If you were a 17 year old babysitter, who did a fab job, what would you want for Christmas?

[Carrotsandcelery]

And before you get carried away, the budget is £10

I am really tempted by some Margaret Atwood as she is one of my favourites. I would go for The Handmaid's Tale or Oryx and Crake I think. It is not exactly a bit of fun light reading for the holidays before your exams though.

The Help is a good laugh while still making a lot of serious points so that might be better for the time of year.

I am trying to think what I read at her age. It's all a bit blurry

DD1 enjoyed The Help; she also liked Room. I was irritated by both of them and strangely, thought both had v strong first halves and v stupid second halves. But I am a fussy old sod, rather than a teenage girl!

I Capture The Castle would be nice too and you can buy tote bags with the 'kitchen sink' quote on too.

May I ask the age of your dd please Remus? I read Room in the summer and found it quite disturbing, although see your point about the ending being weak.

I think I am looking for something more light hearted but still with some depth to it. She is very very bright - she has asked me to help her with her work and there was really very little I could add as she was doing so well on her own. That said, she is usually watching Disney films when we stagger home come back in after a night out.

I would love to give her some sort of relaxation kit eg chocolate, bubble bath, book. I am maybe over thinking it all though and should give her an itunes card and a big bar of chocolate!

She's 16, Carrots. She read Madame Bovary and all the Austens and Jayne Eyre etc a few years ago and loved them all bar Mansfield Park. She hated Thomas Hardy though! She was fine with Room and I'd be worried about any 17 year old who was overly disturbed by it tbh. i suspect women who have children may be MORE disturbed by it but tbh I just found it v flawed: a strong idea v weakly executed.

I think bubble bath (dd1 likes the Sainsbo's cheapo version of Soap and Glory - it's called Lie Back and Think Of England or something), a book and chocolate would be perfect.

Wow!

I don't think I read anything like that until my final year at school - even then I am not sure how much I really understood.

She has recently read The Trick Is To Keep Breathing and hated it which is why I am steering away from the heavier stuff. She understands but doesn't enjoy iykwim.

A necklace or voucher for getting nails done

Her sister, on the otherhand, is a good reader but refuses to read just about everything!

Not heard of the one you've just mentioned. Any good?

I read it when I was about 19 Remus (about 20 years ago) and I liked it but can't remember much about it. It is about a woman having a breakdown and is written from her point of view. It's by Janice Galloway.

That's what I thought about the Bobbi Brown.

A pampering bag is a good idea - I have so much to learn. My dd is still young.

hi, op, this is nosey, but can I ask what you pay her? I am trying to get a local teenager to babysit and havent a clue what to pay

I think a gift bag filled with stuff would be the best bet.

Ideas: mags, chocolate, bubble bath, candle, nice mug with hot chocolate sachet and marshmallows, popcorn, cheap dvd (play.com),

Also could your kids make something or are they too wee? Even just a photo / drawn pic in a cheap frame?

Handmaids tale was my favourite book at age 17.

ssd I pay roughly £5 an hour which is the going rate in our village. It is crippling though so we don't go out that much. It is £10 an hour after midnight. I also leave out drinks and snacks.

The dcs are already planning what they will do for her. They are very "creative" so it should be something that she will enjoy.

One thing that both of my dds loved last year was a Starbucks voucher, wrapped up with some chocolate coins, a candy cane and a mug. They loved being able to go to Starbucks and have whatever they wanted, instead of having me stand over them hissing that they can only have X or Y because it's cheaper! DD1 blew hers in two trips iirc but dd2's lasted her a while. I know it's a voucher but a ten pound voucher plus coins, a cheap mug (maybe Home Bargains) and a candy cane or hot choc sachet would only be about 11.50 or so.

These are such lovely ideas. I think I will try to combine a few of them to make up her little Christmas bundle.