Bday ideas for 17 yr old DD - inspirational ideas

[MinnieLove]

Help.. need some ideas but it is complicated. DD has gotten into some trouble recently. I would love to get her a "thoughtful" present. Something to help inspire her to get her XXXX together, grow up, put on her big girl panties!

She will not be getting the ordinary teen gifts - She has an ipod, a laptop, a well-used car, etc... anyway, but I would like to go a different direction. She needs to grow up and figure out what she wants out of life. She has never been in trouble or made poor choices but..... She is only a year alway from being an adult!

 

[Reddy]

books - how to get though college or find job
how to cook would be good too

I asked for dishes when I was a senior (knowing I had to go to college)
hew own towels to take with her when she moves out (new apartment/college dorm room stuff)

what are her plans for after high school?? so something to help with that

 

[ilovejack02]

A nice set of luggage . I received a set when I graduated from high school , used it for at least 15 years and a few years ago added a few pieces to match .


When DS21 was 18 he wanted to be a chef I gave him books about cooking school and a good set of knives. He is now kitchen manager in a high end restaurant.

Does she like sports , music, cooking or art ? Maybe lessons for something she is interested in .

 

[riley2008]

I always like children's books - two of my favorites are "Oh, The Places, You'll Go!" and "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". I've never given either of these books to kids - the adults really appreciate them, because they "get the message" so to speak.

 

[ilovejack02]

I always like children's books - two of my favorites are "Oh, The Places, You'll Go!" and "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". I've never given either of these books to kids - the adults really appreciate them, because they "get the message" so to speak.

That is a great idea ! My Mom gave me books from Shel Silverstein when I was in college. I loved his poems as a child but the books were ruined because I "loved" them so much.

Another idea, I collected Madame Alexander dolls as a child, is there something she would like to collect ?

 

[weHEARTmickey]

I would recommend this tour to ANY young woman! Watch the video clip in the middle of the screen
http://revolvetour.com/events/columbus/

 

[J. Galt]

This is kind of a weird suggestion, but here it goes.... I don't know what concerns you have about your daughter entering the "real world" but one book I have given to teenagers in the past has been a big hit (and honestly, I love this book too!). Lucky Magazine put out a book entitled "The Lucky Shopping Manual: Building and Improving Your Wardrobe Piece by Piece". I basically lays out for you what you need to build and invest in a wardrobe (minimum number of dresses, coats, etc....) and what to look for in fit, fabric, design, etc....... I don't necessarily recommend a subscription to the magazine (although I get it and love it), b/c most of the clothes pictured are insanely expensive and out of reach for a girl just starting out in the world. The book, however, really shows you how to build a wardrobe with some staying power.... not the trashy looking outfits you see on the young girls a lot nowadays, but a wardrobe that will carry you through college, job interviews, dinner with potential inlaws , you get the idea.... how to look respectable and chic at the same time. They wrote a second book about "mastering any style" which is interesting but not as useful, I feel.

 

[Alice's Mommy]

You said you were looking for something inspirational, something to help her "put her big girl panties on", right?

What about signing the two of you up (yep, you too mom! ) to help out at a homeless shelter or your local food bank. If you want your daughter to see the world beyond herself then maybe she needs to be shown how it is out there for some people and how truly blessed she is in the here and now. If you did, say the four Saturdays of her birthday month you could then end it with a special dinner out with just the two of you and maybe talk about the things you felt and thought about when you were her age.

My very favorite memory of being a teen with my mom was going out to dinner, just me and my mom, one night after helping set up a tag sale for the local chapter of the National Federation of the Blind (a program close to my family's heart) She let me order an appetizer and an entree and over dinner we talked about everything: boys, college, friends, her job, her thoughts about my growing up, my thoughts about growing up, movies, music...the list goes on and on. We shared a dessert too. It was a great night and I felt that she really listened to me. It meant more to me than any "thing" she could have bought me.

 

[Shmily1]

I would definitely recommend Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey if you are going to get a book. DD19 has this and it pretty much just tells girls what they should and shouldn't do in reference to dating, love, romance, etc. A good book actually! I was worried at first though.

 

[3boymthr]

This may sound strange but how about a checking account? Put a couple hundred dollars in it or the minimum and get her an ATM card. This will give her money to spend her own way and will also teach her about money management. I was reading recently about how kids today have no clue about how to manage their money because they don't offer home ec classes in school and parents manage their money for them thru college and then when they get out on their own they end up in big trouble and their parents have to bail them out. I think this is so true.

There was a post on here within the last couple of days about the top 8 banks one had free checks and no minumum balance.

 

[Marionnette]

I recommend "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. It's about acheiving your childhood dreams but it is aimed at a college-age audience. The book and his personal story are very touching.

 

[ceecee]

I would recommend this tour to ANY young woman! Watch the video clip in the middle of the screen
http://revolvetour.com/events/columbus/

This sounds great, All teens need that kind of inspiration!

 

[kacaju]

This may sound strange but how about a checking account? Put a couple hundred dollars in it or the minimum and get her an ATM card. This will give her money to spend her own way and will also teach her about money management. I was reading recently about how kids today have no clue about how to manage their money because they don't offer home ec classes in school and parents manage their money for them thru college and then when they get out on their own they end up in big trouble and their parents have to bail them out. I think this is so true.

There was a post on here within the last couple of days about the top 8 banks one had free checks and no minumum balance.

I just had my dd17 open a checking account yesterday!! I plan on spending the next year and a half (she is a Junior in HS) teaching her how to manage her money

 

[semo233]

There is a book that came into my life when I thought and felt like my world was over. It is called "The Traveler's Gifts" by Andy Andrews and there is a teen version available. It helped me gain focus again and "fill up my cup". I have read it over and over because as soon as I feel myself loosing focus and getting stressed out it helps! I have given it to several people as gifts because it was so precious to me. I usually write something inside the front cover about how much it has meant to me.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

This sounds great, All teens need that kind of inspiration!

I TOTALLY agree! I can't wait to share this with my daughter.

 

[Liberty Belle]

When I was in college, I was going through some rough times (depression, panic attacks) and my grades suffered. My mom came up (she lived about an hour and a half away) and we spent the day together. We walked around campus, had a fun lunch, played in the park, took pictures, and then had a nice dinner. It was one of the most memorable days of my life.

I suggest something like that.

 

[DebMcDonald]

A pandora bracelet with a very special charm and it's something you can continue to add to, that way she has something to look at and think about daily. I did that my for DD for her 16th bday and she absolutely loved it.

 

[MinnieLove]

Love the replies - you got me thinking... I will do something meaningful! Any other ideas?