Growing Up!

Crossstitchfan 🤣

Lathyrus3

Personally I’d sit down and watch tv with them. All kinds of conversation comes up.

Or subscribe to an online games site like Boardgame Arena and play together on your phones. Why that is better than an actual board game I don’t know, but it is 🤔

Or just leave them to chill out so that they are happy and relaxed at your house.

Great idea. On line board games!!!

Well, you have some time! Her birthday’s not until the end of October! 😂
Hope you enjoy it!

I hope she enjoys it Crossstitchfan, she'll probably finish hers before we finish ours!

V3ra

Thank you Crossstitchfan.
This is the new one we're doing next: "A Year in Great Britain."

Thanks for that! I have just bought it to give my jigsaw-loving daughter as part of her present for her birthday! Might not have seen it if you hadn’t posted about it! 💐

We have had similar experiences with all of our GC and they generally only showed enthusiasm when it came to food !!! I have found recently though that our older (16 year old) has started drifting back towards us which is lovely. She is choosing to come and see us more often and often stays the night. I think it gives her some peace away from her younger siblings. But she is obviously enjoying our company again and loves remembering all the fun times we had when she was younger. As others have said, let them decompress after school. They will remember fondly the board games and other memories as they grow older.

Why have you a detailed plan for them, but controlling to me.

Lathyrus3

Personally I’d sit down and watch tv with them. All kinds of conversation comes up.

Or subscribe to an online games site like Boardgame Arena and play together on your phones. Why that is better than an actual board game I don’t know, but it is 🤔

Or just leave them to chill out so that they are happy and relaxed at your house.

Get a nintendo switch or xbox and get them to teach you their favourite games! I can guarantee that they will get much pleasure from being better than you at them.!

Turn off the TV, have a basket by the door for mobile phones, put the kettle on and have a cuppa together and talk about the day. There’s nothing more precious than time. Ask then about school, tell them what you’ve done that day and as the summer holidays approach you could discuss ideas on what to do when you’re all together.

It makes me sad when kids have to be permanently entertained, what happened to the days when they used to make their own fun.

I think it's a natural progression, they have a lot going on in their lives. I regard my role less of an integral part now than when they were younger more of a peripheral role. One is a teen and much quieter than she used to be, the other who can still be very chatty at 11 may not stay that way. Of course phones don't help it impacts on interaction but it's part of the world they all inhabut.

Our teenage grandsons used to come after school for tea but sat glued to the tv , so in the end I sat with them watching squash games ! Felt they preferred to go home after school to their own house so stopped coming . Sad, but as many point out they grow away from you . Luckily we still have a five year old who finds us fun😎

They're nearly teenagers,normal behaviour. Just be there and ask what if anything they would like to do? Maybe they just enjiy chatting with theur friends etc. Agaun NORMAL.... Just need to ride it out

V3ra

Thank you Crossstitchfan.
This is the new one we're doing next: "A Year in Great Britain."

That is gorgeous and will be challenging to do. I have never really liked ‘proper’ jigsaws, preferring ones on line but I could be seriously tempted to get back into it to do this one!
I hope you have a wonderful time doing it.

I think school is such a ‘full on’ day frequently children just need to decompress for an hour or two.

eddiecat78

I really would just let them do their own thing even if that does involve looking at a screen. Otherwise they will start dreading coming to see you and your "detailed plan" of activities.
We have our 15 year old GS living with us while he does work experience. We told him from the start that if he wanted to chat with us that would be lovely but if he'd rather disappear off to his room that would be fine too. It's working very well

My 10 year old grandchildren go to their rooms almost as soon as they come home. It’s just part of growing up. As they become older they will be busy with their own stuff. My 15 year old grandson and I play games when he feels like it. Backgammon and cards are favourites at the moment. Our favourite activity is going to the coffee shop and having a drink, cake and chat.

Just sit back and enjoy their presence.

Thank you Crossstitchfan.
This is the new one we're doing next: "A Year in Great Britain."

That's a lovely jigsaw. My elder daughter loves jigsaws and always has one on the go. Neither of her grownup sons take after her. I only do them on the iPad. I think she got her love of jigsaws from her dad. They often did one together when she popped in. I loved watching them together.

My minded children who come after school are 7, 9 and 11.

They mainly like the television, and something to eat.

The 9 year old girl in particular will do some diy crafts eg paper, pens, pipe cleaners, beads, sellotape, wooden spoons and forks.

They all like a jigsaw and we often have one on the go, I have a couple of the big cases you can make the puzzle in and store the unused pieces.
This is our most recent one: 1000 pieces, Toys through the Alphabet.
It took a few weeks to complete as they (and I) would do it a bit at a time.

Oops! My daughters’ AND all four grandchildren

Thank you Aldom. I think doing something like that with a child or grandchild gives a great base for a loving and lasting relationship. I have always participated in both my daughters’ all four grandchildren’s hobbies (when asked!) and it does bring you closer. Of course, it helps that I love crafts! Maybe those who don’t could suggest something else that grandparents could do to amuse their charges.

Wonderful Lego buildings. Such lovely shared memories captured in them.

I should add, my grandson was a teenager when we constructed this, he was about 14 or so, but there are kits for younger children too. We also made up a bouquet of Lego flowers!

My grandson and I used to make Lego buildings. We have actually constructed a whole street of different houses, which was brilliant fun. The hours flew by. There are some very good kits available, but they are not cheap. However, given the price of other things you can buy to entertain children, I consider it to be brilliant value for money.
I tried to attach a photo but don’t know how successful it will be!

I really would just let them do their own thing even if that does involve looking at a screen. Otherwise they will start dreading coming to see you and your "detailed plan" of activities.
We have our 15 year old GS living with us while he does work experience. We told him from the start that if he wanted to chat with us that would be lovely but if he'd rather disappear off to his room that would be fine too. It's working very well