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I, often, solicit advice from City-Data forums due to the diverse population.
Please, help as I am frustrated.
I have two teenagers under my roof and I am a single mom. Both children share the same father, this "father" cannot be bothered to be involved. They get an occasional card phone call, etc.
Both children, teens, have complained, vehemently, that I do not spend enough time with them. Yes, I have a boyfriend and I do spend time with the boyfriend.
HOWEVER, my teens have an awful habit of staying up all night, and virtually, sleeping all day. Right now, today, I have awoken at 7 a.m only to find they are sleeping.
I have told them, numerous, times I am awake, we can go to Tractor Supply, go for a hike etc yet they are still sleeping.
I realize guilt has played a large role in their interactions with me. I just don't know what to do!!!
P.S 19 y.o just woke up at 11:00 a.m and has a backpack ready for our hike.
Are you expecting your teens to be up at 7 AM on a Saturday morning to do things with you?
Are they "night owls" and are you a "morning person"?
When you say that they "sleep all day", what time do you mean? 10 AM or Noon or 3 PM?
Are they awake and on time for school every day (which I suspect starts at 7 -8 AM)?
What have they said that they wanted you to do with them? Go to their school sporting events? Go shopping? Play board games? Cook meals together? Have they asked for specific activities?
How many hours a week do you spend with your boyfriend? Is it every night from 6 PM to 10 PM or just one or two nights a week?
How old is your other teen? Is your 19 year old in HS, college or working?
Please respond back and I can give you some suggestions. If I had more details I could help you better.
My son is a looong way off being a teenager so my advice is limited in that regard... However, something that stands out at me from your post is the 'typical' teenage sleeping patterns. Not only do teenagers need a lot more sleep than adults (hence the sleeping in), but their internal body clock goes haywire during this period, and often they won't be tired until midnight or later (hence the late nights).
With this much said, you need to try and come up with time for activities that will work for both you and your sons' schedules. Respect the fact that they need more sleep right now than an adult, and see if you can come to a happy medium
I, often, solicit advice from City-Data forums due to the diverse population.
Please, help as I am frustrated.
I have two teenagers under my roof and I am a single mom. Both children share the same father, this "father" cannot be bothered to be involved. They get an occasional card phone call, etc.
Both children, teens, have complained, vehemently, that I do not spend enough time with them. Yes, I have a boyfriend and I do spend time with the boyfriend.
HOWEVER, my teens have an awful habit of staying up all night, and virtually, sleeping all day. Right now, today, I have awoken at 7 a.m only to find they are sleeping.
I have told them, numerous, times I am awake, we can go to Tractor Supply, go for a hike etc yet they are still sleeping.
I realize guilt has played a large role in their interactions with me. I just don't know what to do!!!
P.S 19 y.o just woke up at 11:00 a.m and has a backpack ready for our hike.
Aren't these teens in school or working fulltime? Why would they get to stay up all night, sleep all day and do nothing but play video games?
And also, 11:00 AM on a Saturday is hardly "late" for getting out together to take a hike. Not sure why you would complain when the kid was obviously willing to go, just not as early as you would have liked maybe.
Aren't these teens in school or working fulltime? Why would they get to stay up all night, sleep all day and do nothing but play video games?
Unless I missed it, the original poster didn't say that her teens aren't in school or working and she said nothing about them "doing nothing but play video games".
Unless I missed it, the original poster didn't say that her teens aren't in school or working and she said nothing about them "doing nothing but play video games".
My bad
I just can't imagine teen boys staying up all night and sleeping all day UNLESS they are glued to a video/computer game!
Are you expecting your teens to be up at 7 AM on a Saturday morning to do things with you?
Are they "night owls" and are you a "morning person"?
When you say that they "sleep all day", what time do you mean? 10 AM or Noon or 3 PM?
Are they awake and on time for school every day (which I suspect starts at 7 -8 AM)?
What have they said that they wanted you to do with them? Go to their school sporting events? Go shopping? Play board games? Cook meals together? Have they asked for specific activities?
How many hours a week do you spend with your boyfriend? Is it every night from 6 PM to 10 PM or just one or two nights a week?
How old is your other teen? Is your 19 year old in HS, college or working?
Please respond back and I can give you some suggestions. If I had more details I could help you better.
Clearly we need more info here.
Hopefully the OP returns shortly to fill in the blanks, as what she has written is a bit confusing
The teens are keeping a normal, typical sleep pattern. So is mom. So, mom, I suggest you let them know when YOU are available, and let them sync their schedules with yours. This way, you give them the power to say yes/no. Then you get to complain to them!
Unless I missed it, the original poster didn't say that her teens aren't in school or working and she said nothing about them "doing nothing but play video games".
My 19 y.o just graduated. He DOES play video games an awful lot. I am taking the cord to his XBox or whatever that is for three weeks.
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My bad
