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Teenagers

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

Original poster

What do your teens do when they aren't in school/college?

31 replies

topsytoo · 16/03/2017 20:34

DD is 16, almost 17, and does fuck all on her days off of college. She is in college 3 told a week, 9 until 1 and then has 2 days completely free where she does nothing but sit around watching telly and on her phone and then the weekend which is the same!
So 4 days of fuck all and 3 days of college!!!

I just feel like she should be doing something.

OP posts:
TeenAndTween · 16/03/2017 21:35

DD is in college 4 days a week.

Otherwise

  • assignments
  • driving practice
  • on phone to boyfriend (far far far too much)
  • amateur dramatics
  • seeing boyfriend, maybe 1 weekend in 3 (he lives some distance away)

Does your DD not have any college work to do?

Others on DDs course have part time jobs on their day not in college, but realistically it wouldn't have worked for DD.

corythatwas · 16/03/2017 21:48

Ds is in college 5 days a week. Goes to the gym on two week nights, does homework/projects and sees friends at weekends. Occasionally goes to a football match with friends.

Dd at that age did am-dram.

Littledrummergirl · 16/03/2017 22:05

Ds1 is in 6th form five days. He does cadets twice a week, spends Saturday morning at his sports club helping the little ones before doing his own training. He will be spending time at competitions going forward as well.
He is currently spending Saturday afternoon until Sunday evening working on a farm (every weekend this month). When this ends he will go back to spending Sunday mornings at a rescue.

He is also doing homework/ revision for his A levels as well as contacting other potential animal orientated places to organise more work experience.

He's planning on learning to drive as soon as he turns 17 so will have to find the time for that. Somehow though he still manages to watch tv, run, cycle and play Xbox.

Floofborksnootandboop · 16/03/2017 23:38

DD16 does 3 days a week at college 9 until 12, she works in a florist 1-5 on those afternoons and every other Saturday 7-1.

She chooses to do all her assignments in the evenings. That means she is free to do whatever she wants on the days she is off and we can't really say anything.

She has a hobbie she does one evening but the rest of the time she is just spending time with friends/boyfriend or chilling around the house.

She is talking about doing some volunteering on one of the days but not to sure yet.

BackforGood · 16/03/2017 23:44

Sport (diff ones, diff dc)
Play instruments (diff ones, diff dc)
Work (for money)
Work (for school / exams)
Watch TV/ films on their lap tops
Scouting Stuff - camps, meetings, fundraising, planning, activities, plus Leading / volunteering and the training they do for that
Go out with mates - from walking the friend's dog to having a kick around in the park
Cook
Occasional out with friends to something in particular - party or cinema or whatever

Redfluffysocks · 16/03/2017 23:48

Topsytoo when dd was in college she also did fuck all in her spare time, apart from socialising so you are not alone.

bigTillyMint · 17/03/2017 07:49

DD is in sixth form 5 days a week, with free study periods. She
-napps
-watches drivel on TV/laptop
-naps
-exercisise - gym/running
-naps
-part-time job
-naps
-goes out
-naps
-spends time with us
-naps
-studies

NB She is constantly on social media throughout all of thisGrin

OP, is your DD doing well/OK at college?

StereophonicallyChallenged · 17/03/2017 07:58

Mine (same age) has a McJob 😂 also goes to the gym, and two evenings a week has Rangers and Rainbows. Apart from that she does have college work to do and spends time with friends too.

Still feels like she spends ages lounging around though!

WhatHaveIFound · 17/03/2017 07:59

DD has long days at school (leaving home at 7.40am and not back until 6/6.30pm) and lots of homework & music practice. She is also doing a course at a local college on Saturdays so is there most of the day. Somehow she's managing to fit in DofE too.

On Sundays she's generally doing more homework and if she isn't she's watching tv or on her phone.

Your DD could get a part time job if she wanted? Does she have much college work to do?

TantrumsAndBalloons · 17/03/2017 08:07

Ds1 is in college 2 long days (9-5) and 2 half days
He works 2-3 shifts at JD sports and 1 shift at the weekend
He has football training twice a week and matches Sunday
He goes to the gym every morning and has 1-2 driving lessons a week
The rest of the time he is usually either in the shower :) in his room on Instagram or Twitter or snspchat, taking endless selfies and seeing friends.

I sometimes envy his life GrinGrin

swingofthings · 17/03/2017 08:38

What are they studying and what do they want to do next? DD has hardly any free time. She is at her 6th form M-F 8:30 to 3pm. She does volunteering Tuesday evenings, babysit Wed evenings, does more volunteering Thursday and plays tennis, does driving lessons Friday after school, works a 10 hour shift Saturdays, and volunteers every other Sundays. She studies for her 4 A levels in between it all.

However, she wants to study Medicine so clearly do all this with a goal in mind and I think that makes a big difference.

If she does know what she would like to do, could you help her look for clubs or events associated with it that she could join? Work experience, volunteering? Is it a case that she can't be bothered to look, or she's not interested in any of it?

BigSandyBalls2015 · 18/03/2017 13:58

My DDs are year 11 so at school all day, and often Saturday's at the moment for extra revision, like today.

Around that one of them revises, works in local shop, plays sport, goes to Rangers and goes out with friends.

The other sleeps A LOT, but seems to come to life at night if there's a party going on.

Oliversmumsarmy · 18/03/2017 14:15

Monday to Friday dd is at college. Leaves home at 7am and gets back at 7pm some nights she goes to auditions and gets back around 9/10pm. She has an evening job 1 night per week and a Saturday job. On Sundays she has training.

Holidays are for sleeping and more training.

Original poster
Topsytoo · 19/03/2017 11:48

Thanks for all the replies!

She can't get a part time job as she is starting an apprenticeship in September, we've tried but no one is looking for someone who will only be around for 5 months. She got some work at Christmas but everyone who was hired for Christmas was dropped at the end of January.

Yes, she does have quite a bit of college work but that's all done in the afternoons when she finishes college so she rarely has to do any on the days off.

No problems at college, been told she's doing very well! I just feel like her lounging around all day isn't on!

OP posts:
bruffin · 19/03/2017 12:02

DD 19
monday home probably on computer then has diving at 6.30 but goes off at 3.30 because fares are cheaper and sits around starbucks either meeting friend or doing course work.

tuesday college,

wednesday morning college, then probably on computer and doing course work
thursday - placement
friday - college
saturday morning working at sn club, then headed up to london for a while then came home and ended up at a friends
today sitting watching tv and doing course work and we are off to cinema later

This week she will be off to theatre twice

Emphasise · 19/03/2017 12:10

You don't tell them you're only around for five months op!

Do you pat for any help at home? Could she take that on? DS has a long list of cleaning/decorating/gardening jobs for after his GCSEs.

He does cadets which takes a lot of his spare time but other than that it's pretty much phone

TeenAndTween · 19/03/2017 12:14

Could she start her apprenticeship earlier?
DD is starting hers at the end of July.

GetAHaircutCarl · 19/03/2017 12:21

DS is in school every day.

He has football training twice a week and a match each weekend. He also watches a lot of footie on the telly.

He volunteers in a charity shop for a few hours.

He goes to parties quite often.

Oliversmumsarmy · 19/03/2017 12:25

What about on the days off from the apprenticeship. Or evenings.

Violetcharlotte · 19/03/2017 12:47

DS1 is at college 5 days a week. He's doing performing arts so has lots of rehearsal, etc in the evenings when they're working on a show. He goes to an under 18s open mic night once a week, spends time with his gf and mates, just hanging out, watching films, etc and plays x box

DS2 is year 11. He plays football 3/4 times a week and plays PS4 a lot. He meets up with mates quite often on a Sat to play even more football or go to someone's house to watch football on to!

Original poster
Topsytoo · 19/03/2017 16:20

Her apprenticeship is Monday-Wednesday and Friday one week the college on the Thursday 9-4 and Tuesday-Saturday the next week, 8:30 until 5:30-7 so it wouldn't be fair to expect her to do a second job.

The apprenticeship is a level 2 one and she is currently doing her level 1 so she has to finish her current course first.

Unfortunately where we live a lot of places want you to be able to commit to 6 months or they don't hire!

OP posts:
Oliversmumsarmy · 19/03/2017 16:25

Why wouldn't it be fair. She has Thursday and Sunday off one week and Monday and Sunday off the next. Why cant she work on Sundays.

umberellaonesie · 19/03/2017 16:28

Gym, hangs out with friends, works, watches you tube, Revises

Crumbs1 · 19/03/2017 16:28

Sport
Music practice
School work
Voluntary work for UCAS
Join family and friends for meals out/cinema
Driving lessons
Gym or Spa with friends
Babysitting

BackforGood · 19/03/2017 17:31

She can't get a part time job as she is starting an apprenticeship in September, we've tried but no one is looking for someone who will only be around for 5 months

Poppy cock. People hiring teens want them to work 'then'. Whereas you don't advertise the fact you will be leaving the area in 5months times, the employers know those are the breaks. Also no sure why (if she wants the cash) someone can't work PT around an apprenticeship - they aren't doing more hours than A-level students, many of whom manage.

I mean, if she doesn't want a job, then she doesn't want a job, but they aren't valid reasons.

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