What do teens do for fun these days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are new to the area and my social teen DS is suffering because he cannot find anyone to hang out with on weekends. They are either doing their HW or being homebodies. We moved here from Europe, teens are everywhere, hanging out in coffee shops, dance clubs for teens, arcades...It's so weird here...

Yes, he joined clubs at his HS but it's not the same.

Ooogh. I'm so sorry. You're in for a culture shock.
I'm a native and have struggled with this for my kids since they entered middle school and all the "arranged" and "scheduled" social activities petered out.

Mine have friends at school but rarely do anything with them outside of school, other than occasionally play video games online with them. They aren't confident or willing enough or whatever to ask people from school to do something, hang out, whatnot. Perhaps partially because they don't know for themselves what to do if they were to get together (and don't take parental suggestions."

Maybe your son is still outgoing enough to keep inviting others to join him for "x" and eventually he will form a group. He may need to be specific with his invitations....go do "this" or come over and do "such and such."

[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

I don't know where you are exactly, but there are a million kids into soccer around here. It drove my son batty because he never liked soccer. Hate to say it because it'll sound bad; but maybe your son needs to find some more diverse students to interact with.

[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

Parents actually condone fake IDs and bars??

[Anonymous]

I feel you OP. Is most cities and Europe kids can walk to most everything. Fewer kids are playing time/money sucking travel teams I europe, unless they are truly gifted athlete. In the US any kid can play travel or “elite” soccer if they are willing to pay.
US kids also spend insane amounts of time online gaming, usually with their friends online at same time. But that is not the same as real interaction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Of course not - I’m just saying this kind of stuff interests me. My sociology degree is pretty useless lol

[Anonymous]

If you are in Vienna, sign him up for VYS rec soccer for the spring right now.

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand the comments about “American football” - around here way more kids play soccer than football. Most educated parents are very of the TBI risk of football. Lots of my daughters guy friends were into watching the World Cup - but isn’t this in June? Plus soccer is a fall sport for playing here - no one is really going to be discussing soccer much in January either way. It’s basketball this time of year which you might not be into in Europe but is honestly way more fun to watch than football and soccer anyway, so don’t dismiss it.

Maybe look into indoor soccer leagues there if he plays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Of course not - I’m just saying this kind of stuff interests me. My sociology degree is pretty useless lol

lol. Fair enough. (And I have a communications degree, so I’m not one to throw stones!)

[Anonymous]

I’m a teacher. There’s a full spectrum of things kids do for fun, but some pleasant surprises are how many are into crafts and other creative, analog pursuits. Three of my students crochet, knit, and embroider during lunch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand the comments about “American football” - around here way more kids play soccer than football. Most educated parents are very of the TBI risk of football. Lots of my daughters guy friends were into watching the World Cup - but isn’t this in June? Plus soccer is a fall sport for playing here - no one is really going to be discussing soccer much in January either way. It’s basketball this time of year which you might not be into in Europe but is honestly way more fun to watch than football and soccer anyway, so don’t dismiss it.

Maybe look into indoor soccer leagues there if he plays.

Educated parents who have other options to pay for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, ignore the American footballers- that may be popular in rural areas, but not so much in suburban or urban areas. There are some areas in the DMV where underage drinking and drug use is tolerated, but that is not the norm. It’s a slippery slope.
Encourage your teen to join community teen clubs they are interested in - they will make friends there.

You are so wrong. We live in DC. My son and all his friends are really into football. They aren’t playing on the high school team. They are fans. They are in a fantasy football league. They get together, eat pizza and watch games together. They play touch football in the snow on their snow days. So the popularity is following the sport.

[Anonymous]

OP, why would you move to Vienna, VA, if you wanted your son to live an urban lifestyle? Vienna could not be more suburban.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Parents actually condone fake IDs and bars??

I think we have some teens posing here as parents with wishful thinking

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

Parents actually condone fake IDs and bars??

I think we have some teens posing here as parents with wishful thinking

You are all so delusional…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

Parents actually condone fake IDs and bars??

I think we have some teens posing here as parents with wishful thinking

You are all so delusional…

I know parents who let their HS kids have fake IDs so that they can go to clubs and bars. Mainly HS seniors and some juniors. The parents like it too so the whole family can go to bars together on vacations, etc. Not making this up.