Does your 13 yr old do *anything* at hom to entertain themselves that doesn't involve a screen?

[Anonymous]

Sometimes I force them to read instead of video games. They do like reading, I just have to make them start. Other times I make them play with some of their ten thousand toys and take away the electronics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any of your kids just go............outside........and....play?

I would LOVE my kids to go out and play but no one is ever home because parents put their kids in 5 activities a week. I agree about boredom. If only tiger moms would stop over scheduling their kids and helicopter moms would let their tween/teens outside on their own. We are depriving our kids of so much by scheduling their every move or screens in their face. Seriously. Kids need more autonomy and free time.

My sons are in "5 activites a week" and they always play outside. They play manhunt, basketball, street hockey, soccer, go to the creek, fish at the local pond. The original question was what do they do to "entertain themselves" and I would only say my son will walk the dog and read a magazine or the sports page. But "play out side" all the time.

Most kids that do sports are home by 8pm ... except hockey (teens get the later ice time), they are teens so they are out and about until 10 or 11 on the weekend. I think 8-11 with friends is enough hang out time.

I am sorry but I highly doubt your 13yr old child goes to school, has an activity every day, does all his homework and still goes out to the pond or to play manhunt.

[Anonymous]

I have a 13 yr old who usually comes home from school, plays on his phone for 20 minutes, and then does ~ 1-2 hrs of homework a night (FCPS - AAP middle school program). He has been getting excellent grades his whole life and is in one sport year round. We cut him some slack and now let him decide how he wants to spend his free time. He usually spends 3 hrs watching youtube videos and playing video games (while listening to music). He never watches any TV. I think the video games is starting to bore him; the games start to get repetitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any of your kids just go............outside........and....play?

I would LOVE my kids to go out and play but no one is ever home because parents put their kids in 5 activities a week. I agree about boredom. If only tiger moms would stop over scheduling their kids and helicopter moms would let their tween/teens outside on their own. We are depriving our kids of so much by scheduling their every move or screens in their face. Seriously. Kids need more autonomy and free time.

My sons are in "5 activites a week" and they always play outside. They play manhunt, basketball, street hockey, soccer, go to the creek, fish at the local pond. The original question was what do they do to "entertain themselves" and I would only say my son will walk the dog and read a magazine or the sports page. But "play out side" all the time.

Most kids that do sports are home by 8pm ... except hockey (teens get the later ice time), they are teens so they are out and about until 10 or 11 on the weekend. I think 8-11 with friends is enough hang out time.

I am sorry but I highly doubt your 13yr old child goes to school, has an activity every day, does all his homework and still goes out to the pond or to play manhunt.

Why is that so impossible? We don't have a pond, and I don't know what manhunt is, but my 14year old averages 7 commitments outside of school each week. On a typical school day he gets out at 2:10, has study hall until 3:30, and then sports practice until 5. He's home around 5:30 and walks the dog right away, leaving him 4 hours before bedtime, plenty of time to fit in a game of basketball or street hockey at the park, play some video games, finish his homework, and eat dinner.

The one day a week when he has 2 activities, is more tightly scheduled.

[Anonymous]

Mine loves music, he plays guitar and bass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any of your kids just go............outside........and....play?

I would LOVE my kids to go out and play but no one is ever home because parents put their kids in 5 activities a week. I agree about boredom. If only tiger moms would stop over scheduling their kids and helicopter moms would let their tween/teens outside on their own. We are depriving our kids of so much by scheduling their every move or screens in their face. Seriously. Kids need more autonomy and free time.

My sons are in "5 activites a week" and they always play outside. They play manhunt, basketball, street hockey, soccer, go to the creek, fish at the local pond. The original question was what do they do to "entertain themselves" and I would only say my son will walk the dog and read a magazine or the sports page. But "play out side" all the time.

Most kids that do sports are home by 8pm ... except hockey (teens get the later ice time), they are teens so they are out and about until 10 or 11 on the weekend. I think 8-11 with friends is enough hang out time.

My daughter averages 30-45min a subject at night. She has 3hrs of homework easy each night. It is dark by 6pm. I don't even see how a high schooler has that much free time if doing that and 1-2 activities a day.

I am sorry but I highly doubt your 13yr old child goes to school, has an activity every day, does all his homework and still goes out to the pond or to play manhunt.

Why is that so impossible? We don't have a pond, and I don't know what manhunt is, but my 14year old averages 7 commitments outside of school each week. On a typical school day he gets out at 2:10, has study hall until 3:30, and then sports practice until 5. He's home around 5:30 and walks the dog right away, leaving him 4 hours before bedtime, plenty of time to fit in a game of basketball or street hockey at the park, play some video games, finish his homework, and eat dinner.

The one day a week when he has 2 activities, is more tightly scheduled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but we keep running out of Kleenex.

...thanks! I'll be here all week.

I feel like your joke got lost in the thread. I just wanted you to know that I appreciated it!!

Me too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but we keep running out of Kleenex.

...thanks! I'll be here all week.

Ha ha! Doing that is probably much healthier for him...what would be the female equivalent?

[Anonymous]

Sit in the pediatric dentist's waiting room for 5 minutes and you'll notice that every single kid and adult in the room is using an iPhone or iPad. In downtown DC at lunchtime you'll be hard-pressed to find an adult walking down the street who's not on his phone, texting or emailing, even if he's walking with someone else. Is it any wonder 13 year olds want to be on their screens all the time? It's what their parents do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but we keep running out of Kleenex.

...thanks! I'll be here all week.

Ha ha! Doing that is probably much healthier for him...what would be the female equivalent?

Females can do that, too!

[Anonymous]

yes but the kleenex reference falls flat with us, no?

[Anonymous]

I guess suddenly when all your Anais Nin books go missing...

[Anonymous]

Don't any of your kids play card games with you? It is a great age that they can play fun ones that adults like too. Gin, Oh Hell, Spades, even poker. Something that is fun for the family? It is my favorite time to sit down with my older 2 (11 and 14) once the 5 and 8yr old go to bed. It is amazing how much I learn about school, friends, etc... when we are relaxed and playing. I suggest trying it.

[Anonymous]

Yes, absolutely! We try to make for lots of quality family time with our children, one of whom is 13. We do game night every Friday, enjoy trying to new recipes together, and do lots of reading and discussion of literature. On her own, she enjoys knitting, arts and crafts, drawing, baking (usually with her cupcake or cake pop maker!), or playing with our dog. Our children do not have cell phones, and we limit screen time to a half hour of age-aproppriate programming (typically TV) per weeknight IF their school work is completed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, absolutely! We try to make for lots of quality family time with our children, one of whom is 13. We do game night every Friday, enjoy trying to new recipes together, and do lots of reading and discussion of literature. On her own, she enjoys knitting, arts and crafts, drawing, baking (usually with her cupcake or cake pop maker!), or playing with our dog. Our children do not have cell phones, and we limit screen time to a half hour of age-aproppriate programming (typically TV) per weeknight IF their school work is completed.

Snort.