Is a 16th birthday extra special and if so…

[Toosoonforahotcrossbun]

What on earth are you buying your teen girls?

DD is 16 next month and hasn’t asked for anything.

She is a girly girl. Likes make up (though doesn’t wear lots), doing her hair nice. Likes nice clothes.

Im stuck and any help would be very much appreciated!!

Or not. I was given jewellery for my 18th and 21st birthdays, I don't even know where it is now! And it wouldn't be my taste to wear any more anyway.
OP give her cold hard cash!

Got mine some ruby earrings as red is 'her colour', also small pandora hoops, a going out bag and a candle. She seemed very happy indeed. I felt 16 was a bit special and spent more than normal

What ‘adult rights’ does a 16 year old have? I can think of they’re allowed to work and that’s it

But what you did for DC2’s birthday was the perfect thing in the circumstances.

I wouldn’t even have asked people
mid GCSEs. I’ve had just done something after the exams ended. When they could all enjoy it.

I don’t think they’re useless at all for prioritising exams. Just normal.

I’d say 16 is special x

Voucher for facial
Voucher for highlights/lowlights/balayage
Jewellery
Appt at Charlotte Tilbury for a makeup lesson and you get this free as long as you spend a certain amount on the makeup, so she then gets the right makeup for her skin.

They’re some of the extra surprises I bought my teen for Christmas and all were very well received.

No-one was expecting them to prioritise DC2's birthday over revision. Ten minutes on the walk home from school, or during half-term, to get an ice-cream or bag of chips together (something the group tended to do on birthdays) was what DC2 hoped they'd be up for. They weren't willing to do that yet spent significant amounts of time at the park or doing other social activities.

DC2 hadn't suggested anything more time-consuming than getting an ice-cream or bag of chips on the walk home from school, it didn't involve a detour and was what the group had done for other birthdays.
After the exams was suggested but they said no to that as well. They'd all had their birthdays but it's something of a theme that they really weren't interested in being friends to DC2 other than when they wanted something.

They can leave home, leave school, get married, vote ... amongst other rights. I'd say those are fairly significant.

Sounds like a wider issue then, which wasn’t what I took from your original post.

I wouldn’t have found it useless for genuine friends to not want to celebrate during GCSEs - my dd for example couldn’t really think about anything much else during hers - but sounds like the problem is their general
lack of interest.

I don’t think they can get married at 16 any more.

Not that that’s a huge point in the context of the whole thread but I don’t think they can. Thank goodness!

You can in Scotland

I’m including a spa day after GCSEs for my daughter, you have to be 16 to go so we’ll enjoy a nice day together relaxing x

I think it's a significant birthday although not as much as 18 and 21.

Some nice jewellery? Maybe shop together and she can choose, take her for lunch?

I have ordered her a necklace with a very small diamond in the pendant.

She will most likely wear this every day.

Someone suggested a spa day - I think she would love this actually. We would need to book it for after her exams but would be a nice treat. Will look in to this.

I suppose it depends what country you live in. A 16 year old can legally leave home however the parents retain parental responsibility until they are 18. 16 year olds do leave school but they have to go into higher education of some sort so college or apprenticeship, they can’t just leave education at 16 and do as they please. In England you cant vote until you’re 18 and in England the minimum age for marriage is 18 even with parental consent.

A spa day would be lovely but before checking I’d look at age requirements. Most spas are 18 plus but some do allow 16 year olds with a parent

I think it is special. I dont have a DD but if I did I would have gone necklace and maybe a special perfume . I think the spa day after GCSES will be lovely.

For DS amongst bits and bobs I did a watch and Chanel Bleu aftershave and money - he was happy.

No, “sweet sixteen” is more of an American tradition, it’s never been a thing here. 18 and 21 are the special birthdays

I have to admit I do feel a little pressure to treat 16 a bit more special, I think it’s because I’m a millennial who grew up on MTV! If we had the money available I’d take DS to NY for a few nights, but we’re saving for a once in a lifetime trip at the moment so our holiday savings are tied up and I’m also trying to save for the driving and uni years so I am being sensible! We’ll stick to our usual budget of around £500 and will get him a super car driving experience I think.

Absolutely! Describing the friends as useless wasn't specifically to do with the birthday but was a more general comment on their 'friendship'.

My eldest daughter has only just turned 14 so we’re a couple of years behind you but she’s similar in that she’s getting into make up and clothes etc. My daughter loves Pandora jewellery. When she turned 13 we bought her a Pandora charm bracelet so it’s nice to be able to add to her charm collection for birthdays and Christmas. She also has a couple of their necklaces and a different bracelet. Would she like a voucher to go clothes shopping? Hollister is a favourite here.

If you live near a Center Parcs or not too far then 14 is their minimum age for a spa day, as long as they’re accompanied by someone over 18.

Sounds like they weren't really her friends then. You can't make people do what you want. Even for a 10 minute walk with chips.

Useless for not liking your daughter enough? OK