So how are your teenagers coping with the world right now?

[Wishingforanotherlife]

I thought mine were ok but I think they are having their moments. DD is 17 and desperate just to finish school and get away which is impossible because of Covid. DS is 15 and his normally happy go lucky self seems have morphed into isolating in his room with his phone and he seems really down all the time. I consider ourselves lucky in that we have a warm, safe home with no financial issues and live in a decent area with plenty access to open space. But even for us life is becoming more and more bleak. I could weep for the young ones - I try to remain upbeat for their sake but I sense that they have a gloomier and gloomier disposition as time goes on.

They cannot see friends properly, the news is full of Covid, corruption with idiots in power, Trumpism, Brexit divisiveness and generally not a lot of happy stuff to filter into their lives.

Just feeling it a bit today and needed to muse on here.

It seems such a shame they can’t have football clubs still, @Makinglists and @Aramox. Especially as it’s outside. Thinking of you, that sounds so hard on them.

Just had an argument with DD as she’s asked if her and a friend can go to another friend’s house to sit in the porch together. She says parent’s are out so it will only be 3 of them and the friends are in her year group bubble so she sees them all the time at school anyway.

I’ve said no as it’s against the lockdown rules but it’s hard not to see the sense in her argument! She’s sulking. I hate this!

@Inastatus

Just had an argument with DD as she’s asked if her and a friend can go to another friend’s house to sit in the porch together. She says parent’s are out so it will only be 3 of them and the friends are in her year group bubble so she sees them all the time at school anyway.

I’ve said no as it’s against the lockdown rules but it’s hard not to see the sense in her argument! She’s sulking. I hate this!

It's against rules, but is it increasing risk? I would say not and I would let her go. I am a teacher and I am really, really worried for our teenagers.

@mynameisnotmichaelcaine - thank you. I agree it’s not actually increasing risk as she’s not mixing with anyone different. It’s hard trying to balance her well being with doing the right thing. She’s off out shortly to meet her friend, no doubt they’ll end up at the other friend’s house in any case and she just won’t tell me! She knows she has to be careful though.

I think it depends a lot on their personalities and usual interests. For youngsters who play a lot of competitive sport, lockdown must be hard. For kids who were previously involved in lots of collaborative music, this whole year must have been awful.

My dd, who’s 16, is very sociable so I think she misses being able to go out to town etc but on the whole she’s busy with study, lots of FaceTime chats with friends etc and she’s still doing her singing lessons online and singing in her room. She’s enjoying school. What she misses most of all is her Friday night youth group which was last on in March.

Ds’ life hasn’t really changed much, apart from no football on Saturdays. He spends lots of time working out in his garage gym, playing the piano and playing Xbox with friends as usual. He met up with his bestie to play football/hang out this morning as this is still allowed.

The fallout from this is going to be immense.

My ds is 14. He went off for a walk at 7pm tonight despite me saying no. He's done this before unfortunately. His usual sport tires him out but of course its been cancelled. He didn't want to go for a walk with me today so was full of energy later on. He turned off his GPS on his phone and wouldn't answer my calls.
I was scared as it's dark and so many fireworks going off. He doesn't see the risk to himself. I did not show my anger when he came back as I just wanted him back inside the house.
This is all triggered by boredem and frustration

My 13 year old is coping fine. He had a nervous break down in year 6 because of various things, so we had the chance to put a few things in place after that which have come in handy.

He is happy school is still open so just wanted to say a big thank you to all teachers who are supporting our kids.

One frustration is yr12 DS can't finish his Silver DoE volunteering. it's at an animal shelter & they view him as "high risk" because he's in education. He would be a good candidate to go back there because he'll willing do the most mundane tasks & knows how to do do them well, he doesn't need to be shown how to do anything to complete his last 8 sessions. He doesn't need to get within 2m of anyone else.

Not a chance, they won't have him. Even though they said they are running on a "skeleton crew"; most of their volunteers were young people in education so I have no idea who volunteers there now. He's not too bothered about completing the Silver DoE, but is a shame when he got so close (had completed everything else). Is probably impossible now, unless a fantastic vaccine is given to huge numbers of people by end August or earlier.