What do 14 year olds do?

[DD0314]

Where do girls meet peers apart from school? At school DD has not made decent friends and is currently indoors because she has no one to go anywhere with. Everything I suggest gets a no and we haven't got family or friends with kids her age. The holidays haven't even started yet and already she's bored and lonely 😫☹️

Is she on social media? That's where it all seems to happen.
They go into town but they arrange it before hand. There's a frozen yogurt shop they go to. That sort of thing.

My daughter is 14. She met most of her friends at school initially but also knows people from guides and a girl group that the church run (not religious just happened to be started by one of the church people). There is also a youth club that she occasionally goes to with the group.

It is a difficult age - too old for most 'childcare' but still needing entertaining one way or another. If my daughter wants to meet her friends somewhere 'out' they go to a local milkshake place or to each other's houses.

Ideas for groups to meet new friends - guides or scouts (girls are allowed into both), Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, local youth groups, something she is into, e.g. crafts (my daughter is in the Young Quilters, only £5 annually and they run sessions locally every couple of months), music groups / orchestra / choir, acting groups (there is a holiday club here which both my children are going to, they learn a play, make costumes / stage etc, with kids of all ages), swimming (council pools often have holiday swim schools where they can learn life saving).

NB it is very likely that most if not all of these suggestions will get an initial No from a teenager but persevere / semi-force her to pick at least one to try out and fingers crossed she enjoys it.

She is on social media, she's met a few friends that way but no one close. She's not musical but I think you're right, I need to persevere. At the moment everything is desperate, sad or boring. Will make her choose something.

DS friends are mainly from school, they socialise online and in games, they arrange to meet up (we live 10 miles from a most of them) in near by towns and go to a milkshake shops, games shops, hang about a bit.

They will also arrange cinema trips, trampoline parks, or just go to someone's house. It's not all the time, but I do encourage him to make an effort rather than relying on online socialising.

A couple of his friends live in the same village as each other so often just call on each other.

He also has gym membership, (but needs reminding about it )

Mine has made friends through Explorer scouts. They do some great activities, camps, etc. She's currently at Gillwell 24 for the weekend, and I know when she comes back she'll be facetiming/ messaging loads of explorers from all over the country! As long as she's got friends on line she's not that bothered about meeting up much in RL!!

I'll look into that, thanks x