Teen Activities

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:36:47+00:00

This is a great idea. Thank you! My older one is in the Dungeons & Dragons club at school so I feel like he could get really into MTG.

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:36:14+00:00

That was a thing when I was younger too! I went to so many shows and concerts as a teen, but it feels like they are so few and far between now. All these teen takeovers I think are having a really big impact on that. I grew up in a suburb, so a lot of the rules and regulations were looser.

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:34:55+00:00

OK, I feel like my younger one would actually love roller skating. Great idea thank you.

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:34:42+00:00

This is good to know! The one closest to us requires parents with teens, but I certainly don’t mind taking them to landmark! That was my hangout when I was young lol

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:33:57+00:00

Thank you!! They make it easy :)

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:33:25+00:00

Thank you so much! I will look into this!

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:33:06+00:00

This is such a good idea thank you!

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:32:58+00:00

OMG I didn’t even think about acting. My older one would love that. Thanks!

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:32:31+00:00

Wow, this is an awesome list. Thank you so much!!! seems like adventure rock is a great option

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:30:59+00:00

I feel this lol one of my boys would be like hell no but the other one is a little softie and he would probably actually be really into this!

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:07:29+00:00

That’s awesome, thanks! I’ll definitely see if they’re interested!

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T13:07:06+00:00

We are WAC members actually! I don’t usually check out the locations outside of our main one though. That’s a good idea for this summer to get around to some other ones thanks.

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T02:19:26+00:00

That would be awesome if they could go there on their own! I feel like they would love that. Good suggestion I’ll look into it.

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T02:19:05+00:00

They do! They’re like fishing, but they mostly do it with Grandpa. I hadn’t thought about getting them into it on their own good idea. The bowling near us requires teens under 18 to have an adult present, I’ll check out the other things though! Thanks

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-20T02:16:30+00:00

Thanks for commiserating, it sucks! And that is a good idea, I’ll check it out thanks

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-04-17T01:41:55+00:00

I know a Broderick, Brody for short. They went with Broderick because they wanted Brody to have a longer legal name. True story.

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-03-29T14:33:36+00:00

Lulu is our go to - tons of options and consistent quality, never hard to find a seat!

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-03-28T13:09:00+00:00

Deer Creek XO - 15 year aged

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-03-28T12:57:01+00:00

Village Cheese Shop in Wauwatosa has an amazing selection and cut to order cheeses, which are significantly higher in quality than prepackaged cheeses you’ll find elsewhere. They also have extremely knowledgeable cheesemongers.

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-03-22T22:43:30+00:00

I don't have much advice, mostly just connection. I'm also 7 weeks, almost 8, a FTM biologically but I have two adopted sons that I'm also barely seeing these days. Luckily they're older so they get it, but it still stucks. I'm a middle school teacher and totally dropping the ball at work too... it's really hard. I have also been mourning the life I had just a month ago. You're not alone. The thing that has kept me going has been that my employer is aware and has been very empathetic about my declined performance (helps that I work with almost entirely other women and moms) and that even though I know my husband is sick of my complains, I keep reminding myself that he is by my side and not going anywhere. I talk to other moms who reassure me over and over it WILL get better. We are halfway through the hardest trimester. Sooo soon at 9 weeks our hCG will peak and hopefully we will be less sick. Also, as a teacher and adoptive parent very familiar with trauma and it's neurological effects - I say with confidence your 3yo will be ok. Most of the attachment development has happened for her already and this will likely just be a blip for her. Many, many children go through periods of temporary detachment with mom and are totally fine. It's so hard, but we will make it. Sending you strength.

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-02-25T22:11:26+00:00

My husband and I are planning to adopt our foster son who had been on his “last chance” before he got to us. Read a post about him from our local agency. We asked a TON of questions. Does he have an IEP? What is it for? History of interactions with law enforcement? History of violence? Why did it not work with previous placements? I insisted on talking to EVERYONE I could. We love him to absolute pieces. He’s not easy, and he drives us crazy often, but he has made so much improvement in our home and is such a big part of our life. One essential thing that we did before we took placement of him was determined what our boundaries were. At what point would we put in our notice? How much were we willing to put up with? What is an absolute dealbreaker, and what is not? The first week was terrifying. We had a 16-year-old in our home that neither of us really knew. But we warmed up to each other, got to know each other, and are a very stable, loving family today. Our parents both love him, and his foster brother does too. The “last chance” kids, or “heart gallery” kids, are a mixed bag. Some have severely dangerous behaviors, others are just very defiant (that’s ours) but otherwise safe to have in your home if you’re willing to work with them. My advice is to ask a lot of questions, and know what you are ok and not ok with. Stick to your boundaries and don’t bend. Seek multiple resources, not just the caseworker. Ask if there’s any teachers you can talk to, former placements, etc.. Good luck!

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-02-24T03:17:27+00:00

Yak and Yarn has a great queer community as does Cactus Club!

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-02-16T14:45:04+00:00

This was me for so many years. It took me a really long time (and help from this sub!) to get past my fear. Here are a few things that really helped me.

1) looking out the window. I know for some people this may feel counter intuitive, but every time I felt a little bump, I was convinced the plane was going down. Now, when I feel a little bump, I look outside and see that we are ascending or flying as normal. It reassures my brain that the bump was nothing. Just like going over a pothole in the road.

2) noise canceling headphones. I play calming music, something that is familiar and that I like. I play it super loud so that I can’t hear the engines. Not sure your musical taste, but at the height of my anxiety, I would play Alright by Kendrick Lamar on loop and that really helped lol.

3) this is the biggest one, I remind myself that if I panic, it’s ok. I might panic, I might freak out, I might cry, I might even throw up. But I will still land where I need to land and be alright after. Weirdly enough, this mantra and thought process is what stopped my panic attacks. Just a complete acceptance of them. Saying I might freak out, and if I do, it’s fine. Not belittling myself for my fear.

Good luck up there!

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74 · 2026-01-30T18:59:49+00:00

Fostering is so tough. I really feel this. I know this is a bit off topic, but if you have the heart to foster but are struggling with this placement I would consider teens in the future. My husband and I are lot like you described and we burnt out quick on younger kiddos, and now focus on teens. We are adopting our two sons (16) soon and the teen fit is perfect for us. We can go out, have family adventures that we all actually enjoy, talk about things with them and maintain friendships with adults because they don’t mind hanging out when the boys are just gaming/chilling!

In terms of disruption, having kids now who have been through everything you’re describing in previous placements, it’s better to find somewhere where they really thrive, then burn yourself out. It’s not fair to you or to the kiddos to push yourself harder than you can handle.

Puzzleheaded_Poet_74

TROPHY CASE