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AIBU?

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Original poster

What did your DC get for their 18th from you and the wider family? And did you think it was appropriate?

71 replies

WillHe · 04/04/2023 21:05

We've the oldest grand child on both sides about to turn 18. She's getting a laptop from us, her parents. Useful but not an heirloom.
What do Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents give these days?
Back in the 90s I got a Roberts Radio and an empty but pretty perfume bottle from Selfridges!
My work colleague gifted her kids £42,000 each. It felt a lot for an 18year old to handle, it was literally a cheque.
What's normal in your world?

OP posts:
iusedtobeasize8 · 04/04/2023 22:12

In my family a 21st birthday is the special birthday. My Mum gave me a ring and my Dad gave me cash which i used to go on holiday to Spain for 2 weeks.

JustMarriedBecca · 04/04/2023 22:13

Round the world ticket from my parents and my family all chipped in experiences.

Absolute best present ever.

VaguelyFamiliar · 04/04/2023 22:16

I turned 18 in the late 90s and got an antique clock (I'd always wanted one!), which I think cost a bit over £100. Parents paid for caterers to do a kind of buffet dinner for a group of about eight friends.

I've started saving towards some kind of trip or meal for my DC. DC1 loves food and travel, so I can see us going for a really nice meal or weekend city break. I think the experience and memory will be something they appreciate more over time than stuff of some sort. I have a few years to go, but don't have much disposable income so am trying to save bits here and there so there's a fund for something a bit special when the time comes.

OhVelma · 04/04/2023 22:16

We paid for ds to do his padi scuba diving course in a Mediterranean country for his 18th. Dh wanted to do it too so went along as his buddy and they spent 5 days together which they both really loved.

PiranhaTank · 04/04/2023 22:21

One son turned 18 at the same time as other son turned 21. They get on very well and I bought them each an interrailing ticket. They went off together for a few weeks one summer and had the time of their lives. No way would I give £42 grand to an 18 year old.

Original poster
WillHe · 04/04/2023 22:22

It's all reassuringly random!
And funny that we remember our own 18ths.

OP posts:
viktoria · 04/04/2023 22:24

My eldest only wanted cash; which she got. But I also made her a photo album. It was meant to be one album, with just highlights of her "first 18 years"; in the end it became 5 albums.
She loved it.
And our younger one is turning 18 soon and when I asked her what she wanted, she said "definitely photo albums"

weegiemum · 04/04/2023 22:24

Dd1 got her MacBook

Ds got a fancy iPad with pencil and extras (not sure what but he was happy)

Dd2 got her Mac desktop.

Grandparents -

Mil gave them each a watch
My d parents gave them the account they've been paying into since they were small - about £3000

paulaparticles · 04/04/2023 22:28

My daughter has recently turned 18 and we paid for her holiday abroad this summer. (going with friends) had a big party and will be giving her spending money for holiday too.

Thatladdo · 04/04/2023 22:32

I got chickenpox for my 18th, quite bad.
I remember it clearly.

Pretty much set my level of expectation for the rest of my life 😆

Tellmethespoiler · 04/04/2023 22:35

Nevermind31 · 04/04/2023 21:20

I got a (used) car from my parents. Grandparents paid for drivers license

How can you pay for a licence? That’s not possible.

Redglitter · 04/04/2023 22:37

Tellmethespoiler · 04/04/2023 22:35

How can you pay for a licence? That’s not possible.

Show quote history

Ofcourse it is. A provisional license costs money to get

WillWorries · 04/04/2023 22:37

My parents got me a Tarzan-o-gram.
Rubbing baby lotion into his bum, barely covered by a loin-cloth, while watched by my grandparents, was the highlight of my 18th! 🙈

ThanksForYourHelp · 04/04/2023 22:41

We paid for our daughter's tattoo.

handsoffate · 04/04/2023 22:53

I can’t remember what I got for my 18th.

Nevermind31 · 04/04/2023 22:56

They paid for the lessons, the test etc - everything I needed to get the licence.

Greenshake · 04/04/2023 22:59

I got a bedroom furniture set that was put into my mother’s room as it wouldn’t fit in mine. What made it worse was that I was due to go to university a few months later, so it was never a gift for me.

FranksOcean · 04/04/2023 22:59

A tattoo

EconomyClassRockstar · 04/04/2023 23:02

My DD got a Tiffanys bracelet. One of my sons got his first skydive (his choice) and I can't even remember what the older kids got!

Orangetapemeasure · 04/04/2023 23:03

I bought a designer name watch with all my birthday money. It was £180. I still have it. A family friend bought beca gold necklace and matching earrings. I still have those.

flotsomandjetsome · 04/04/2023 23:07

DS got cash, he was shocked by the amount as we are by no means high income, but I'd been saving a little bit since he was born.

It was given with the stipulation that it had to be spent on travelling, as that was something me & DH could never afford to.

He was thrilled, the inter-railing ticket is booked for after A levels, and I hope he has a bloody marvellous time.

rc22 · 04/04/2023 23:17

I turned 18 in 1995 and got a watch from my parents which I still have. I think I got cash from other family members. I do still have an 18th birthday mug that a school friend got me that has survived. I'm rather fond of it.

Confettishower · 04/04/2023 23:19

My Ds is 18 this summer. We have a sum of cash for him and another sum to be invested. The first one is to pay for his flights to do a gap year and the latter is to get him into a habit of putting a little but away every year. I had no financial advice from my parents, in fact I thought everyone hid letters from the bank until I met DH so I want ds to have an understanding of financial responsibility.

I have no idea what I got for my 18th. Very little from my family for sure.

caringcarer · 04/04/2023 23:22

My DD had a second hand car and insurance paid, cost £3500 20 years ago. My eldest DS preferred a cheque for £3820 he saved towards a deposit as did not go to Uni. Youngest son got cheque for £4050 which was same value as gifts his siblings got when they turned 18. Foster son who has lived with us since he was 5 will get £5k when he turns 18.

caringcarer · 04/04/2023 23:26

For my own 18th I was given the choice between second hand car or a large party. I chose the party My 4 sisters all chose the cars. Now when we look back at our childhood my sisters always talk about my party and now wish they had chosen the party too. Special memories are golden. They don't fade.