Anonymous
06/16/2015 17:09
Subject: 13 year old son. Sleeps a lot. One friend. Depression?
Your son sounds normal. And he is happy, so leave him be.
Perhaps once school starts up again, suggest that he join a club? No need to see a pediatrician. I'm an introvert and your family sounds like you are, too.
People forget how much social interaction there is in school. After school and during the summer I was very low key growing up, I needed my space after school.
Perhaps once school starts up again, suggest that he join a club? No need to see a pediatrician. I'm an introvert and your family sounds like you are, too.
People forget how much social interaction there is in school. After school and during the summer I was very low key growing up, I needed my space after school.
Anonymous
06/16/2015 16:54
Subject: 13 year old son. Sleeps a lot. One friend. Depression?
My brother slept a whole summer away it seemed like. But then in the Fall, he had grown several inches. I think it's like us mothers when we were pg and growing a baby. I couldn't believe how much sleep I wanted to have.
Anonymous
06/15/2015 07:42
Subject: 13 year old son. Sleeps a lot. One friend. Depression?
Many teens sleep a lot because they are still growing, so I wouldn't worry too much about the sleeping late.
I would try to find a few more things for your teen to do other than stay home and watch tv- maybe a volunteer job or something. My guess is that he will go away to college and it will be stressful because he is used to being home so much.
I would try to find a few more things for your teen to do other than stay home and watch tv- maybe a volunteer job or something. My guess is that he will go away to college and it will be stressful because he is used to being home so much.
Anonymous
06/15/2015 07:20
Subject: 13 year old son. Sleeps a lot. One friend. Depression?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Makes me feel a little better. We are not one of those overly scheduled social families or sporty families. We have few friends and tend to just lay low on weekends and maybe go out to dinner. We enjoy that as a family. But I guess I wonder if we should be doing more or setting a better example.
OP, you have described our family to a T. I have two teen boys and both are huge sleepers on the weekends. I think they deserve it, considering they're up every day for school at 5:30 am - painful. I avoid scheduling any early weekend activities just so they (and my husband and I!) can sleep. Our family is also a low-key, non-sporty one and we love it that way. We'd all be miserable if we were busy and on the go constantly, from one event to the next. Our boys do a couple of activities, but aren't into sports, and just really need their own space and time - very much like my husband and me. And one of my sons also has only one really good friend, who he sees less and less as they get older and have other interests. Both boys have friends at school, but don't do much with them outside of school. I think being yourself and not trying to fit into a mold that doesn't suit you is setting a good example for your family and is much healthier than the alternative.
The important point is to have friends. It doesn't take many--three good friends is fine.
Anonymous
06/15/2015 07:19
Subject: 13 year old son. Sleeps a lot. One friend. Depression?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Makes me feel a little better. We are not one of those overly scheduled social families or sporty families. We have few friends and tend to just lay low on weekends and maybe go out to dinner. We enjoy that as a family. But I guess I wonder if we should be doing more or setting a better example.
Are you introverts? That is ok, not everyone is an extrovert. Talk to your pediatrician.
The social costs and societal judgment associated with being introverted are staggering.
Anonymous
06/15/2015 06:55
Subject: 13 year old son. Sleeps a lot. One friend. Depression?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Makes me feel a little better. We are not one of those overly scheduled social families or sporty families. We have few friends and tend to just lay low on weekends and maybe go out to dinner. We enjoy that as a family. But I guess I wonder if we should be doing more or setting a better example.
OP, you have described our family to a T. I have two teen boys and both are huge sleepers on the weekends. I think they deserve it, considering they're up every day for school at 5:30 am - painful. I avoid scheduling any early weekend activities just so they (and my husband and I!) can sleep. Our family is also a low-key, non-sporty one and we love it that way. We'd all be miserable if we were busy and on the go constantly, from one event to the next. Our boys do a couple of activities, but aren't into sports, and just really need their own space and time - very much like my husband and me. And one of my sons also has only one really good friend, who he sees less and less as they get older and have other interests. Both boys have friends at school, but don't do much with them outside of school. I think being yourself and not trying to fit into a mold that doesn't suit you is setting a good example for your family and is much healthier than the alternative.
Anonymous
06/14/2015 21:50
Subject: Re:13 year old son. Sleeps a lot. One friend. Depression?
Anonymous wrote:You can also nudge. There is a time honored parental tradition of nudging your child into doing things he doesn't want to do, but might enjoy once he gets over his initial hesitation and inertia. My parents made us do three activities and if we couldn't find something to do, they would find things for us to do. Tell him it isn't acceptable to just do nothing but watch TV all the time. Give him a list of classes, clubs, activities, etc. and help him brainstorm things that wouldn't be too awful and get him to do some of those.
And if he is really bored and doesn't like any of your suggestions, tell him the next option is to clean the garage, or his room, or the kitchen floor.
His choice.
Anonymous
06/14/2015 20:42
Subject: 13 year old son. Sleeps a lot. One friend. Depression?
OP, my 13 year old also sleeps like a rock, would go past noon if we let him.
Anonymous
06/14/2015 10:19
Subject: Re:13 year old son. Sleeps a lot. One friend. Depression?
You can also nudge. There is a time honored parental tradition of nudging your child into doing things he doesn't want to do, but might enjoy once he gets over his initial hesitation and inertia. My parents made us do three activities and if we couldn't find something to do, they would find things for us to do. Tell him it isn't acceptable to just do nothing but watch TV all the time. Give him a list of classes, clubs, activities, etc. and help him brainstorm things that wouldn't be too awful and get him to do some of those.
Anonymous
06/14/2015 08:53
Subject: 13 year old son. Sleeps a lot. One friend. Depression?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Makes me feel a little better. We are not one of those overly scheduled social families or sporty families. We have few friends and tend to just lay low on weekends and maybe go out to dinner. We enjoy that as a family. But I guess I wonder if we should be doing more or setting a better example.
Are you introverts? That is ok, not everyone is an extrovert. Talk to your pediatrician.