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Original poster

A present for my 18 year old daughter

16 replies

shiningcuckoo · 27/07/2024 05:35

A daughter is 18 this week. I want to give her something sentimental of mine. Would it be appropriate to give her my engagement ring? Her dad and I are no longer together. Or I have my own mothers ring- prolly not very valuable but very special to me. Or some Diamond earrings that my exh bought for me. Although I do still like to wear those.

OP posts:
MumChp · 27/07/2024 05:37

At 18 yo I wouldn't have appriciated it.

Edingril · 27/07/2024 05:50

I see no issue with any of this but only if you think she would actually appreciate it, you could give her one now maybe and another for another significant event when she is older

Original poster
shiningcuckoo · 27/07/2024 05:52

I think she will appreciate it in her own way. And if she loses it or sells it, then I just have to live with that.

OP posts:
Mummyoflittledragon · 27/07/2024 06:07

I would keep this sort of sentimental until your dd is older. She won’t value them in the same way as she would were she say 30 plus. Can you afford to buy her some real diamonds? I bought some earrings with tiny chips from Argos for nieces for their 18th.

HaveYouSeenRain · 27/07/2024 06:11

Prolly??

buy her something special that’s her own and doesn’t have sentimental value to you. She is only 18 and might appreciate that more. Your old engagement ring of a failed marriage is a weird gift for an 18th birthday.

would she even wear your old engagement ring for example? I am over 40 and still haven’t got any of my mum’s old jewellery. I will get it when she dies.
how about getting her something small from Tiffany’s (is that still a thing w teenagers?) or a watch? Or a handbag?

Globules · 27/07/2024 06:43

My mum gave me her engagement ring from my dead dad when I was 18.

I lost it somewhere on the back and forth between home and uni. Don't gift it to an 18 year old as they really won't appreciate it.

My DD was 18 a few weeks back. I managed to get her Taylor Swift tickets. I wanted something for her 18th to make end of childhood memories that will stay.

And I got her a charm for her charm bracelet. That was the sentimental thing 😁

Rocknrollstar · 27/07/2024 07:38

I have given my GC many sentimental items but their parents have labelled them and put them in their safe. DD was given her GMs rings when she was 16 but has always kept them safe and never worn them.

Allthehorsesintheworld · 27/07/2024 07:44

Rocknrollstar · 27/07/2024 07:38

I have given my GC many sentimental items but their parents have labelled them and put them in their safe. DD was given her GMs rings when she was 16 but has always kept them safe and never worn them.

I think it depends on the individual.
This would totally freak me out, keeping items in a safe. Certainly couldn’t have been doing with that at 18, would have been worried about valuable items getting lost, stolen. But others will appreciate the value.
It’s definitely horses for courses.

sillylittlethings · 27/07/2024 07:58

@HaveYouSeenRain
Prolly = probably??

Taytocrisps · 27/07/2024 09:19

I agree with previous posters that she's unlikely to appreciate something sentimental at 18. She'll probably prefer whatever's trending on TikTok. She's young and just starting out on her adult life and is likely to do lots of travelling and have lots of house moves etc. So, probably easier to lose something valuable and/or sentimental. The engagement ring would (I presume) have been bought for you by your Ex and he might feel weird seeing your DD wear it.

Jellytotsandwinegums · 27/07/2024 09:25

I agree with pps, 18 is too young for valuable sentimental gifts like these, which she would value when she's older. I got my daughter a watch for her 18th - elegant but simple Scandi design, she really likes it, wears it when dressed up, but it won't be a crisis if she loses it, and if she doesn't, she can wear it for years.

Normallynumb · 27/07/2024 21:15

Sons rather than daughter, but the sentiment is the same
I bought mine nice watches each and they all wear them on dressed up occasions
I was proud to see DS2 wearing his with his graduation gown
I'm not sure I'd gift DD your engagement ring from her DF especially as you're divorced

Chillilounger · 27/07/2024 21:54

I got my GG grandma's engagement ring when I was about 20. I wouldn't have wanted my mum's though. Too close.

lemonyellows · 27/07/2024 21:57

Too young to "get" something sentimental. Get her something she will appreciate for an 18 year old

Tel12 · 27/07/2024 21:58

I gave my DD her grandmothers engagement when she got married. I'm fairly sure she wasn't particularly impressed.

TowerStork · 27/07/2024 22:22

I don't get the idea that 18 year olds are too young. You know yourself what your daughter is like. My mother gave me one of her necklaces when I was 18 and I'm still wearing it 20+ years later. Also a ring she got me for my 16th. They are simple 9ct gold. I like gold but most people then were into silver. So maybe buy her something for herself in a style she chooses

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