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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Teenagers and family time

39 replies

Pollycazalet · 24/02/2014 13:48

We've just got to the stage where DS (14) is disappearing to his room and refusing to do much with the rest of us. Which is all v normal but I was wondering what you have done to ensure you still have some time with your teen or even as a family.

Family films still work - sometimes - and the odd card game but that's about it.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
AgentProvocateur · 25/02/2014 18:49

We have meals together in the kitchen, depending on who's in. Thursday night is the only night that we can all guarantee to be in, so we go out for dinner as a family every Thursday. Sometimes in town, straight from work/uni and sometimes locally.

honeybeeridiculous · 25/02/2014 19:00

Meals together most nights, DS always appears on Saturday night for a takeaway Grin
DS and DS both have season tickets so go to matches together,but DS won't been seen out shopping with me! I even bought his school shoes as he refused to go to shops, just got the exact same pair as the last time,like it or lump it Grin
On the whole, he doesn't spend a lot of time in his room, the x box is in the lounge, and his i pad is usually lying around the house somewhere.

Helpyourself · 25/02/2014 19:05

Ragwort Modern Family is very funny Grin

Kardashians, how I met your mother, Big Bang- meh I'm physically present, but no more!

Andy1964 · 26/02/2014 16:40

Some of you do surprisingly well;

Most evening meals, Sunday lunch/dinner is it's cooked, weekend cooked breakfast/brunch if it's cooked.

That's it! There seems to be a theme developing, food. lol

Nocomet · 26/02/2014 23:41

DD just snuggled up next to me on the sofa, playing Xbox car racing then just fell asleep like a toddler on my lap (she's just 13).

Funny child she is less rebellious and awkward now than when she was 9

Original poster
Pollycazalet · 27/02/2014 09:41

So inspired by your replies I have organised us to eat together every night this week so far and also took ds to the cinema last night which was lovely. Am looking into possibility of doing some sport with ds too ( not at all sporty so this is a challenge! )

OP posts:
teenagetantrums · 27/02/2014 12:36

well done Polly, you are braver than me doing sport. I took my DD to the dentist today does that count as spending time with them? she was to scared to go alone, she had to have a filing for the first time.

TheGervasuttiPillar · 03/03/2014 00:52

What is your DS doing in his room?

FWIW, our children use their rooms for sleeping & reading. Laptops, TVs and whatnot do not go into bedrooms.

nooka · 03/03/2014 04:00

We eat/clear up together every weekday evening and all the consoles are in our living room so we are often physically in the same room. dh and dd watch Japanese anime together, dh, dd and I watch movies together and me and ds go to Taekwondo twice a week. Oh and dd will usually go shopping with anyone (especially if food is potentially on offer). So it's really just dh and ds that don't have much 'bonding time'. Oh and we all clean the house together every Sunday.

Nocomet · 04/03/2014 00:27

How don't lap tops go into bedrooms, are they chained down.

Lap tops here go everywhere that's the reason for having them.

How do DCs do HW when the other one wants the wii on and your listening to radio 4 while you cook. (0k dinning room here, but not everyone has that luxury).

In any case it's just as easy to flick from game to HW downstairs as up. Easier in fact, I can often slip into bedrooms without being spotted, impossible down stairs.

DD1 Dr Who is not revision!

LyndaCartersBigPants · 04/03/2014 00:44

Ours are mainly food related, ie dinner time together, going out for a meal, asking him to help with ideas for shopping list.

He does sit with us in the evening, but with headphones on looking at his laptop while we watch tv. He doesn't like being on his own so will complain if we want an early night as he won't stay downstairs on his own!

He kind of forces conversations about random things and wants to involve me with every decision about things he wants to buy, which is quite sweet although I struggle to feign interest in the minutiae of his particular hobby!

madeofkent · 04/03/2014 16:03

As above but also (although I really have to force myself here) board games! My kids love them, so does DBH, I hate them but play just because we are all together. I draw the line at Monopoly though.

MojitoMomonga · 09/03/2014 11:35

It's rare that it happens here, DD has so much homework. She has all meals with us and one night a week we have a family night and all spend a couple of hours in the lounge together.

AtiaoftheJulii · 09/03/2014 16:47

We went out for a dog walk/lunch today. Eldest wasn't going to come, claiming she had homework to do - she was still in bed. We said that's fine, but there'll be no internet while we're out (we can lock the door of the room that the router is in) so you can concentrate on your homework. She changed her mind, got up and came with us Grin

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