what should i buy year 7 ds for christmas to ensure he doesnt feel like the poor orphan come the january playground chats

[stitch]

we dont have any money. what there is, is going to pay his school fees, and mortgage. and some serious worry about not being able to pay those. but, the situation may well even up a bit soon, so hopefully, wont be completely dire.
we have always bought dc one present each for christams, in part to ensure they dont feel left out. (muslims) and partly coz they our kids and we love them, and we love christmas too. but never ever gone overboard big time as they also get a present each for both eids.
so what should i buy ds, to ensure he doesnt feel really hard done by come january? he already has a psp he doesnt play with, so no point buying a game for that. a mobile phone. and he doesnt really like playing with toys anymore.

[KnickKnack]

a bike, scooter or skateboard?

[liahgen]

how old is he?

[sinkingfast]

electric guitar?

[stitch]

11, 12 in april
he had a lovely bike which was stolen a few weeks ago. through our own carelessess. i dont want to simply replace it. plus, have just heardd today about friends nephew dieing from collision with lorry whislt on his bike. 17 years old. on his way to college/school. so am a bit shell shocked about that . iyswim.

[Kaplumbagadort]

I don't know what you could buy him, but if he doesn't play with his PSP would he be interested in selling it? Have a thread on for sale/wanted at the moment. DS2 wants to spend his birthday money on a PSP.

[stitch]

an electric guitar??? i wouldnt just be able to get one from elc for him though? and wouldnt that just mean i have to then get him lessons? an interesting idea though. not something i would have thought of myself.
i think he wouldlike it. and it would meet the criteria i said

[ReallyspookyBCNSgrrrrr]

electric guitar.. I agree with that.. tis a very cool thing to have

[stitch]

i'll ask him. there are some games to go with it as well. he may well be quite happy to do that.

[Kaplumbagadort]

Thanks.

[KnickKnack]

oops thought you said "age 7" not "year 7"...have no idea what 11yr old boys are into

[sinkingfast]

not too bad price wise

[stitch]

yikes sinkingfast.
with those i willd efintitly have to get him lessons. and ensure the younger dc also get lessons.

[sinkingfast]

no you just buy him this book

"Bert Weedon's Play In A Day" remains one of the world's most successful guitar tutors. It is as much as legend as the stars that have learnt from it including Eric Clapton, Mike Oldfield, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon, Sting, Brian May, Pete Townshend and many, many others! "Play in a Day" is easy to use, with plenty of tips for selecting the right guitar, the correct amplifier, how to hold your instrument and plenty of tunes and exercises to get to grips with. "

[ReallyspookyBCNSgrrrrr]

or use you tube so he can watch guitar lessons
and play cool rock music too pretty quickly
some of them aren't bad at all.. you can also learn to tune the guitar from youtube

[sinkingfast]

In fact I'm seriously tempted to get ds one (he's 10) as he'd love it

Interesting about youtube etc

[ReallyspookyBCNSgrrrrr]

I have all 3 of mine playing guitar.. 5years 9 year and 13 year olds ..acoustic tho.. as I play myself.. and I wan't them to learn the way I did LOL
ds1 13 is about to move on to an electric

[ReallyspookyBCNSgrrrrr]

want to add.. DD (5) hasn't been playing long but can play some snow patrol...

it makes the whole lesson thing a bit more interesting if there a a few good / cool songs in there

[sinkingfast]

That's interesting - ds also learns acoustic. Did your dd pick up the Snow Patrol by ear or did you get her the sheet music?

[ReallyspookyBCNSgrrrrr]

neither I taught her.. I can't read sheet.. so I play by ear.. but dad teaches dc's to read music

[sinkingfast]

OK - I can play by ear (not guitar though) but ds tends to read music slavishly. Think I'll have a browse in the music shop and see what I can find

[ReallyspookyBCNSgrrrrr]

if you are musical.. and you must be to be playing by ear.. guitar is actually pretty easy..

[sinkingfast]

Really? And does that make me musical?? I've always been able to listen and then play back on whatever instrument I've been playing at the time, but I always thought everyone could do that. Watching ds has made me realise they can't.

[ReallyspookyBCNSgrrrrr]

yes and yes.. and no not everyone can do it LOL

it's just the shapes/ fingering for the chords..(left hand) and the struming/picking with the right.. you should be able to pick it up no probs
watch out for sore fingers tho... until the toughen up! ( won't take long)

[carmenelectra]

How about a nice watch, maybe a trendy orsporty name? He is old enough to appreciate stuff like that.
My ds1 is yr 5 and he had a basic watch like a Timex type which he thinks is too babyish now! He wants a sporty Addidas one or similar

[sinkingfast]

sorry stitch, got carried away there.

Thanks BCNS, I'll give that a try