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Teenagers

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

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6 replies

Isabella9 · 16/05/2023 05:48

I live remotely in a small village half hour from town. My son likes to spend most of his time their skating and hanging out with his friends. His school is also another half hour from town and home. He's currently in year 10. I'm a single working parent. I mostly get home an hour before he gets back from school.

My problem is my son just wants to go into town everyday and all weekend often sleeping over with friends. I want him to study for his GCSE'S and have a healthy dinner. The distance means he loses a lot of time in travel plus study/eat, then me driving him into town - 2 hrs have gone and it's almost time to come home again. How can I juggle this as it's either a crazy schedule for me or he's missing going out and resenting me and therefore not really focusing on his revising?

He has been going into town directly from school, but then he's not been doing his revision and he's having a late dinner, and snacking on junk food in town.

How can I make us both happy?

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Devilinthedetail82 · 16/05/2023 05:57

Totally reasonable that he comes home Monday - Thursday and doesn’t socialise. Big exams coming up and massive effort on your part and not in his best interest health wise.

the quid pro quo is that you then are much more amenable to driving him here there and everywhere friday and Saturday on condition that Sunday is homework and home

Devilinthedetail82 · 16/05/2023 05:58

His school is an hour away? By car?

he is rather out in the sticks

Isabella9 · 16/05/2023 17:51

Thanks for your advice. I have said this to him before as it's the only reasonable way forward i can see too. But it's been met with so much resistance as it's very boring after he's finished his homework. I did think of letting him get a moped, so he can take himself into town afterwards. But friends have scared me off, warming me of roads in dark winter nights and cars speeding. Also, it would be nearly 6pm by the time he got there.

Our home, his school and town are in a triangle. Each being half hour from the other.

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BurbageBrook · 16/05/2023 17:53

I think compromise is the way. So maybe he gets to go to town one or two evenings in the week maximum, and one day at the weekend, or whatever you are happy with.

BurbageBrook · 16/05/2023 17:53

And definitely don't get him a moped!!

Isabella9 · 16/05/2023 22:40

Okay, definitely no moped then. Agreed, a compromise is the way forward. Maybe Tue, Friday and Saturday. Thanks for that.

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