18th birthday present for son who doesn’t want anything

[Gudspede]

Not into sport
Doesn’t want driving lessons
Doesn’t want gadgets (iwatch/buds etc)
Already had a new laptop
Not really into clothes but concedes that a few new jeans / sweatshirts would be good
Not into jewellery or skincare (ie face masks and serums - he does wash, before anyone says euww)
Doesn’t use Amazon- I buy his vouchers off him whenever he is given them by relatives.

He will be cross if I spend money on him for the sake of it, but, and I know it’s his choice, he won’t have anything to unwrap on his birthday unless you lovely lot can think of anything creative.

Help, please, Mumsnet.

So you would honestly not buy your child a single birthday present? Not a single one? Just ignore the day? Wow.

If that's what they genuinely wanted. It's what I asked for for years but not forcefully enough to be taken seriously.

It made me sad every year that my opinion on my own birthday was considered less important than my mum's desire to buy stuff.

There's every chance your son didn't actually mean he didn't want anything and you're quite right to insist on buying something. But it's also worth double checking what he actually wants and not just insisting on your own preferences.

You didn’t answer my question.

Yes I did. I said "If that's what they genuinely wanted"

That is so sad.

In your opinion. I'd have been a lot less sad in my teens and 20s if I felt my mother had actually listened to what I wanted over her insistence on how she thought I ought to feel about my birthday but there you go.

As I say, chances are your son doesn't feel that strongly and may well actually welcome a present even though he said he didn't. I'm just saying it's worth double-checking. Just to be kind.

Mine got £180 in cash, a tray of original curry pot noodles and a box of crisps from the cash and carry.