Teen wanting to stay in all day. Would you be ok with this?

[Talltia]

For context, 15yo ds trains twice a week for football, then Sundays are training then football matches which usually takes up the best part of the day. Sundays are usually football then a roast dinner and not much else.

Younger ds plays football at a set time on a Saturday morning. Dh usually takes him and I either do a food shop or a quick blitz of the house.

So Saturday afternoons are the only properly free time. We usually have some lunch all together then go off to the park, bike ride, shops, for a walk.

So to get to the point. Teen never wants to come out and do anything anymore, he's happy staying in gaming online with his friend, eating all the snacks and kicking his ball around the garden. I've given up trying to get him out.

I feel a bit guilty and not sure that he should be staying in all day but he says he's happy and likes having Saturday as his chill day and having the house to himself.

I think that's fine.

Yes, I'd be fine with that. I had a very sporty DD (swimmer and triathlete), I think some downtime every week is good for them.

It’s fine. You could maybe encourage a meet up with mates but I think you have to accept he’s over the family outings, at least for now.

Are you talking about the 15yo that does quite a lot of football?
if so I’d let him off. I prefer to get out and about most days but i think the kids need more proper downtime than me. And as long as they do some exercise (one or my sons does not so he gets dragged out more) I’m relaxed about it

I think that's fine. There's nothing wrong with chilling.

I’d worry if my child wanted to come to the shops or for a walk with me at 15 years old. Your DS is totally normal.

Goodness, do you know many teenage boys? 😁

Yes that's right, 15yo trains twice a week then a warm up followed by a match on Sunday.

He was going out with friends on a Saturday on the mountain bikes but he's lost interest in that. A lot of his friends are in clubs on a Saturday so busy. But yes, Saturdays have turned into him playing online with a particular friend.

He will come out if we visit grandparents or if we do a family night out such as bowling or a meal out. Younger one still happy spending the afternoon in the park.

Leave him be, everyone needs a bit of chill out/down time, I think that’s perfectly normal.

Did you want to go to the park with your mum when you were 15 OP?

My recently turned 16 year old often won’t go out at the weekend at all. It’s the gcse years and she is exhausted from longer school days and plenty of work to do at home. My son is a bit younger and I have no issue with him gaming at the weekend. I feel downtime is important and they should enjoy it before all the years with additional responsibilities

Ha ha no. Although I'd have gone for a walk or shopping. I was always walking the dog with my mum. Was usually out with friends and lot more.

I hardly ever see any teenagers anywhere these days. You see the odd few hanging around but nothing like in the 90s. Are they all inside gaming?

Mine is 15 and is either gaming at home or at his mates houses doing the same. They don't seem to hang about in the streets, go to ill-advised house parties or attempt to get into pubs/clubs like I did!

Yep, completely normal.

Completely normal. The only thing I insist on (and both mine are happy to do) is a wider family get together or visiting friends who live further afield etc etc. otherwise Sat afternoons we all do different things - eg dd 15 chills in her room after a busy week!

Yes it's fine and normal. He wants to spend his downtime the way he wants to

Completely normal imo.