What to do with teenagers at mid term?

[fartmeistergeneral]

Our mid term break started yesterday (Scotland). My 15 ds decided to do nothing and I thought, give him a break, it's the holidays. He watched 14 hours of films/tv programmes. So here we are on day 2 and he's slobbing about in his jammies, already having watched a couple of hrs of TV. I've turned it off and he's furious. I just can't stand the sitting around!! He's got another 4 days off. Am I harsh? His best friend is away and he doesn't seem to want to phone any of his other friends (who, I suspect, are doing much the same). I don't want to be responsible for his entertainment but without the TV/ipod I'm not sure how he's going to fill his time and of course, the less he does, the more sluggish and bad tempered he gets.

My other ds (12) is about the same, although I did persuade him to come out and play squash with me yesterday (nearly killed me). Again, I shouldn't be responsible for their entertainment!

I would just let them get on with it unless they have any homework to do.

I know you're probably right, I'm quite an active person, so inside I just want to explode!!

I feel your pain fartmeister. Ds1 is 14, they break up tomorrow (although he is on work experience this week) and I envisage a whole week of exactly what you describe. With a load of revision nagging from me.

DS 12 may come out with me if there's something in it for him (getting my purse out). But that's about it.

DH has some time off so could be fun-we may go out together!

Teenagers like slobbing out. Leave him alone!

Maybe it's a boy thing, sweeping generalisation! My 13 year old DDs have made arrangements to meet friends next week. Swimming one day, cinema another. Although the other days they'll prob be glued to ipads or tv.

They'll come shopping with me or out for lunch.

The tv is off but I said I'll put it on later. Forcing them to do something else. At the moment ds2 is reading on the sofa and ds1 has, quite unbelievably, gone out with his new camera to take some photos. They both have school work to do so will get them doing that after lunch and then they can go back to that (bloody) screen.

Oh to have enterprising DD's sandy! My DSes (the ones left at home) are of the slobbing variety. Hours of screen time, and a look of puzzlement if I suggest they actually do something else instead.

Oh it's only a week let him slob.

My DD (age 15) has been off since Monday, she's spent the days in her room doing homework or drawing, I always thought when she got to this age it would be arguments about boys/staying out etc

I still like sobbing out. School can be exhausting, takes my kids a few days to catch up on sleep and rest!

DS1 (will turn 14 next week) has agreed to do a bit of studying each day in his two weakest subjects (I'd be happy with half an hour a day). If he does that, then I don't care if he sits around in his onesie for the other 95% of the time.

My Ds 14 is exactly the same and will spend all day in his Jammies smelling horrible and playing online games with is friends. He never meets up with his friends in person.

I have to enter into extensive negotiations to get him out of the house for a hair cut and new training shoes.

If I am lucky he might come with me for a short walk and quiz me on astronomy, global warming etc ( he is a bright kid).

I am fit and sporty and he drives me crazy. I am hoping he will grown out of it.

It is annoying ..it used to drive me mad thinking about how to keep them entertained( like when they were little ??)

But I slowly realised it doesn't work ...leave them to it otherwise you have a constant battle on your hands

I find it a little easier now my dds have pt jobs as well as school ,so any spare time they do have, I leave them be.

I feel your pain, too.

My 15 year old would happily, onesie clad, lie on the sofa with his iPad for the week.

However, he agreed for me to pay for a week's gym membership and we are going to go every day. He has got a load of art GCSE coursework to do and we have booked a BBC tour and a few galleries in London.

I hope he gets a fair bit of slobbing time too.

Sadly my 9yo is like this too. That really does limit us.

hey, my 14yo just went out for a 20 minute run! Probably the most activity he'll do this week, but heck, it's a start!

Ds 14 is pretty good...goes to a gym, plays football ,meets up with friends.
But yesterday he was grounded and mooned around all day with a sulky face. Wish I'd let him go out in the end and given an alternative punishment, as it affected my day.

Anyway he's gone skiing today for a week.