How much time does your teenagers spend in their bedrooms.

[Rubyshoes10]

Literally just that. Unless I make them they usually only come down for food/drinks but unless I make them come for a walk or pasta game they will be in tier rooms DS is 14 and DD is 16. Neither seem depressed they are on FaceTiming with friends playing Xbox watching films listening to music or reading. During the week they are downstairs for school work. Just wondered if this is normal.

I'm quite surprised at these responses, my 14yo dd spends hardly any time in her bedroom. Occasionally she'll go up to read or spend some time with her hamster but that's about it (apart from sleeping obviously!)

I do have a no tech or tv in bedrooms rule though....

Mine only emerges to eat or if she wants to watch something on TV, although she rarely watches TV so that's not very often. It's her own private(ish) space and I can't blame her for wanting to spend her time there. It's the one place in the whole world that is 'hers'.

Ds2 went upstairs about 14 and never really came down.

Mine, 14 & 16, spend the best part of the day and evening in their rooms, although the older one has started voluntarily watching a bit of TV with me in the evening now, so hopefully is starting to come out of this phase.

15yo DS is rarely in his room because I don't let him take phones or computers in there.

For those whose children stay alone in their rooms for extended periods, do you worry about them looking at porn and other things online? I have a huge fear of this! I know teenage boys do use porn and I'd be naive to think otherwise but it feels like giving them unlimited access to it alone could lead to porn addictions or other problems.

I see mine at meal times and when he makes me a coffee! I hear him thou lol!

@NotYourReindeer

Two 17 year old and a 15 year old. Spend all time in their rooms with the exception for food foraging trips to the kitchen.

I used to spend 95% of my time in mu room as a teen too. There's not that much for them to do out and about and there's only so much local walking one can do currently.

We check in with them to make sure they're OK, they tend to grunt or curl their top lip/roll their eyes and that's that. Unless they want a Dominoes or McDonald's and then we are their besties for the duration of ordering to delivery.

My god you have described my eldest, this is exactly what he does!

@CatherinedeBourgh

Never. There is only a bed in there and no wifi, so other than read a book there isn’t much to do there and they prefer to read in the lounge.

Your house sounds fun

ssd

DS 21 and DD 16 do Uni/school work downstairs and do their hour walk each day but pretty much the rest of their time is in their rooms. They're perfectly happy hanging out together up there.

@LudoTrouble it is something I have thought about but I have parental controls on the WiFi sites like can not be accessed.

@CatherinedeBourgh

Never. There is only a bed in there and no wifi, so other than read a book there isn’t much to do there and they prefer to read in the lounge.

Oh dear!

Most of the time.

They used to have clubs and school to balance this.
One had six lots of self isolation between September and December. I'd be amazed if either of them comes out of this without needing to wear glasses the amount of staring at screens.

Just turned 13yo and she's been in her room most of the time for the last year or so. I also spent 99% of my time in my room as a teenager and still prefer to be in my room. We're a close family but we like our own space!

Nearly all the time. Only comes down to watch football matches and occasional tv programmes. Or films. Dh made ds2 watch shrek!

How is this good. Dh says he thinks our parenting is poor. Which is true.

Mine are late teens now and seem to spend slightly less time in their rooms than before. They’ll come and watch TV with us if there is something they’re interested in. Takeaways help keep them downstairs. So does wine , I’m happy to share but I’m not letting them sit in their rooms drinking alone.

95% of the time - 17 and 16 year old.

Eating is done downstairs and we have an enforced one hour of family time downstairs each day where we watch something together or play a game. It sounds grim but they like it and use it as an opportunity to catch up/talk.

@Theromanempire

I have a 12 and 14 year old - both practically living in their bedrooms at the moment. They are doing their classes/schoolwork in there, spending their free time in there...not great or healthy but all their activities/meeting friends has stopped

They will come out for meals or if we offer to play games with them. Interestingly, DS1 also comes and sits in the lounge after we've gone to bed

Same happy to be in lounge when we have gone to bed lol. They do spend all day in rooms. Not even been for a walk as tbh we live in a popular walk area its just so busy!

@middleager

Most of the time.

They used to have clubs and school to balance this.
One had six lots of self isolation between September and December. I'd be amazed if either of them comes out of this without needing to wear glasses the amount of staring at screens.

Its a worry!

We check in with them to make sure they're OK, they tend to grunt or curl their top lip/roll their eyes and that's that. Unless they want a Dominoes or McDonald's and then we are their besties for the duration of ordering to delivery.
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This dd14 spends most of her time in her room, facetiming friends or live linking in games, painting, watching you tube etc. I force her out for the occasional walk and for meals. Home school is done downstairs in the dining room though, so she now spends at least 6 hours out of her room. Obviously that meant we hardly saw her over the weekend till she wanted a take away!

We recently moved house and I gave my 18 year old the largest bedroom as that’s his space. When visits were allowed he took his mates up there . He comes down for food and the occasional chat . He seems quite happy. It’s normal . As a teenager in the 70s I used to spend time in my room listening to the radio and experimenting with hair and make up.

Before all this there were lots of after school activities including sport and dance so it did balance out. They do come and help downstairs if asked and they eat downstairs. They like watching their own programs on TV . They both seem happy enough and will chat if needed. I do often go in their rooms to check in.

I have 15 year old and 12 year old dc. Mostly 15 year old is revising in the study, she comes down for family meals, walks, shared movie time, baking and gets involved with cooking and board games. She sometimes chats to friends in her room or watches something on netflix, but spends most of her time with us.

13year plays games with her friends alot, and chats away either near us or in her room. She is downstairs for crafts, films, family meals and walks.

No one spends lots of time in their rooms to be honest, but maybe a bit more time than out of lockdown. As we all need some space time to time.

About 90%, probably the same as I did as a teen. Im not worried about it, she's not down or depressed, just enjoys her own space. Plus there are 4 of us working from home/home schooling so we are all in separate rooms.

Well as the Xbox is in the sitting room, that reduces time upstairs.

But otherwise, a lot of time on her phone and computer contacting friends and watching movies. And regular flouncing up there if we look crooked ....

But she does emerge from her cave on occasion to bake and create chaos in the kitchen, or drag Dh off work calls to play ball with her outdoors. Ans will go on walks with us occasionally (1 of us or both) - but usually with her earphones firmly stuck in her ears....