What does your tween’s day look like?

Anonymous
What is your tween’s day like?

Every time i turn around mine is on utube or minecraft while eating snacks.

As far as “homeschooling,” it has been pretty unstructured. He is old enough (12) to work independently but not mature enough to get stuff done without me nagging. He has been doing about an hour of math/kahn academy, 30 minutes of reading and a bit of writing daily. Sometimes a little science reading. Did some of the packet sent from school (so easy it seemed pointless). He practices his instrument every other day. He marks stuff off on a white board when he completes stuff so I sort of know what he is doing. I feel like I’m doing a really bad job directing and supporting his learning. Hoping things will change this week with the start of fcps distance learning.

As for time outside, he messes around in the backyard quite a bit and we go for a walk or bike ride together daily.

We are starting a family book club tomorrow evening in lieu of watching our regular tv.

I feel like there is so much wasted time.
Anonymous
Sorry... youtube
Anonymous
Work assigned by school that is not very much, work with Dad on more advanced math to prep for next year, musical instruments, walk on treadmill, reading, and video games.
Anonymous
12 year old. Wakes at 8/9 am. Switch games at 9am for 45 min-1hr. Breakfast. Backyard with encouragement and often with me playing a game outside too. Schoolwork at the kitchen table while I’m also trying to work. Lots of assistance needed when links etc don’t work or instructions aren’t clear. Lunch. Walk around the block. Watch a show. A little more school work. And it’s maybe 3pm by now if we’re lucky!! Shower, Family game, screens, dinner. ,
Anonymous
More screens than I would like. Mine are in 4th and 7th. They had 4 weeks of pretty substantive distance learning before this week (spring break). The 7th grader started his school work at 8:30 and usually was done around 1:00 with a couple small breaks. He's keeping up with various exercises, strength training, and skill drills for his travel sport and still has a virtual lesson once/week. Even though that all sounds productive, he would still easily stare at a screen from 2pm to 10pm daily if I let him. I feel like it's a constant battle everyday to keep that from happening. I don't care if he spends several hours staring at screens as I realize these are unusual times, but I'm trying to keep his brain engaged and him physically active somewhat.

The 4th grader plays an instrument so he starts practicing that at 8am everyday--he pretty much never practiced at home before this. Then school work at 8:30. He has some learning challenges so his school work requires a lot of 1 on 1 attention from me as I'm trying to work. He has some built-in breaks during the day where he goes outside to shoot some basketball, does his travel soccer "homework," and has a little downtime, but it's not unusual for him to be working on school work until around 3pm. It's a lot of work and a long day for him, so I try to give him freedom to relax after that, but again would prefer that didn't translate to 6 hours of Switch.

We had a better a schedule going the first couple weeks of distance learning, which cut down on the screen time, and then kind of got away from it. I'm going to try to get them back on it a bit more after spring break.
Anonymous
DD 14, freshman in high school

7-9am breakfast, scrolls thru phone
9-12am usually does work or watches netflix
12-1pm eats lunch sometime and doesn't do work
2-4pm usually has online ballet
4-6pm varies, sometimes catches up on work, mostly just relaxes
6-8pm family time, dinner, etc
10pm bedtime

she gets distracted and watches netflix a lot and takes frequent breaks while doing homework
Anonymous
I have one kid who is self-directed as far as school goes, but otherwise I am failing miserably at scheduling our days. Everyone sleeps late and one day just melds into the next. I am really failing at keeping my kids off of screens, which is basically how we all spend our days.

I think this is a response to the fear and uncertainty. what better way to stick our heads in the sand than by going on screens.
Anonymous
mine was busy all day with school until everyone (not me) complained that there was too much work; now not enough work to keep my DS busy all day. he's in 9th grade.
Anonymous
Mine gets up around 10, eats a doughnut, checks his phone endlessly, arranges a meetup at the basketball court at his friends house and I think he eats lunch there or they go cruising to find a place that’s open. Afternoon is either endless video games, cursing at each other or some unknown , asking what’s for dinner, and then a titanic battle vfor the keys to the car.
This is like a snow day ghost won’t end.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Mine gets up around 10, eats a doughnut, checks his phone endlessly, arranges a meetup at the basketball court at his friends house and I think he eats lunch there or they go cruising to find a place that’s open. Afternoon is either endless video games, cursing at each other or some unknown , asking what’s for dinner, and then a titanic battle vfor the keys to the car.
This is like a snow day ghost won’t end.


So he’s not quarantining at all?
Anonymous
11 year old DS
35 minutes of Zoom instruction with teacher for each class from 820-1230
40 min lunch break 1230-110
1:10 -3:10 Assignments, partner work, group projects via Zoom and MS Teams. Teachers pop in and out and are available for questions, feedback etc.

He is typically doing school work/reading until 4-430.

Anonymous
14 yr old DS
Appr. 1-3 Zoom sessions each day
Appr. 2-4 hours of schoolwork
Sometimes a walk with me
Lots of video game time

It is what it is. He’s on break this week so I get a break from checking up on his work.
Anonymous
The 12 yr old gets up early enough, gets on with school work, reading, music practice and then paints or bakes in the afternoon, helps take the dog for a walk and later watches Netflix

The 13 yr old gets up around midday, has to be reminded not to automatically start watching youtube - gets on with school work, music, reading etc. Rarely eats meals with the rest of us and has to be forced outside for a dog walk but clearly benefits greatly from the walk as the entire demeanor changes from sullen to cheerful. Much like the rest of us.
Anonymous
11 yo boy.

Wakes up around 9am. Reads in bed for a while.

Gets dressed, comes downstairs to eat, usually making minimal noise while I am at the DR table on Zoom.

10-11 is school time

11-12 does homework

12-1 eats lunch and plays video games

1-3 putzes around: soccer outside, hangs out in the yard, 3- minutes of a video game, maybe a tv show.

3-5 usually we engage together because I can step away from work. A walk, a movie, a project, a chat, more outside time, whatever.

5-6 usually back to video games or texting with friends

6-7 dinner with whole family and clean-up or chores

7-8:30 all of us are either on a computer, taking a walk, watching tv, doing chores, talking, lounging

8:30 we he'd up to bed. Usually he'll spend 30-60 minutes talking to dad or visiting with me. Lots of reading time. Shower occurs during this time. In bed by 9:30 hopefully but will read for a bit

It's like a lazy weekend. Every day.

Socially: We see neighbors from a distance almost each day across the street, Facetime with grandparents, and of course text with friends.

We limit screen time to 1.5 hours per day with the ScreenTime app (this is for the iPad only, not the Chromebook) and he can request more time if he wants to. Today I gave him an extra hour. Whatever. He's a good kid.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Mine gets up around 10, eats a doughnut, checks his phone endlessly, arranges a meetup at the basketball court at his friends house and I think he eats lunch there or they go cruising to find a place that’s open. Afternoon is either endless video games, cursing at each other or some unknown , asking what’s for dinner, and then a titanic battle vfor the keys to the car.
This is like a snow day ghost won’t end.


That's so scarily irresponsible. How old is he that you have no control over him?
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