Anyone else feel awful leaving your tweens home alone during breaks?

[Anonymous]

Nope. They'll learn to manage themselves for short periods of time. Welcome to life.

[Anonymous]

my kid is 10 and I am home teleworking and I was feeling bad about it, but I see how happy she is. I had offered her some cooking camps, but she said she'd rather just stay home and veg. fine by me.

[Anonymous]

They sleep until noon and then shower for two hours so, no. Lol

[Anonymous]

I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't feel bad! They like it, and it meets a developmental need to have independence and manage their own time.

+1 But truly OP’s post exemplifies the struggles that so many in GenZ have. Parents have been refusing to allow their children to grow and we’re ending up with a generation of stunted adults/soon to be adults.

+1 My 18 yr old DS told me recently that he thinks that kids need to know how to do nothing and be bored, and know how to entertain themselves... I laughed. I had been telling this to my kids for the past 15 years.

Don't feel guilty OP. Your kid will probably love it. And even if they don't, it will be a great learning experience for them. They will be fine.

-signed a latchkey kid who did nothing over the breaks.

Eh, I was left home alone for huge swaths of time as a tween—all holiday breaks and all summer save for one week of vacation—and it was really not good for me at all. OP’s kid will be totally fine for a week, but let’s not pretend the kid is just sitting there staring at the ceiling feeling bored.

pp here.. I didn't love it, but we are talking about a week for OP, not a couple of months over summer break. That's the point. A couple of weeks of doing nothing is nbd.

[Anonymous]

I felt guilty for leaving my tween and teen home alone yesterday. Today I am home and they are in their rooms playing video games together.

[Anonymous]

Just do the best that you can do. Don’t overthink it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

I slightly disagree, first of all a 13 is still and kid and while they're are growing up, tons of screen time is simply not good for kids. If they don't have a problem with screen use, yes, let them manage it themselves, but alot of kids do have a problem with it.

[Anonymous]

If it makes you feel any better: I don’t work, and aside from a few outings and seeing extended family- my teen is spending most of his days just sleeping, relaxing, doing whatever he likes . He is genuinely exhausted from a busy fall semester, sports, finals, etc. It is his freshman year and it has been a big change. I don’t think it would be much different if I was at work. Pretty much all of his friends are doing the same- just relaxing, unless traveling/out of town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

You didn’t have the internet. You had reruns on cable. If you can’t see the difference, I can’t help you.

[Anonymous]

At that age they love it!! It’s hard not to feel guilty but I’m sure you make the best of time together- that’s all that matters<3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

You didn’t have the internet. You had reruns on cable. If you can’t see the difference, I can’t help you.

No, but my parents also didn't have to "structure" my time for me at 13 (meaning no homework intervention, checking on my grades at that age etc). Jeez. Give me a break. Let them figure it out and if they can't, then intervene and you also have bigger problems to tackle at that point then. If you have to structure time for a 13 year old for a couple of days during break because you don't want "too much screen time" good grief. These kids are going to be calling you when when their alarm doesn't go off for work....what am I going to do mom? I'm late for work? Can you take me? Can you write me a note saying I wasn't feeling well? Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

You didn’t have the internet. You had reruns on cable. If you can’t see the difference, I can’t help you.

there actually isn't much of a difference actually. We would still park ourselves right in front of the TV for HOURS (in our rooms even) if we could. We just knew we couldn't and my mom/dad would kill us....so there's that....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would structure it so she doesn’t have unlimited access to screens all day every day.

Are you effing serious? The "kid" is 13...not 5. Good grief. Unclench a little and let the kid live. This was pure heaven for me when when I was this age. The whole house to myself for a few hours (which is exactly what it really is when you factor in when they really wake up and when you get home). Independence....at least in little spurts is liberating and good for them! Woot! Just ask that crap is cleaned up and maybe start a load of laundry or two...

You didn’t have the internet. You had reruns on cable. If you can’t see the difference, I can’t help you.

PP. You don't even know how old I am so how do you know (snowflake )?