HS kid doesn't want to host

[Anonymous]

Why can’t you finish the basement? Sounds like you have one but it isn’t finished.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- thanks for the responses. We kind of want to move, but would rather wait until HS is done so we aren't bound by proximity to the school.

I kind of wish we had moved years ago, but it's hard to give up a mortgage free house (it was a fixer upper when we bought it years ago!).

I think I will look at some ideas to make DD's room more inviting. I like the idea of stringing lights. Maybe clear out some things and put in a lounge chair or two.

Consider a loft bed over a couch. That allows her to use the vertical space as well as the horizontal and get two spaces (bedroom and hang out space) in one smaller space. One option (there are many out there):

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't renovate - I would occasionally hole up in my bedroom so daughter could have people over if that's what it took. I also don't think that renovations would guarantee you're the hangout house. My sister and I grew up in the same small house - when she was a teenager, she never had her friends over, probably because I was around and my parents. By the time I was in high school, she was in college and my high school best friend would always want to come over to my house to get away from HER younger siblings.

We live far out from my daughter's school, so she also doesn't host too often. I try to help out with things like driving more to make up for it a bit - I am driving all the girls to a pumpkin patch/haunted house for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't renovate - I would occasionally hole up in my bedroom so daughter could have people over if that's what it took. I also don't think that renovations would guarantee you're the hangout house. My sister and I grew up in the same small house - when she was a teenager, she never had her friends over, probably because I was around and my parents. By the time I was in high school, she was in college and my high school best friend would always want to come over to my house to get away from HER younger siblings.

We live far out from my daughter's school, so she also doesn't host too often. I try to help out with things like driving more to make up for it a bit - I am driving all the girls to a pumpkin patch/haunted house for example.

There are definitely different ways to reciprocate. Does not have to be hanging out at your house. You could take kids to the movies, bowling, drive them to the mall and get them bubble tea or ice cream. I have one friend who always takes kids to the pool. Another who is always willing to drive kids to and from activities and parties on weekends. I really appreciate that since I have 3 kids and often have weekend conflicts.