ok ... lets put it this way
what would pparents of teenagers like

our hotel always has the usual pool table ,ping pong and datime stuff

Basicaly as long as my kids made friends they were happy

Mine are 17, 15 and 12 . Basically this is what I would look for in an A/I and that I know would keep them happy , which is top priority for me .

A good pool scene . music playing , pool games, waterpolo etc.
A couple of other facilities i,e snooker table , table tennis etc
somewhere for them to socialise of an evening with some dancing . a disco is a bonus .

Anything else like waterslides etc are only a bonus as they are 5 minute wonders to mine . I agree that as long as they make some friends of their own age and the older 2 get the opportunity for some late nights they are happy.

lyn

precisly lyn.... and that keeppps my kids happy... whats do kids want apart from that?

The problem with teenagers is the fact that no matter what facilities are provided for them, they will soon become bored - that's just the way they are. Twice in the last 18 months we have been to First Choice hotels with a Wavelength Teenagers Club, and my daughter wouldn't join because it's "not cool" to be going to a kids club... However, she did enjoy hanging out with friends she had made and "bothering" the teen club rep for something to do
Mark Warner resorts seem to provide plenty of more "grown-up" stuff for teenagers (sailing etc) but it's a very expensive holiday and not many families can afford those kind of prices.
When people complain about "nothing to do" for teenagers, it's probably because they have seen groups of teenagers just hanging around, which is what they seem to enjoy doing anyway. Teenagers will always be bored, and then, contrarily, will always snub most attempts to entertain them because it's "lame"... They will insist they could have been having a better time if they'd stayed at home, but if you didn't have a holiday they would complain bitterly because they feel they're missing out and there's nothing to do at home because all their friends have gone on their holidays... Teenagers exist to drive us mad and test our patience!

Generally we have found that our kids liked "mooching" with other teenagers they met on holiday and made thier own entertainment between them. This usually centres around the swimming pool, the pool table, table tennis table and the usual "who can served at the bar". They also like to wander around alot and complain to their parents that they are bored!

Gav was always happy doing various activities as long as he was active and Deanne and her mates liked to change clothes about 12 times a day and parade around looking at "fit lads"!

Taurito Princess in Gran canaria was a particular favourite as the activites were available for younger kids and again for older ones/adults.

Generally we have found that our kids liked "mooching" with other teenagers they met on holiday and made thier own entertainment between them. This usually centres around the swimming pool, the pool table, table tennis table and the usual "who can served at the bar".

I didnt know you knew my children Val because that is precisely what they do

and Deanne and her mates liked to change clothes about 12 times a day and parade around looking at "fit lads"!

Loved that and I can well believe it . you have made my day Val

The problem with teenagers is the fact that no matter what facilities are provided for them, they will soon become bored - that's just the way they are. Twice in the last 18 months we have been to First Choice hotels with a Wavelength Teenagers Club, and my daughter wouldn't join because it's "not cool" to be going to a kids club... However, she did enjoy hanging out with friends she had made and "bothering" the teen club rep for something to do Mark Warner resorts seem to provide plenty of more "grown-up" stuff for teenagers (sailing etc) but it's a very expensive holiday and not many families can afford those kind of prices.
When people complain about "nothing to do" for teenagers, it's probably because they have seen groups of teenagers just hanging around, which is what they seem to enjoy doing anyway. Teenagers will always be bored, and then, contrarily, will always snub most attempts to entertain them because it's "lame"... They will insist they could have been having a better time if they'd stayed at home, but if you didn't have a holiday they would complain bitterly because they feel they're missing out and there's nothing to do at home because all their friends have gone on their holidays... Teenagers exist to drive us mad and test our patience!

amen to that

Justval wrote:

Generally we have found that our kids liked "mooching" with other teenagers they met on holiday and made thier own entertainment between them .....

They also like to wander around alot and complain to their parents that they are bored! .....

Deanne and her mates liked to change clothes about 12 times a day and parade around looking at "fit lads"!

Exactly Val! Teenagers are very good at doing "nothing" and devote a lot of their time to doing just that! Often, they are not actually doing "nothing" at all, but if you ask them what they've been doing all day, that is the answer you'll get
We have just had our last "family" holiday - son is off to Uni next week, he'll be 19 at xmas and wants to do his own thing next year. Daughter was refusing to go on holiday next year if it was just me and her, so in order to actually have a holiday to look forward to, I have just booked Easter in Fuerteventura, and got a free child place for her best friend (friend's mum couldn't afford to pay for a holiday but is able to give her some spends). Not sure whether I've done the right thing, but at least they can do "nothing" together for 2 weeks. I've even paid for the excess baggage so they can change their clothes as often as they like

We once too a friend of Gav's with us to GC (Taurito.a favourite of ours ) and apart from one punch up that they had, they spent most of the time in competition over anything and everything..including who could pull the fittest bird. Bearing in mind they were only 13 at the time! They spent nearly the whole holiday with 2 16 year old lasses from Bristol and then Gav even managed to get a kiss from one of the air hostesses on the way home!

The thing is, neither of them were interested in doing owt with either of us..and the night Rob grounded them and made them sit with us all night for having the punch up in the hotel reception was pure torture for everyone! They didn't misbehave for the rest of the holiday and went back to mooching around. In fact if you asked them what they had been doing they just said "mooching about".

Must be a teenage thing...mooching about.

We took our 2 teenagers (Lee 14 and Amy 12) for over 3 weeks in Tunisia 2004/5, again in 2005/6 and again in 2006/7. We spent almost all of the time together as a family and not once did I here the word "bored". At 17 and 15 last year they don't want to holiday with us anymore, they like to stay at home, with grandad, and presumably "mooch" with their friends. Prior to that we did France and Spain for 10 days in 2003, don't remember a problem then either.

All these holidays have been driving holidays, we camped and self-catered and involved the teens in everything that we did.

K

We must have been lucky with our two boys. They enjoyed hanging around with us, were always up for fishing, kite flying, swimming, footy and anything else on offer whether with us or organised by the hotel/campsite.

Only just read this thread and have really enjoyed it. Everything said is so true about the sort of mooching around with other teens and kind of doing nothing. LOL.

As long as mine are not bothering other holiday makers I dont mind what they do, they have never been great ones for kids clubs, even a little uns, so there would be little point in me actively seeking out a hotel with something like 'wavelength' if that wasn't the hotel I particularly wanted.

We have always made sure that they come back to the room at night at about midnight with us though, I guess that next year when they are 14 & 16 that might become more difficult. Dont like the idea of them being out on a complex at night without us I suppose.

I think teens want what a lot of us adults do.

Decent weather, a nice pool/beach, a sunbed, food and drink that they like and some like minded people around them.

I think teens want what a lot of us adults do.

Exactly Doe,teenagers are trainee adults and want to experience everything we do..but sooner!

I cast my mind back to when I was a teenager and we did a lot of "mooching about"..and there was alot less choices of things to do for us then, we didn't have so many opportunities for activities...but mooching around was always hugely popular. We also did "nothing much" and shrugging of the shoulders was quite common too!

Nothing changes..our grandkids will do exactly the same things when they are teenagers.

i think as long as they are not bothering anyone on holiday and are respecting other people then they are fine. Mine are 19 and 16 now so it isn't really that much of an issue now.

I think teens want what a lot of us adults do.

except go to bed at 10pm like I would do if I had my way

lyn

lynwestie wrote:

I think teens want what a lot of us adults do.

except go to bed at 10pm like I would do if I had my way

lyn

Lol Lyn

just what we wanted to do this year but you couldnt get my kids to go to bed before 11.30.... and they are only 9 & 12!!

I am usually in bed before Gav any night of the week!

Again, he is only doing what i did as a teenager and burning the candle at both ends. Occasionally now I try to still do that but I am afraid I just can't hack it any more!

Reading this thread I think I must have the teenage equivalent of the Stepford wives in my 2 nieces! Their idea of a good night out on holiday is hanging around with the adults in the family, going for dinner, nattering into the night on the terrace or balcony etc. And during the day they've been happy to just 'fester' as we say in our family, laze around, have a swim, have a long leisurely lunch, a siesta, a read etc. They seem to adore the peace and quiet and 'nothingtodoness' of La Gomera as much as the adults in the family!

SM

SMa... you have just described my girls to a tee!

they are 12, 16 and 17, they are quite happy enough to swim and sunbathe all day, enjoy an evening meal out, but then they like to find a kareoke bar or sit on the balcony enjoying the peace and quiet, listening to the sounds of the crickets.... wish they were so easily pleased at home, thats when i get the "mam, im sooooooooooo bored" couldnt cope with that on holiday too!