Help. .lol.....my son is turning 16..and since you can't drive until your 16 and 6 months..a car is not going to happen(he is a little upset about that).
So the question is what is a goodd way to spend a 16th birthday?..or a gift, etc
We have a family dinner planned but i want to do something more meaningful as well (he did not want a party)
Ideas please. ...TIA
Thx for ideas!...he cannot drive until 16.5, so no car until then (not paying to have ins and tags for 6 months..when he would need an adult with him anyway)
He is going to the shooting range with his dad and then we are going out to dinner.
We are also doing some fun things on the water in 2 weeks while on vacation :)
So what does he want to do if he wants no party? I'd plan along the lines of his specific interest.
Will the car be happening at 16.5 yrs old? Something he can help plan and look forward to?
It fun to have experiences vs a gift sometimes. Most kids love plain ole $$$$
Happy Birthday!
Mine wants cash and to hang out with a couple friends at a local gaming lounge. Easy! We always go to a restaurant of the birthday kid's choice too.
Kids can get a permit here at 15.5 but we're not buying cars for the teens. They get to use our 16+ year-old car that is held together with dirt and runs by gerbil power. :-D
Well it depends what he's into...
At that age my son was into music, books, movies, video games, cash (of course!)
Honestly I can't remember exactly what we did but I think it was an upgrade to his computer, along with some new xbox games...and I'm sure he had a few buddies over to play said video games, pizza, overnight, etc.
In our house, being able to drive a car doesn't mean we're buying a car for our son.
Maybe I'm reading your sons attitude wrong but I'd be tempted to give him the jobs section of a news paper and tell him "Happy Birthday! Now go get a job.".
What does he like? My son spent all of his birthdays away at camp for the past 5 years. Yes, even his 16th. He came home ON his birthday. So we had gifts for him and his choice of cake (cookie cake). Just the family (parents and sibling), and we all went out for dinner at his choice of restaurant. He did get keys to a car (husband's old 277,000 mile car), but he couldn't drive it alone for about 2 weeks. Here, you have to wait 1 year and 1 day from the date of your learner's permit issuance. You can get that on your 15th birthday, but, since he was away at camp, and then the weekend... he didn't get that on his birthday but several days later. So his class D license was delayed a few days past his 16th birthday as well.
curious... is that the law in NY? Never heard of needing to be 16 and a half.
We didn't just wrap up the car key, though, we bought him a nice keychain for it also. :)
But, I'd ask my son what he wanted. Music he likes? Get the the CD and let him upload it to his iTunes. Give him gas cards to use when he *does* have a vehicle to drive?
My daughter's 16th birthday fell close to Jazz Fest, so we gave her two tickets and told her she could invite a friend. We also gave her spending money, and drove them there and back.
Perhaps tickets to a concert or show near you that he would like to see?
Are you buying him a car when he gets his license? If so, why not just do that now? I wouldn't get a big present now and then a car in 6 months, personally.
And find out what he wants to do. Does he like sporting events? Concerts? Experiences? Do what he likes and let him bring a friend or two. One of my friends took her daughter to Mexico for her 16th birthday - they went 5 months ahead of time because that's when it worked out timing wise, but still, quite the experience!
Ask him what he'd like to do my grandson has his 16th birthday this summer. I asked him what he'd like to do. Immediately he said go to coast with friends. I will drive them. Now, I plan. My grandson also thinks (being almost 16 and knowing other 16 year olds) your son would most likely take money above other things, especially if he hasn't asked for anything. It's a way for him to choose his own gift in a sense, spend it on
I like experience gifts. Just because he doesn't want a party doesn't mean you couldn't invite his closest friend(s) on an excursion of some sort. Of just go as a family if he would be into that.
Some ideas our teens and friends have done that were not a 'party'
- going to see a game - get some good seats
- going to one of those tree climbing zip line places (that was a huge hit)
- swim afternoon with water slides followed by dinner at sports bar
Our kids' friends sometimes do a camp out in the backyard with a couple of friends (tents and trailers). They have a blast. They set up a TV out there by the fire pit (might not work with everyone's yard, but that is really low key, and really fun). Big breakfast the next morning.
These ideas might not cut it if he was hoping for a car...
There's always money ... but I always ask my kids for ideas. Otherwise it could backfire.
okay - good thing we aren't in NY!!! Kids can get their permit here at 15.5 years.
For a boy? Paint ball.
WHAT DOES HE DO?? What is his hobby?? One of my friend's son does metal detecting and civil war reenactment. When he turned 17? They took a group of boys to the Manassas Battlefield for a re-enactment and metal detecting. He was over the moon happy. He did what he LOVED..
Why not do what he loves? He doesn't want a party - fine. You can still do what he loves. If he likes kayaking or something - do that.
What are your plans for a car when the 16.5 date rolls around? If you are planning to help him get a car, you could give him a bank account with a small deposit in it as a "starter" fund for his car. Most banks have student accounts that don't charge interest, and kids get a chance to start learning how to manage their money - very important for when they are 18 and headed out on their own (college or job). Depending on his summer plans, he could get a job to add to it. You could give him a gift certificate for driver's ed lessons, which will either help him get his license sooner or help reduce the insurance rate (which will still be exorbitant).
If a car isn't in his future (it wasn't in our son's), what does he need this summer? Is he going to camp? Working someplace where he needs decent clothes/shoes? You could take him shopping and set a price limit for his purchases. Some teens need some advice about what's appropriate, but it's also a good time for them to start learning how to make good choices about what's fashionable but not too trendy for a work environment, what styles/colors go together, how to combine things to get the most bang for the buck.
If he doesn't want a party, would he want to take a friend out to the movies and then to a pizza place? If you can find a comedy club or an improv group that doesn't have a lower age limit, you might do that. My son took a few friends to one when he was 17 (we went too and sat separately). They felt very grown up.
What does he like? Tickets to a concert or a sorting event? A weekend away to the beach? An amusement park or waterpark? A fishing trip? Movies? Rock climbing? Canoeing? White water rafting? Wake-boarding?
