Anonymous wrote:We have older kids. Our house was typically the hang out house (and still is with our youngest and his friends). Mostly because we have a pool and a hot tub. A basement with a huge tv and gaming system. And a stocked kitchen in the basement. I make myself as invisible as possible while still supervising.

Even without the pool, the kids would be here. They want the food and a place to hang out where parents aren’t hovering.

How do you supervise without hovering?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We once went to a party and all the teen/tweens were in a tricked-out basement. The dad of the house was very proud of how the kids could "have their own space." I joked with my son that it would be nice if we had something like that for him and his friends. He said "a date rape basement? No thanks."

(FYI, when they were younger they played with waterguns or "manhunt" around the neighborhood. Now that they are driving age, they go to the driving range or to eat.)

I don't get it? Why would your kid assume or imply that he or his friends would be committing date rape if they had the opportunity?

You clearly don't get it.

Different poster. What does a tricked out basement have to do with date rape?

It's space where parents who are eager to be seen as having the "cool house" leave kids unsupervised. It a situation that leads to under-aged drinking and all sorts of awfulness.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We once went to a party and all the teen/tweens were in a tricked-out basement. The dad of the house was very proud of how the kids could "have their own space." I joked with my son that it would be nice if we had something like that for him and his friends. He said "a date rape basement? No thanks."

(FYI, when they were younger they played with waterguns or "manhunt" around the neighborhood. Now that they are driving age, they go to the driving range or to eat.)

I don't get it? Why would your kid assume or imply that he or his friends would be committing date rape if they had the opportunity?

You clearly don't get it.

Different poster. What does a tricked out basement have to do with date rape?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We once went to a party and all the teen/tweens were in a tricked-out basement. The dad of the house was very proud of how the kids could "have their own space." I joked with my son that it would be nice if we had something like that for him and his friends. He said "a date rape basement? No thanks."

(FYI, when they were younger they played with waterguns or "manhunt" around the neighborhood. Now that they are driving age, they go to the driving range or to eat.)

I don't get it? Why would your kid assume or imply that he or his friends would be committing date rape if they had the opportunity?

You clearly don't get it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We once went to a party and all the teen/tweens were in a tricked-out basement. The dad of the house was very proud of how the kids could "have their own space." I joked with my son that it would be nice if we had something like that for him and his friends. He said "a date rape basement? No thanks."

(FYI, when they were younger they played with waterguns or "manhunt" around the neighborhood. Now that they are driving age, they go to the driving range or to eat.)

I don't get it? Why would your kid assume or imply that he or his friends would be committing date rape if they had the opportunity?

Yes what an odd comment?

Anonymous wrote:We once went to a party and all the teen/tweens were in a tricked-out basement. The dad of the house was very proud of how the kids could "have their own space." I joked with my son that it would be nice if we had something like that for him and his friends. He said "a date rape basement? No thanks."

(FYI, when they were younger they played with waterguns or "manhunt" around the neighborhood. Now that they are driving age, they go to the driving range or to eat.)

I don't get it? Why would your kid assume or imply that he or his friends would be committing date rape if they had the opportunity?

We have older kids. Our house was typically the hang out house (and still is with our youngest and his friends). Mostly because we have a pool and a hot tub. A basement with a huge tv and gaming system. And a stocked kitchen in the basement. I make myself as invisible as possible while still supervising.

Even without the pool, the kids would be here. They want the food and a place to hang out where parents aren’t hovering.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG this thread is so depressing. It's no wonder teens are a mess, their parents are idiots.

+1

In what way?!

NP but I imagine the PP saying parents are idiots don’t have teens. Gaming is the primary way kids socialize these days (particularly boys). I don’t like it, but it’s the reality.

I’m not loaded so I don’t have a virtual reality room, hot tub, etc. And my kid isn’t sporty, which makes it tough. But I think a basketball hoop goes a long way, and waterguns, a TV with movies, lots of food and drinks and yes, a gaming system. I’m also willing to drive kids to ice cream or fro yo.

We don’t have a gaming system nor do I want one. I have teens.

Anonymous wrote:We once went to a party and all the teen/tweens were in a tricked-out basement. The dad of the house was very proud of how the kids could "have their own space." I joked with my son that it would be nice if we had something like that for him and his friends. He said "a date rape basement? No thanks."

(FYI, when they were younger they played with waterguns or "manhunt" around the neighborhood. Now that they are driving age, they go to the driving range or to eat.)

Wow, mature kid! You must be doing something right for him to recognize that.

Pp as a parent that’s tried to make their house fun and inviting for my teen’s friends, I get what you are saying, but I really think most parents have the best intentions and perhaps, like myself, you didn’t grow up with a place Kids hung out at and so you may think that’s a good or nice thing. But I agree there are risks.

We once went to a party and all the teen/tweens were in a tricked-out basement. The dad of the house was very proud of how the kids could "have their own space." I joked with my son that it would be nice if we had something like that for him and his friends. He said "a date rape basement? No thanks."

(FYI, when they were younger they played with waterguns or "manhunt" around the neighborhood. Now that they are driving age, they go to the driving range or to eat.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG this thread is so depressing. It's no wonder teens are a mess, their parents are idiots.

+1

In what way?!

NP but I imagine the PP saying parents are idiots don’t have teens. Gaming is the primary way kids socialize these days (particularly boys). I don’t like it, but it’s the reality.

I’m not loaded so I don’t have a virtual reality room, hot tub, etc. And my kid isn’t sporty, which makes it tough. But I think a basketball hoop goes a long way, and waterguns, a TV with movies, lots of food and drinks and yes, a gaming system. I’m also willing to drive kids to ice cream or fro yo.

Our kid is 12 and we have a gaming system, football table, and an electronic basketball hoop set. My kid is pretty sporty so he and his friends play only for a short while with the gaming system and then they do several rounds of sports indoors and then I throw them outside. I also have several bikes the kids can ride and a park nearby where they take the soccer ball. Lots of food is helpful for boys, variety too like fruits, popcorn and chips. We sometimes rent movies for them also if weather is bad. In summer, I buy colored water balloons and water guns and they have a blast filling the balloons and using the water guns. I think nowadays you can’t just let them sit around too much, you have to have some activities readily available and throw them outside. We have an older daughter too and have paints in case they want to do that, bracelets they can make, I take them out for froyo or the movies and sometimes they just sit around and talk! Boredom can be a good thing too but you definitely have to have some fun activities for them if you want kids to come over.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG this thread is so depressing. It's no wonder teens are a mess, their parents are idiots.

+1

In what way?!

Anonymous wrote:OMG this thread is so depressing. It's no wonder teens are a mess, their parents are idiots.

+1