secondary (they are 17 and 14 now). In my defence I work a 2 minute drive from home and come home every lunchtime. I am lucky enough to work shorter, more flexible hours during school hols so tend to go in work early (7am) and finish mid-afternoon.

I think it depends upon your children - mine are sensible, and we have a newtork of friends nearby who they can contact in case of emergencies.

leave them to their own devices. even the younest, dependingon how old he is, would be left in the care of older siblings.

There's a reason these courses stop once the children are senior school age

I'd put them in a sports camp if you are worried. There's a reason they run to 17 !!!

Thanks for your replies.

Sounds like I'm being a bit PFB (and PSB!) then.

My older two are quite sensible but still seem quite young at 13 and 12 to leave to their own devices for 6-8 hours a day. And I'm using the word "devices" quite deliberately

But v helpful to hear that you guys do it/have done it and it's all been fine.

I make sure my ds (12, in year 8) has arranged to hang out with his mates which usually involves the park/town/ house where parents are in and that along with some time to relax and chill alone at home works well... He likes his xbox and knows not to cook anything plus usually has chores too... Dh works shifts so is sometimes home/in bed too for part of the time...

I normally arrange for DS to have some friends over for one evening of pizza & DVDs, and I give him some money towards cinema, swimming etc.

Both mine were allowed known friends over - but NO trampolining when no adults around.

As others have said, they lay in bed until mid-day anyway, so only 3-4 hours to kill of what would have been a school day. :)

I also leave mine at home alone, and I will be out for 8-10 hours. They sleep, do homework, play on the Wii and see friends.

If they get bored or want to go somewhere or get a cooked lunch they call their GP.

NB I only work 15 mins away and they always let me know what they are doing (eg if the go out to see a friend)

Mine are home.