What does your younger teen do in school hols while you are at work?

ciderwithrosie_2

13 is quite old enough to be left for a few hours a day. I'm sure as a responsible parent they will have run through 'what to do if' scenarios, made sure they know work's phone numbers etc.

I was 9 when my mum went back to work full-time, OK I had 2 older brothers at home too but was often left to my own devices. It hasn't left me traumatised.

My own boys have had to look after themselves in the holidays - I was lucky in that they would sleep in quite late given the opportunity and I could work flexi-time. I'd sometimes get home to a living room full of lads playing on the gamebox!!

It would be nice to not have to leave them 'home alone' but unfortunately not everyone has that option.

NoAngel

When I was 13 my Mums son also came round sometimes during the holidays and he is 3 years younger than me. We weren't alone really, but as my Mum wored nights, she was up in bed sleeping all day from 9am till 3pm, so it felt like we were alone. Our Mums has no choice as they both had to work.

I'd have a list of chores such as empty dishwasher, put a load of washing in, fold towels, get something out of the freezer etc. Those things would keep me pretty busy! Otherwise spent most of the time watching TV, reading or sitting in the garden doing homework or playing games. Was fine really.

Oh and yes, she did leave me home alone overnight at that age whilst she was doing her night shifts. OMG that sounds terrible looking back! I was fine but can't quite believe how young I was, I know she still feels bad about it!

barbarawright

I'm in my 40s and I was left on my own all day at a much younger age than 13. I certainly wasn't unusual among my friends. Most of the world's population would laugh at the idea that a 13 year old can't look after himself and make a sandwich. What, seriously, is the problem? Yes, he will do things he shouldn't (eat rubbish, spend too long on the PC) but we sat and watched telly all day and then rushed around like mad things peeling the potatoes 5 minutes before mum got home. Or was that just me? :rotfl:

balletshoes

barbarawright wrote: »

I'm in my 40s and I was left on my own all day at a much younger age than 13. I certainly wasn't unusual among my friends. Most of the world's population would laugh at the idea that a 13 year old can't look after himself and make a sandwich. What, seriously, is the problem? Yes, he will do things he shouldn't (eat rubbish, spend too long on the PC) but
we sat and watched telly all day and then rushed around like mad things peeling the potatoes 5 minutes before mum got home. Or was that just me? :rotfl:

:rotfl: definitely not just you!

ciderwithrosie_2

barbarawright wrote: »

but we sat and watched telly all day and then rushed around like mad things peeling the potatoes 5 minutes before mum got home. Or was that just me? :rotfl:

We had to wash up the breakfast/lunch things, make a pot of tea for parents arrival home and fill the coal bucket/stoke the fire (in winter anyway). It was usually me that ended up doing all 3 as my brothers were lazy beggars.

borderlakland

i would look into getting him odd jobs with neighbours, maybe odd bits of grass cutting, weeding, car washing etc.
do you have a library close enough to visit, they might have reading groups or details of stuff for him to join in with
also like others have said give him a list of jobs to do each day (washing up, veg, hoover etc) which will help you when you get home and agree once these are done he can spend the rest of the day on pc etc, or spend all day on pc then rush round in last half hr doing chores....

other have said make sure he knows what to do in an emergency and give him all the relevant phone numbers

a lot of the time when i come in from work during the holidays mine look up in suprise that i am home so quickly, a couple of extra hrs in bed and uninterupted access to the pc makes the time race by x

Funky_Bold_Ribena

Change the network password each evening and only text it to him once his chores are done. If he lies about the chores, lie about the password.

kitschkitty

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

I seem to be alone in my view that a 13 yo should not be left home alone for 6 hours, 4 days a week, for 3 weeks...

I personally don't think it's fair to him... I also think that those that do leave their children alone at that age are posting here for reassurance that it is normal and acceptable.

I just wanted to vote for the 'other side'.

Nothing wrong with expressing that opinion, but you haven't actually given any constructive advice as to what practical alternatives you think the OP could follow, nor reasons why you think it's unfair (which is an interesting word to use).

Also I'm not sure if we are mixing up 2 issues, one is if the child is happy enough being left alone - and not all kids crave attention or company, the other is if they are responsible enough to be left alone. Considering the time frame during the day I don't think it's particularly unreasonable.

I don't specifically remember school holidays when I was 13 (as far as I recall I spent a lot of time with my best friend who lived a few blocks away at that age) but I know I started babysitting when I was 13, I looked after a 3 year old pretty much once a week every week, so I don't think it's unreasonable for a 13 year old to develop some personal responsibility - taking into account all kids are different and can cope with different levels of responsibility.

jack172sp

Around that age, I went round to my gran's house to give her some company as she has lived on her own for going up for 20 years.
That always gave me something to do.
Jack

silvercar

Round here there are many sports camps, acting camps and football camps that operate in the school holidays for kids up to the age of 14. You can book for individual weeks. Generally operate in schools, sports centres and churches.