Is Sweet 16 really a big deal?

Another instance when I'm glad I'm too old for such shite

I think this is extremely grabby.

A 16th birthday is not a big deal, culturally, in the UK. Of course, that doesn't mean that the girl or her parents can't make a big deal of it but they should be the ones financing it.

Sending you a formal invite to a meal that they expect you to pay for while also requiring you to bring an expensive gift? It's very rude.

Go to the meal
Buy an amazon voucher to the amount of your choice

No, you don’t. Well, you have step children
one of who is violent and abhorrent to you . Probably a teen and probably drives your view on the “vast majority” of teens being such despicable creatures

i’ll hide the thread leave you to stew

🤷

Who an earth are you to state I haven’t had children. Yes I have thanks and my opinion still stands.

Like I said you seem triggered by MY opinion. If you don’t like it scroll past, you felt the need to quote me over a generalised comment.

the vast majority of teens are currently socially inept. It’s not helped by the fluffy ‘parenting’ they have received.

I’m so sick of this covid so. story excusing vile teenage behaviour

”vile entitled teens”

bloody hell @PixieLaLar you really don’t like teenagers

you don’t have children and have very little to do with 16 year olds

and “triggered” 😆

I have enough to do with 16 year olds to form an opinion of my own.

Why exactly do you feel so triggered by my passing generalised comment to feel the need to quote it in this post?

If the restaurant is affordable then nothing stopping you going but choosing a different present or an Amazon gift card

It’s an American thing. Glad it’s not big here.

In America maybe.

Spend the amount that you normally spend on her birthday. Go to the meal unless it is somewhere stupidly expensive.

Bad enough with the whole Prom thing which some schools dread , baby showers and pre wedding meals , now this!
Ok if you're rich , but it is an import most people won't want for their children I bet ( especially if they discover they can get such expensive presents too!)

Ridiculous American nonsense.

I never watched that show although I’m familiar with it. It’s an outlier in more way than one. I grew up largely in the States (parents moved around a lot) and the only ones who had ‘Sweet 16s’ were girls. The girls in my family had them but none of the boys did, and the same for my school peers.

I did and off the back of it asked my parents for a Sweet 16th Party (and a puppy).

I was promptly told where to go 😂.

"No. It's not a tradition in this country and you'll be having exactly the sort of birthday you have every year. And if you sulk like one of those brats off the telly you'll be getting bugger all!"

Yeah I did and mentioned this show a few posts ago when PP tried to make out sweet 16s are only for girls and the poster before - that they are some how celebrating girls being of legal age to have sex….Nah it was much more about rich entitled brats being spoilt by their idiotic parents encouraging them to think the world revolves around them. (Male and female) Was entertaining in its own way though 🤣

Another imported American pile of hyped up crap for hard pressed parents to deal with and low income teenagers to be bullied about.

Didn't anyone ever watch My Super Sweet 16 where extremely rich kids had thousands spent on celebrating their 16th? It was a mix of girls and boys and totally obnoxious, someone always had a meltdown because they received diamond shoes that were way too small!

I would speak to her and explain that you won't be attending as it sets a precedent for you with your neices/nephews (her other children) when they turn 16, 18, 21; that you didn't do anything like this for your own kids: give all the reasons you've listed here. Then end a gift you can afford or a voucher.

Be clear that you're not negotiating on this matter. Don't get drawn into a discussion.

It could get very expensive! You may well find there are a couple of years that contain a 21st, an 18th, and a 16th in very short succession if there are 4 of them!

I wouldn’t say it is just for girls, there was that American TV show “My Super Sweet 16” I think it was called with the OTT parties and that had boys and girls as the hosts.

It is not a US thing.. What you watch in the movies is over the top. Don't t go if you don't want to but don't blame us for this party.

It's long been a thing in America.

But not the UK. Just do what you'd do for a normal birthday. I had relatives who politely said things like, "21 has always traditionally been the big birthday in our family, so apologies but we won't be giving a big gift for your 18th, just the usual sort." or "We don't believe in Baby Showers but will bring a gift when baby arrives." (not me, I didn't have one!) and no one took offence. I think there could be a polite way of making the point that you won't be entering the madness.

It's only going to escalate as this "Sweet 16" gets older...Prom, Result's Day, 18th, 21st, Graduation, Engagement, Hen, Bridal Shower, Wedding, Baby Showers, Sip and Sees...Expect lots of demands and CFery!

People are free to celebrate their birthdays however they want but having a code that links you to a wish list of expensive items is really tacky imo.

It use to be more of a big deal because 16 was seen as a stage in ‘growing up’ and more of a milestone. Yes you can legally have sex, but also legally marry, get a job and start thinking about being independent and responsible for your own future.

I’m not trying to argue with you specifically but this doesn’t really explain why it’s just for girls though?