Will no-one think of those of us who will be self isolating with teenagers?! ;-)

[CornflakesandPartbakes]

So, parents of teenagers (normal ones, not the ‘we’re best friends’ ones) what on earth will you be doing in your house to keep yourself sane once we’re all self isolating?

Unfettered access to electronics/phones is not an option (one teen has mental health issues and their phone is a trigger point).

I’m planning on getting them to cook some of our meals.
We’ll find some box sets to binge watch
Play some cards

So that’s about 3 days sorted...

Please give me some ideas!

[Notonetojudge]

For those suggesting selling, try the Depop app. Very teen friendly Imo.

[TwigTheWonderKid]

I went to B&Q at the weekend and bought everything necessary to paint our fences and the back porch and front door, plus seed compost and some seeds so hopefully DS1 will help with all of that.

Will also be embarking upon some home life-skill training eg cooking, cleaning etc

DS2 also got quite a few board games for his recent birthday so we can explore those.

And I'm assuming school will still set work but if not, I've made it very clear he and his 11 yo DB will still be expected to do 6 hours of learning a day and there are lots of online resources popping up. Been meaning to try outschool.com/ for ages so now will be a good time.

But most importantly I have been quietly stockpiling noodles, Oreos and chocolate bars for over a month now...

[Lilactimes]

our first day - my DD and myself a single mum and I am poorly with symptoms. . Started really well making a plan how we would structure our time between fun, learning, chores, health with plans to teach her how to do domestic jobs, cook, different books to read, crafts etc. However, she has already had a lunch time snooze and is struggling to do any school work!
Am figuring it's our first proper day of isolation together, she is year 11 and it's a big big thing for them and everything they're potentially missing and rights of passage, so am trying not to worry too much about the effect this will have today.

[Greendayz]

Today has gone ok really. DD has written a sociology essay and shared it with me for comment, which is nice. She'd rather chat about it, but I'm supposed to be keeping away from others do I'm making comments on her Google doc. DS cooked some lovely soup for lunch and says he'll measure up the fence tomorrow. Work have declared him to be working from home, which is nice of them as he's in a lab based apprenticeship and there's not actually a lot he can do from home. It's his usual study day tomorrow though, which is distance learning anyway so that'll be ok.

All in all I think I'd rather have teens than toddlers stuck in the house all day.

[Greendayz]

I can't enjoy their company because I'm supposed to be isolating from the rest of the household!

But next week I'll try to, as long as I'm better I'll be allowed to socialize with them.

[MrsRabbitsCleaner]

I have a teenager and a younger DC with severe learning difficulties and behavioural difficulties. I know which DC I’d rather have to self isolate with I am properly dreading if we face to self isolate as a family. Dreading schools closing full stop but add in isolation too and it’s a potentially explosive mix

[missmouse101]

I'm buying a second hand caravan from eBay to put in our garden for the teens to hang out in! Our house is small and it will be HELL all cooped up. Just thought of this today-exciting!

[Chelsea567]

What a brilliant idea !

[Chelsea567]

I think my DD17 will be hard to isolate. Today, after government advice to socially distance she wanders off to town to meet her mates at Costa. Having spent all morning at college with them she can't see the point of staying in. I told her by next week I don't expect she'll be allowed out and her answer was "if everyone else is self isolating it'll be fine if we go out because there won't be anyone else around" 🤔 Apparently in China they have drones flying around telling people to get back home. I think we'll need that here😮😂

[DioneTheDiabolist]

I've told DS1(13) that from we're doing that homeschooling thing he wanted. His school want a minimum of 2hours on google classroom per day. Then I'm going to spend another 3 hours teaching DS how to do stuff. After that his time's his own for PS4, YouTube, riding his bike, daydreaming and SM.

My toddler is going to be the problem. He is not getting Social Distancing at all.

[AeroplaneLady]

Games console. Not ideal but these times aren't ideal.
Family board/card games.
Planting some spring flowers/garden help
Pamper sesh/semi or temp hair dye
Netflix.
Daily cleaning/disinfecting of handles, remotes,plugs,switches, doors etc.
Meal prep
Baking.
Grass mowing.
Recycling sorting (our collections are going to monthly so will need some reorganisation).
Bedroom redecorating.
Editing sorting photos- Get Free Prints and let them design a wall display of thier favourite photos off thier phone for thier room. Use a cork board or similar.
Annie Sloan a piece of furniture for their room.

[LizzyButton]

I don't have teenagers, but have a Primary girl home here who has made a timetable for the day. I suggested some alterations so we do a little more together.

My memories of school are of being a boundary pusher and craftily naughty kid until the final years. She's more responsible.

[Willow2017]

I am stock piling wine and chocolate and batteries for the Xbox for me and will leave them to it. It's the only way i will survive!😄😄😄

[Willow2017]

After about 3 days when i run out of wine😲...we have decorating to do and cleaning out stuff. Damm.

[solarisbabe]

I'm dreading it, ds was a nightmare last night refusing to do anything to help and sat on his xbox for five hours so nobody else got to relax and watch tv. He's off school today and has been told no xbox in school hours and has to show me his work when I get home from work.

[CornflakesandPartbakes]

@wearywithteens Why not use it as an opportunity to get to know them as individuals and enjoy their company instead of dreading being with them? (Genuine question)

What an annoying ‘genuine question’ I already know them as individuals - not many of us treat our children as one mass lump. They are my children, I spend time with them. I adore them.

One has ASD, the other has a lot of mental health difficulties - which will not benefit from being isolated from their friends. They are also teenagers and like most teens that means they can be self-centred, lazy and very unreasonable.

Both of them love their friends, they love their socialising (my child with ASD hates parties etc but enjoys the social nature of school) and if you know anything about teens you know that peers are essential at this stage.

So I will enjoy their company (and visa versa) some of the time but not ALL of the time.

I hope that answers your genuine question

[TheHumansAreDefinitelyDead]

My teens love board games and have been playing “Pandemic”

[lenaperkins]

Christ, I'd kill to have the teenagers discussed here. I have an 18 year old who's idea of self-isolation is going to the shed to smoke his weed. The slopping around all day ordering ubereats.

Board games? Cleaning plugs? More chance of him going to the moon.

FML. I have failed as a mother.

[boredboredboredboredbored]

missmouse I'm LOVING that idea

[TheHumansAreDefinitelyDead]

Lenaperkins, your teen sounds more normal than my board game teens

Maybe my kids smoke stuff and I am just blissfully unaware, posting smug posts on MN whilst they are doing.... whatever

My brothers were always smoking weed, my mum never knew

[lenaperkins]

Ah thanks TheHumans. I am actually gutted for him. He's had a rough few months and now has been laid off. But his behaviour is horrible!

[Greendayz]

@thehumans I used to play board games and smoke weed when I was a teenager :)

[AmICrazyorWhat2]

Well, I'm on day 3 of school closed and wth (both DH and I). I lost my temper with DS yesterday because he kept going on Fortnite instead of doing his schoolwork, but we're all adjusting now. We're not on lockdown, though, so they've been out on their bikes and we can run limited errands, depending on what's open. DS even had a virtual piano lesson Facetiming his teacher

My main issue is DD (14) being grumpy. She's got online classes and can keep in touch with her friends, but asking her about anything or getting her to do chores is hellish. She reluctantly did some gardening earlier...I suggested some digging to release some rage.

She just doesn't want to be with her parents or her brother. Her friends are her priority at this age, and she can't see them in person!

[AmICrazyorWhat2]

*working from home (wfh) not wth