Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for MSers. Free time is something that at that age, they don't get enough of. Parents are scared that it'll just be screens or trouble, and that's not true.

The screens part is largely true. I do give mine free time, and that is what they choose.

Oh I know that both happens, happened when I was a kid too, and probably always will. I just think it's a shame, kids are ditching their childhoods faster than they should be.

My 8th grader DS has a fair amount of homework, sports practice or workouts most weeknights, & some chores. I’m fine with him playing video games with friends or texting etc as long as his responsibilities are met. Some days he has time for screens, other days he doesn’t. He hangs out with friends on the weekends.

My DD usually chats with friends or plays video games. I don’t mind if she’s on screens. She is busy with other things for the majority of the time. She’s entitled to downtime.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for MSers. Free time is something that at that age, they don't get enough of. Parents are scared that it'll just be screens or trouble, and that's not true.

The screens part is largely true. I do give mine free time, and that is what they choose.

The trouble part is also kind of true. It’s a tough age.

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for MSers. Free time is something that at that age, they don't get enough of. Parents are scared that it'll just be screens or trouble, and that's not true.

The screens part is largely true. I do give mine free time, and that is what they choose.

I feel bad for MSers. Free time is something that at that age, they don't get enough of. Parents are scared that it'll just be screens or trouble, and that's not true.

Aside from sports and HW she mostly watches Netflix. She gets good grades so I’m okay with it. I used to watch Saved By the Bell marathons on TBS.

Homework and video games, mostly. The video games are usually playing online with friends.

Chores include his own laundry, tidying up and vacuuming the family room, sweeping the dining room and kitchen, cleaning the bathroom, doing dishes, taking out the trash, feed the cats and clean the litter box. Not all of those every day, but it's usually one or two things a day.

His sports are all in the evening, so he gets home from school at 2:30, we have dinner at 6:30, then sports or other activities 7 until 9 or 10. So I'm OK with assume downtime when he first gets home from school.

My sixth grade boy goes over to neighborhood friends after school 2 or 3 times a week. Other days he has activities or just hangs out at home.

Mine at that age always hung out with other kids after school.

Hang out with neighborhood friends. They're kids, that's what they should be doing.

Video games, chat online with friends. Mine usually has a lot of homework and other activities, so I don’t mind letting him do screens during downtime.

Read, watch tv, eats

Call me

What do your middle school boys do after school on days they don’t have organized lessons or practices? Mine has minimal homework so we’re often engaged in a power struggle to keep him off video games. What are some more productive things your kids do? If they do chores, what chores? Do any of them cook dinner? Academic enrichment? Thanks for any and all ideas.