How do u have fun with your teen?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-07-2007
How do u have fun with your teen?
6
Wed, 03-14-2007 - 9:16am
I'm just curious what kinds of things other people do with their teen kids for fun.
With just a 2-person family, board games often don't work for us (either need more people or it's too competitive). Neither of us are big sports fans, so that doesn't work. And I can't skate or bike ride. I want to get him (and me) off the computer and away from the tv -- SO I NEED NEW IDEAS!
Last night for the first time I surprised DS and took him to play pool (billiards). I was horrible but we had a great time.
I'd like other ideas of things to do.
Karen
Avatar for suzyk2118
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Registered: 07-30-1997
Wed, 03-14-2007 - 9:27am

DS14 loves to cook and bake, so he and I do that together (DH doesn't). The three of us do play board games on occasion. We also go to a local nature center and take long walks - just great to get out but not have to pack up all the gear we do for scouts. We are all involved in scouting; dh and I are assistant scoutmasters, ds is working on his Eagle project (and can't wait to get all done/out of there - he's tired of it at this point). We walk the dog in the neighborhood together (great time to talk). (And yes, too much tv/movies; a few hours/week, but he has NO interest in going to the movies with us old fogies any more). We all go out to eat probably 1 or 2x/week; one cheap, one nicer (like Chevy's or Fridays). We go on vacation a couple times a year; Saturday we leave for our first cruise with ds (went on our honeymoon 18+ years ago). We'll go to a mini golf place, bowling, go-karting...not that often, but ds loves those kinds of things. Dh has been involved in ds's recreational baseball in the past; ds is not doing that this year.

Really, now that he's in HS, ds has VERY limited time (loads of work and is having a rough go this year) so we don't have that much 'free time' to work with. But we try.

Sue

Avatar for heartsandroses2002
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 03-14-2007 - 9:46am

Bowling; Bingo; MiniGolf; Hiking; Fishing; Camping; TaiBo classes; Kickboxing classes; cooking class; build a motorized airplane model that actually works; train a fidelco dog; photography; kayaking; canoeing; swimming at the Y; archery lessons.

Those are just a few. You can usually find information about trails in your area through a local wildlife or nature center and then you and ds can plan a weekly excursion on foot through your local and state parks. If there are rivers nearby, you will usually find places that rent canoes and kayaks and you can take a lesson and get out on the water. If you have fitness centers nearby, you can sign up for kickboxing classes, which are a lot of fun and/or Tai Bo. Perhaps there are some state parks that are local to your home and you could plan a weekend camp trip with your son and go fishing. We have a Sir la Table near us and they offer inexpensive cooking classes - that might be a fun way to teach your son how to cook up some basics and feel comfortable doing so. Building a model boat or airplane that is motorized takes a bit of time, but then you can go to an open field or stream and actually make it work! How fun is that? If you're not allergic to dogs, training a fidelco dog can be a very enriching experience for the right family. And lastly, if you have a Y nearby, they offer lots of family fun classes and activities.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Wed, 03-14-2007 - 11:17am

DS13 LOVES movies. I know that's what you're trying to get away from, but with my DS, that's one of the things he likes. He plays tennis and we do a lot of that together ... he's much better than I am, so it's often just me feeding him balls so he can practice different strokes, but it's what he and I tend to do together.

I also have a DD15 who has an extremely limited amount of free time and she LOVES the beach. Doesn't matter if she's in a swimsuit or not, she just likes being at the coast, so we'll drive out have lunch and just sort of hang-out there for a while.

When I have both kids together, we all three play tennis, go for a walk in the open space preserve near home, or do some silly sightseeing or touristy thing around San Diego.

They both also love to travel, visit museums and historical monuments ... that sort of thing.

 

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-1999
Wed, 03-14-2007 - 6:02pm

My DD is easy - we shop, go out to eat, catch a chick flick either at home or the theater with no super-testosterone male around groaning at every scene (a difficult task in our mostly male household!)

With my DSs, a lot of times it was mostly me hanging out with them, watching them do the things they enjoyed. I've read a lot of books on the bank of the river while DSs fished, cooked lunch for us on a portable grill when he got hungry. Hiked thru the woods "helping" him spot rabbits & squirrels while he was hunting, And I've lost track of the number of conversations I've had with DS's feet while most of him was under a car!! Which is why I know what the heck a compression ratio is, what turbo does, why you'd want a cold air intake, and all sorts of other interesting car facts that no self respecting girl knows! LOL What does your DS like to do other than tv and video games? Do it with him. I learned a lot about digital photography and photo editing from one DS, another taught me how to surf the web and use chat rooms.... a good thing coz he's now living half way across the country and most of our conversations are IM.

I've found that after I've done a few things with my boys that they know I don't ordinarily like, they'll come around and do something that I love that they don't really care for.
Rose

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-25-2006
Wed, 03-14-2007 - 11:32pm

Well, I can't offer any suggestions but I like reading everyone else's. My DS17 and I rarely do anything together. We go out to eat about once a week, but that's it. Up until he was 16 I'd try playing goalie while he shot the soccer ball and that was fun. Now? Can't run together cuz I'm way too slow for him. He won't walk--too boring. He won't take a class at the fitness center. Won't go to any music/art/theatre performances. He won't try anything new, especially with his mom! (Actually, he's been like that all his life--likes the safety of known territory? I dunno.) At this age he just spends his free time watching TV/movies or going out with his friends, and I have to admit, he does not have a whole lot of free time between his school, soccer and work.

We have to wait for traveling to his soccer games or vacations to spend any real time together. But I am dragging him to see "Chicago" soon.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2006
Fri, 03-16-2007 - 12:27am

My son(18) is in college so I don't get to see his as often, but when he does come home we go to the beach, play golf, and go to restaurants. During soccer season we will drive up to his college, watch him play, and either have dinner together that night, or a brunch the following morning. Sometimes when we are both not busy and we just want to talk we will meet half way and we have a little spot we go to.

My daughter(16) is really easy. We love doing the typical girl things togther. We love to shop, and eat lunch. Also, we go to the little clay art places where you paint clay designs and they fire it for you. When musicals, ballets, or art exhibits come to town we always goes and look at them. And I am always at every single one of her ballet performances.Like my son, she is a complete beach bum so we will go for nice walks on the beach a lot.

At least once a year my family travels, usually internationally. We have extended family in other countries and it gives the kids a chance to work on their accents.

Adelaide
Connor(18)
Madison(16)