Keeping 11 yrs nephew engaged!

Bendybops19

Just remember that he may not be happy going to a youth centre, i know when i was that age i was painfully shy and wouldnt want to go somewhere like that, esp alone!

I think buying him something to build, like am model car/airplane or anything he is interested in is a good idea, it will give him a good project.

JULIE

Ive a 12 year old and 10 year old, if your wife is pregnant she'll benefit from going in a swimming pool. Otherwise baking, a good old book, board games, weeding,picnics, jigsaw puzzles, cleaning the car or downstairs windows (all kids love splashing with warm water whatever the weather!), take it in turns for back/shoulder/head rub (again wifey will benefit), walking to the local park, indoor adventure play areas so wife can sit with cuppa and he can burn off energy, do you have a beach near you (didn't see where your from) rock pools/ kite flying ,castle building.

I limit the time on the playstation to an hour a day for each of my boys, I give them suggestions to do things and I do get the i'm bored bit but it doesn't hurt them to be bored as it encourages them to use their imaginations instead of it always being handed to them on a plate,

Savvy_Sue

Now I'm over my dim moment I'll try to add something more useful from my experience of 3 now teenage sons ...

It's not clear if this lad comes very frequently or not, or for long stays in holidays, or whether this is likely to be a long-term arrangement. If any of those are true, then if he lives near enough to still 'engage' with his school friends I'd want to encourage that. Somehow I've always found it easier to cope with my own kids when they have a little visitor in tow ... and the visitors are invariably polite, helpful and chatty - which is more than can be said of one's own teenagers!

If school friends are too far away, then it is worth looking out for likely lads nearby - sons of neighbours and friends etc. These may or may not work out, but if there are Dads kicking balls around the park with lads of a suitable age, then it may be worth trying to strike up a conversation.

Because every now and again, you may need a break or emergency cover, and if your nephew has friends near you, you may be able to call on them!

Oh, and don't discount sharing your own interests with him. I know a lad who's gone to art galleries with his aunt! Because she's interested, and can talk about the pictures and artists, he's fascinated!