What do teens do for fun these days?

[Anonymous]

I hate that there aren’t a lot of places for teens to hang out. I’m dating myself but we wound go roller skating, to the arcade, or to the mall. Now a lot of kids just stay in and play video games. I hear my kids talking to other kids online and having fun but it’s not the same as being out. My two daughters are more social than my son. In the winter it’s a lot harder. OP, your son might want to get a job. That might help him meet some people.

[Anonymous]

My son is friends with a kid who just moved from overseas. The teen observed that at their school the kids were split into two - the smart kids and the party kids.

My 15yo sophomore plays sports and does academic extracurriculars. He is doing internship applications. He has AP classes to study for. He plays sports 5-6x per week so he wants downtime. He hangs out with friends 1-2x per month. They usually go to friends’ houses. They like to come to my house.

We have friends whose girls seem much more social. I’m sure there are party boys? but we don’t know them or my kid doesn’t hang out with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a sociology major and love patterns, and this is what I’ve noticed - I have junior and freshman girls.

Kids do things, but it’s winter so the free options are limited and the teens get in kind of a slump this time of year until the weather gets better. They are mostly cycling between each others houses and then eating out, maybe the mall or a movie. Thrift shopping.

Parks, swimming holes and the inevitable parties start up in late spring. The friend groups start diversifying based on who they’ve connected with in class this year and in spring they pull the trigger on hangouts.
There are teens hanging out, he just has to infiltrate those particular friend groups, if he’s extroverted enough he will. Those are the kids who “party” though. Too many boys are addicted to video games, and that’s kind of all many do all winter unless they have girlfriends. I’m not in DC but the ski bus seems to be where some boys connect and have fun - do you have that there ?

No offense, but it doesn’t take a sociology degree to notice “patterns” like this.

[Anonymous]

What school does your kid go to OP?
I have a DD but they will meet up and hang out for Boba or Starbucks at times, meet at the mall to wander around and get lunch, meet up at each others houses, go ice skating in DTSS

[Anonymous]

Have him get a job at an ice cream shop or somewhere else that hires teens. If you give us a general area we can suggest places.

[Anonymous]

We’re in MoCo, but my teen DS plays pickup soccer most weekends and Friday afternoons outside of HS soccer season. He also plays pickup basketball frequently. Our HS always has kids playing pickup sports or hanging out at the track on weekends. Might be worth checking out.

Otherwise, he goes over to friends’ houses for dinner or has friends over to watch EPL or do gym workouts. My older DS was much more social, and always went to weekend parties or Chipotle with friends when he wasn’t working or busy with sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 teens... they go to parties, out to eat, to friends' homes, to sports games, and yes---to bars (fake IDs).
They're out pretty much every Friday and Saturday nights. The oldest is home from college but is going back soon.

This is what mine do

[Anonymous]

I have a 16 year old boy. During the week he does play a lot of online games with friends, and they chat on the phone while they are playing. They then use this and a text thread to plan in person outings like a bike ride, going to the mall, going out to eat, or hanging out at each others houses (listen playing video games while they goof around).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 16 year old boy. During the week he does play a lot of online games with friends, and they chat on the phone while they are playing. They then use this and a text thread to plan in person outings like a bike ride, going to the mall, going out to eat, or hanging out at each others houses (listen playing video games while they goof around).

Also will add he loved European soccer so would love to hang out with someone to watch the games. He is not a football fan. But when in Rome do as the Romans so your son might make more friends if he tries to get an invite to watch football with someone, goes to the HS game with friends, or invites someone over to watch the game and have snacks. Sometimes you have to be a little flexible and follow the interests of others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 teens... they go to parties, out to eat, to friends' homes, to sports games, and yes---to bars (fake IDs).
They're out pretty much every Friday and Saturday nights. The oldest is home from college but is going back soon.

This is what mine do

I’m surprised by the bars. I would be so irritated if I was at a bar and it was filled with HS kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate that there aren’t a lot of places for teens to hang out. I’m dating myself but we wound go roller skating, to the arcade, or to the mall. Now a lot of kids just stay in and play video games. I hear my kids talking to other kids online and having fun but it’s not the same as being out. My two daughters are more social than my son. In the winter it’s a lot harder. OP, your son might want to get a job. That might help him meet some people.

It must be a boy problem. My daughters don’t play video games and hang out with friends for fun. Once the kids start driving, opportunities open. Unfortunately iAmerican suburbs are so car dependent. I’ve always been willing to drive my kids to friend’s houses so it hasn’t been an issue for us. But I know many kids stuck at home because they don’t have a ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. DS is not into American football. He can talk about "normal" football but he doesn't care about Commanders or any other team. That's what a lot of his classmates seem to do: they watch "American" sports

Does he like to play football? If so, he can tap into leagues in your area - it will be a very international group and guys of all ages though. But they're all looking for football (soccer).

Soccer would be fine. Do you have recs for leagues in NOVA?

DP. Where are you in VA? There are lots of soccer leagues around.

Vienna

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. DS is not into American football. He can talk about "normal" football but he doesn't care about Commanders or any other team. That's what a lot of his classmates seem to do: they watch "American" sports

Is he acting similarly dismissive of "American" things? That may be why kids aren't eager to hang out with him.

He doesn't vocalize it to them. But he does say that to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. DS is not into American football. He can talk about "normal" football but he doesn't care about Commanders or any other team. That's what a lot of his classmates seem to do: they watch "American" sports

A couple of DS’s friends are obsessed with soccer. I hear them in group calls yelling about matches, teams losing certain players, Barca this or that. DS doesn’t really know much, but they enjoy hanging out and have other things in common.

Just saying there are definitely kids with similar interests. I think your kid will find his friend group soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. DS is not into American football. He can talk about "normal" football but he doesn't care about Commanders or any other team. That's what a lot of his classmates seem to do: they watch "American" sports

Why did you put American in quotation marks? Your son will be more successful if he’s more adventurous and willing to participate in American culture instead of criticize it. When in Rome…

It’s akin to me traveling to UK or Europe and criticizing their football. I would never! I’d watch matches and get caught up in the excitement.