Family time with teens- what do you do?

[BzyB]

Just looking some ideas! We aren't into shopping, and I have some restrictions doing activities as I'm 8m pregnant but in desperate need to reconnect with my dd ( who would rather just play her phone :( )

[PepsiPenguin]

Loads of videos on how to crochet, maybe you could try and learn together if you don't already know? I know it will be difficult with your condition but even if you can't do very much (I have EDS and sometimes knitting which I love is near on impossible) you could maybe help guide her through the steps whilst watching videos on line?

I had a much younger brother when I was 13, similar age gap to your DC and one of my fondest memories was once a week (mum was a hard working SP) was he would be put to bed, i had a nice bath and had my PJ's on I was also on that night allowed to use my mums "posh" bubbles. We would move chairs to be closer to the telly (long time ago when telly were the size of iPads lol) and either do knitting, cards or watch something very unsuitable (it never was that unsuitable just a bit more grown up and certainly not for little children!) it was always accompanied by either chocolate, ice cream or cheese and crackers. I used to really look forward to those nights.

You need to maybe find a tradition you both enjoy, ask her what she would like to do.

[Turbinaria]

Make a scrap book with her about her. Track down those photos of her at different stages and ages, any adventures/holidays/ special times you've had together and put a note besides them. Her favourite foods/ hobbies/ friends/music. Significant events such as starting school/ moving house etc.
I think at 13 she is moving onto another stage of life and it would be nice for her to have a momento of When she was younger.

[EATmum]

My DD1 aged 14 (and DD2, 12) always want to sew if I am sewing. Kind of need to studiously ignore them though and only offer help if they ask. Which is hard.

[t875]

We play board games
Bake
Watched gbbo
15 and 12 yr old girls.
X factor.
Up the shops
Cinema
Park
Games apps on the phone candy crush etc.

[mathanxiety]

Start up Pinterest accounts and pin to humour/ funny cat/ fashion/dream holiday (etc) boards. Follow each other, and you can send pins to each other. It's a nice way to keep you in her radar even if she's on her phone.

Game apps on the phone.

TV/Netflix - I think you should try not to twitch and just do this.

(^^You need to meet her half way - if she has never expressed an interest in the sort of huge projects her friends have accomplished, then this might be too ambitious to begin with. Plus you will have a baby soon.)

Get her involved in some activity and go to cheer her on. Even cheerleading can be fun and active. It doesn't have to be a contact sport. Drama clubs are nice too.

Cooking together - get her to cook one meal per week for the family, or produce a nice dessert. You can pass on tips and give encouragement.

Teaching a leftie to knit or crochet is possible - there are videos on YouTube where you can teach yourself to do it backwards left handed. I have one leftie out of five and taught her this way. It took me about two hours to get the movements automatic, and then I was able to sit down with DD4 and guide her. The problem with leaving her in front of a video to figure it out herself was that she would click on other stuff when the video was over, and forget to knit and crochet.

[CointreauVersial]

We have the odd day out - go into London, a bit of shopping, wander around, maybe do a couple of touristy things, stop for lunch/cake/ice cream. It's the one thing that brings all of my teens (13 to 16) together.

[unlucky83]

At that age my DD loved it when I took her to the cinema to the late night viewing. The films finish at around 11.30. They are on Sat night and the cinema is an independent one and there is a bar/restaurant/arts centre in the same building so there are bouncers on the door. And it is near the town centre so lots of people around but not so late that it is really rowdy/lots of drunks. She thought it was a real adventure -and we had something to talk about in the car on the way home ...
Only problem was finding suitable films as most of them were at least 15s (we watched the hunger game series).
Also we have the piano and guitar in my office ...when she gets home from school, she will often mess around with the instruments so if I just happen to be sitting at my desk (working ) - we can have a chat. I know if there is something troubling her/she wants to talk about cos she will come straight in rather than make a drink/snack etc first. But apart from asking her how her day has been I don't say much else until she starts to talk.
Also DD2 now has an activity straight after their music lesson - I could drop her off and drive DD1 home and then go back but I only get 10 mins at home so it isn't really worth it -so we mess around together - go to local shops, sit in the car and chat...shame the cafe is closed by then (before I used to listen to Radio 4 on the car radio and maybe read a book - I miss it -a bit of me time- but it is good as an enforced catch up time too )
And recently she just came and helped me tidy up the garden - mainly cos she wanted to use the shredder....