We screwed up son's b-day morning -- ideas?

[erincon23]

My younger DS turns 15 today! This is a milestone for many reasons -- he's had a really bad couple of years, and this is the first bday in maybe 4 years where he feels happy, is attending school regularly, and was excited about his bday. Last night, he asked us to wake him up early, because he wanted to get to school especially early -- DH, who usually wakes him up, accidentally set his alarm to PM and I forgot to turn mine on! We woke him up about 20 minutes before he would usually leave for school, which was probably an hour after he wanted to be woken up. He's not the most pleasant of children when things don't go his way, and today he was REALLY mad about it (he wouldn't tell us why he wanted to get to school early, just know it wasn't a makeup test or something like that).

I'd like to do something special for when I pick him at this afternoon, but it has to be REALLY cheap -- I thought maybe picking up a shake for him at his favorite place? Any other ideas?

 

[C.Ann]

Accidents happen.. I wouldn't get too stressed out about it.. He'll probably be fine once he gets home and you can go on with his birthday celebration..

 

[java]

How about buying him a clock?

Does he play video games- my son has been talking non-stop about Call of Duty Black Ops- not exactly budget but that's what would make him happy today.

Cheap- I like your shake idea. My too cool son actually cracked up when I filled his bathroom with balloons- tons of them to the ceiling.

Happy Birthday to your son!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Sorry he has had a rough few years, and I am sorry the morning turned out to be a hard one
It will probably have blown over by the time you pick him up. I think the shake--or any other little treat is a good idea. Maybe have music playing you know he loves (especially if there is something he loves and you hate that you can have playing anyway just for him) when he gets in.
I know this is not the point of your post, but at his age he really ought to have his own alarm clock and be getting up himself (unless there is a reason this is just not possible for him)--which would have avoided all of this.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yea, I second the clock.

Seriously, when MY kids get mad about waking them up, laundry not clean, or other complaints then it is time for them to become responsible. They know to keep their mouth shut.

Probably not the answer you were looking for however it is just my rule in this house.

Just give him a hug, tell him sorry and grab him a treat.

Happy B-day to your DS!!!

 

[AKL_Megs]

I agree! Get him a $5 alarm clock! It'll be funny... And clearly, he needs one!

Birthday or not, at 15, he should be getting himself up!

I wouldn't fret, you made a mistake, but so we all do!

Get him a shake, you know men and their stomachs...

 

[anniemae]

I think the treat is a good idea, something special for his b-day.

I wouldn't stress about not getting him up, in fact I would probably not bring it up to him, I would just give him the shake and say "happy birthday." He has to learn that everyone is not perfect and you can't beat yourself up about something so silly, it makes him think you really screwed up-which you did not. He got up late, he needs to get over it and move on!

Like others have said, he probably has forgotten about it by now and is ready to celebrate his birthday! No need to dwell on it.

 

[Robinrs]

I think it's time he learns how to react when things don't go his way and this is your opportunity to teach him. He has about 70 years of times when things don't go his way and I've seen grown men act that way at work if they weren't nipped back then.

 

[scrapquitler]

He probably had some kind of plans with his friends for his birthday.

My husband likes to blow up a few packages of balloons and fill the floor of the kdis bedrooms on their birthday.

Cook him his favorite dinner tonight.

 

[golfgal]

Maybe he would deal better with things that didn't go his way if he was responsible for them-why do YOU need to be the one to wake him up??? It wasn't YOUR fault he didn't get up early, it was HIS fault. He isn't 5.

 

[mjkacmom]

I rarely use an alarm clock, so if I need to be up at a certain time (early) during the week, dd14 either wakes me, or sets my cellphone in alarm mode. Fortunately, my oldest is a girl, so I realize how independent and capable kids can be (if ds12 was my oldest, I'd still be picking out his clothes). Hope he has a great day!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

What about hitting up the local dollar store and get a bunch of balloons (to keep at home of course...) and going to the grocery store and purchasing a REALLY LARGE cupcake. Surprise him with that. It's something that's little but from the heart.

 

[Hannathy]

You wake him up no big deal as far as I'm concerned, I always woke my DD up to and she did fine on her own when she needed to.

At my kids school sometimes people decorate your locker on your birthday maybe he wanted to be there early in case they did and he could take it off before everyone got there, if it would embarrass him or maybe he doesn't want it decorated and he thought if he was there they couldn't do it, or he thinks no one will decorate his locker and if he is there early the excuse for him could be well I was in extra early so no one could.

Who knows why they want things sometimes at that age, or maybe if he was in early he was gonna shame his buddies into buying him something from the cafet. for breakfast.

Sorry I know you feel bad especially on his birthday, but I'm a big believer in fate so maybe there was a reason he wasn't supposed to be in there early today.

Get his shake or take him thru the Starbucks drive thru something little and hopefully it all turned out OK.


PS he is 15 maybe there is a girl who he thought would be wishing him a happy birthday and he wanted to be there early so he could be in the right place when she walked in? I know you wouldn't be getting told about that!

 

[Darsa]

If I had done this, the next time I see her it would be with Blizzard from DQ in hand

By the way, my little girl's birthday is today too... and she's ALSO turning 15!! Happy Birthday to your boy!

 

[jrmasm]

I wouldn't do anything. Crap happens, even on your birthday.

 

[MrsPete]

I agree with the "buy him a clock" sentiment. At 15 he needs to be responsible for getting himself out of bed.

However, since he'd asked 'specially to be waked up early and since you'd promised to do that and failed -- the kind of thing that happens to every one of us occasionally -- I think a casual apology and a shake are appropriate.

Also, it's time that he learns that life's going to throw these things at you sometimes, and you have to learn to handle them with grace. It's not fair (to you or him) that he's allowed to be unpleasant when things don't go his way.

 

[DisneyBeagle]

I would do something special tonight (dinner, cake, etc) because it's his birthday, but not anything special because you didn't wake him up in time. I know it is his birthday, but sometimes things happen and it's not like you did this on purpose. I would also get him an alarm clock for times that he wants to wake up earlier than usual. At fifteen he's almost old enough to drive a car, so he should be able to wake himself up if needed.

I definitely wouldn't be putting up with him being pouty or super mad because you didn't wake him up. Disappointed....yes! Mad or pouty....no!

 

[Disney Doll]

Screwing up a wake up call falls into the category of "stuff happens" as far as I am concerned. I wouldn't be doing anything special to apologize for it.

Now, if you want to get him a little treat because it's his birthday and you're his mom, then a shake from his favorite shake place would be nice. But i wouldn't be attaching it to the alarm mix-up this morning.

 

[luvsJack]

Younger DS had several alarm clocks in his room, he still asked me to wake him up if he wanted to be up by a certain time. AND he manages to get to work on time every day now that he is grown. Its really not that big of a deal.

The OP didn't exactly ask for parenting adivce.

Now, for the question. I would pick him up whatever his favorite treat is, shake, blizzard, whatever. And maybe something that would make him laugh. I always got a laugh from my sons as teens when I would do somethign that I would have done for them when they were little--balloons, birthday cake with their name and candles to blow out, toy for a gift. Just a "happy" to brighten the mood.

The roomful of balloons and having his favorite meals are good ones, too.

 

[Robinrs]

The OP didn't exactly ask for parenting adivce.

This is the DIS. You don't have to ASK to GET!