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Teenagers

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

Original poster

Have you ever taken a friend to an uncle’s house?! DS13 says it “isn’t a thing”!

65 replies

acornstew · 24/03/2023 07:07

This may be a weirdly specific request but I need examples please…

My brother and his family live in a lovely rural part of the country and have invited us to stay for a few days over Easter. I’d love my 13 year old DS to come with me, rather than stay home with his father, so I suggested he bring a friend along too.

DS’s response? “I’m not inviting a friend to stay at my uncle’s house. Nobody does that.”

I said that people often take friends on holiday with them. He said, yeah, but not to an UNCLE’s house!

So can anyone tell me how and when it has been done previously in the history of human kind??! And how did it go?

OP posts:
TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 24/03/2023 07:32

I haven't done it, but the Famous Five were seemingly always staying at Uncle Quentin's house and had a whale of a time.

Get DS to read one of those books!

Crumpetdisappointment · 24/03/2023 07:33

ha ha
not unreasonable to ask him to bring a friend

Crumpetdisappointment · 24/03/2023 07:34

actually i went to stay with my aunty and took my friend!

Crumpetdisappointment · 24/03/2023 07:34

oh and my uncle was also there!

Stugs · 24/03/2023 07:35

Lol! I can imagine my dd saying that

Tbh I AM that uncle- have a rural.house and we often have my siblings and their kids but they've never brought a mate with them

Triffid1 · 24/03/2023 07:35

Ds would jump at the chance to take a friend to.his uncle's house. They live in a cool European city, his cousins are older and therefore also more cool than anything at home.... he's crazy.

But maybe sweeten the pot - fun things they cam do while there?

Luredbyapomegranate · 24/03/2023 07:35

Did the Chronicles of Narnia start like that? Possibly.

Boringcookingquestion · 24/03/2023 07:37

I went with my friend to her auntie and uncle’s house. We had a good time ( largely because her older cousin snuck us some alcohol but maybe don’t mention that to him 🤷‍♀️)

Shinyredbicycle · 24/03/2023 07:38

I think it would depend on how much independence and freedom the 13 year olds were allowed and if that would work for your brother and his family.

Would ds and friend be expected to get up, sit at breakfast table and join in family activities or would it be okay for them to stay in bed until midday then mooch around by themselves?

Verylongtime · 24/03/2023 07:41

We did this. Both DDs brought friends to their aunt’s at various times when we visited. The aunt taught and lived in a boarding school, so the children slept in the dormitory and could use the swimming pool and grounds etc.

Verylongtime · 24/03/2023 07:43

Oh, yes, and also abroad. We have relatives in Italy, and one DD brought her friend along on holiday when we went to stay. Aged about 12.

User339406 · 24/03/2023 07:44

My friend and I stayed with her uncle in Munich lots of times, first time I was 17. But maybe just going to a family member's house in the same country is not quite so exciting.

RicherThanYews · 24/03/2023 07:45

Not a holiday but I used to sleep over my friends uncle's any time I could, he lived in a mansion in the countryside and was the kindest, sweetest man in the world who spoiled us rotten. I lived in a semi detached council house in serious poverty so it was like a holiday.

Doingmybest12 · 24/03/2023 07:46

From adult perspective completely normal and such a good idea. From a 13 year old perspective, depending on the likely friend and the coolness of uncle and on how embarrassing you might be then probably absolutely not !

AndrexPuppy · 24/03/2023 07:47

He’s never seen Withnail

SkalengeckOrSiegbarste · 24/03/2023 07:49

My brother's best friend was an only child and had family in Ireland that he used to visit. My brother often went with him when they were kids. The uncle was a farmer and the boys loved helping on the farm, riding quads and they helped at the cattle shows.
My brother loved it and it meant his friends wasn't a bored, moody teen while they were there.

LakeTiticaca · 24/03/2023 08:16

My sister is a lot younger than the rest of us siblings and My parents used to take one of her friends on holidays with them. Usually a caravan somewhere or other. A good way for a youngster to have some company and not be stuck with boring middle aged parents

PuttingDownRoots · 24/03/2023 08:19

I think it depends on the location... cool beach house? Great holiday.
Normal suburbia? Bit boring!!

user1492757084 · 24/03/2023 08:21

Yes, I accompanied my friend to her Aunt's and it was terrific as a teenager. I wanted to adopt all of her family!

watcherintherye · 24/03/2023 08:34

LakeTiticaca · 24/03/2023 08:16

My sister is a lot younger than the rest of us siblings and My parents used to take one of her friends on holidays with them. Usually a caravan somewhere or other. A good way for a youngster to have some company and not be stuck with boring middle aged parents

Yes, but there wasn’t an uncle there!

I think it’s one of those completely normal things that suddenly become excruciating to teenagers, like wearing a sensibly thick coat in cold weather or waterproof clothing in the rain or carrying anything when out for the day. (No-one else does that, apparently!)

caringcarer · 24/03/2023 08:38

We took my niece who is same age as my son on all of our summer holidays to keep son company. 2 kids same age who get on well are so much easier than 1 whinger.

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 24/03/2023 08:50

Going on holiday and staying with family because they happen to live there then yes invite a friend, going to visit relatives then don't. Its not so much the uncle himself but the reason for staying there

WandaWonder · 24/03/2023 08:54

I do get teenagers would think it's weird but in both dh and my family all sorts of things like this happen (no I don't mean that as a bragging thing just a fact)

As a teen my friends go along with my parents friends, parts of family see each other well after divotce

But we are not normal (just a fact! I have no issues with this)

WandaWonder · 24/03/2023 08:56

WandaWonder · 24/03/2023 08:54

I do get teenagers would think it's weird but in both dh and my family all sorts of things like this happen (no I don't mean that as a bragging thing just a fact)

As a teen my friends go along with my parents friends, parts of family see each other well after divotce

But we are not normal (just a fact! I have no issues with this)

I better add yes I am well aware other people's lives are similar

aSofaNearYou · 24/03/2023 09:10

I haven't done it, but then tbh I was never bribed with taking friends anywhere, I was just told that was where I was going and didn't whine about it!