Q for parents of teenagers

[Coreshot]

My daughter has her 16th B-day later this month. I hadn't really given it much thought, but of late I've been getting a lot of questions about what we're doing for her sweet16 party. Is this really as big a deal to girls as i'm beginning to believe? I've talked with my daughter, and she says she doesn't have any expectations out of the ordinary this year.

I would love to present her with a car, but with the job situation, it's not happening this year. This sucks because she is an excellent student, and I've always lead her to believe if she was doing good in school that I would help her get a vehicle.

What do you think? Ideas for a sweet16? Help!!

 

[Bart]

It was a big deal for my oldest daughter (now 23), and my youngest (just turned 15) is already talking about it. I think it's a bigger deal than your daughter is letting on. Don't know what would make it good for her, but I'd make kind of a big deal out of it for her.

 

[phatfoto]

As mentioned in another thread, I bought my daughter a XJ for cheap and spent some time and a few bucks making it presentable. I had done something similar for son a couple years before, his was a Ranger 4x4, bought it lifted and with baja fenders for about the same as my daughters XJ, so there wasn't any favoritism shown...

When I told my daughter I would paint the XJ, she wanted pink. We settled on Yellow. Her friends at college like her XJ even if itsn't as fashionable as their Audis and such.

 

[solidfrontaxle]

I think it's a bigger deal than your daughter is letting on.

Probably. But she said it wasn't and its better for everyone involved if you take her word for it IMO.

If she's dissapointed, its her own dang fault for not telling you. It'll teach her a thing or two about expectations and communication, a lesson most teen girls could use. :greg:

 

[Exalted 4x4]

Get her an old wheeler. Make it semi cool looking and all the guys will think she is super cool. My wife had an early bronco and her dad taught her all about it so when people asked she could tell them the tire size, gear ratio, engine size, axles etc.
Then you can spend some daddy daughter time on the trail

 

[Cody]

Probably. But she said it wasn't and its better for everyone involved if you take her word for it IMO.

If she's dissapointed, its her own dang fault for not telling you. It'll teach her a thing or two about expectations and communication, a lesson most teen girls could use. :greg:

Man, if only I believd the female mind was capable of learning this at any age.

I don't now if it's a big deal, but any transportation is good for teens IMO. You start to develop your own sense of independence and become more self sufficient. I would never advocate buying a nice car for a teen, but setting something up where you can help them buy a car I think would be worthwhile. My parents helped me buy a car, and I had to pay them for it. It definately helped me develop the sense of value to hard work and a little sacrifice. Kids that are handed things seem to form a sense of entitlement in life that never goes away.

Also, it should be noted that I have no children of my own, and have never been involved in the rearing of children younger than myself at any point in my life

 

[BroncoMama]

My dear Coreshot, the sweet 16 is a HUGE DEAL. After being married, you should know that women of all ages will make martyrs of themselves on their birthdays and other random occasions. Even if getting her a vehicle isn't in the cards right now, is there any way to throw her a sassy party? For my psuedo-neice's sweet 16, her mom and I made a bunch of appetizers and I put together a play list of fun music and we had a "dance" for her and her friends. It was really quite inexpensive and she loved it.

Ideas from the mind of a party planning princess:

~A dance with her friends and boys
~Anything out of the ordinary with her friends and boys
~If she loves a certain kind of food, take her and her best friend or boyfriend out to a really nice restaurant, your treat ( for me it would be sushi)
~A party at your house with her friends and boys and plenty of adult supervision

And that's all I have right now.

 

[Cody]

don't forget the boys

I wonder if google would work for ideas. I can't google 'sweet 16 party for girls' and still be able to live with myself, so you will have to check it out yourself.

 

[Herzog]

Girls are so strange.

 

[BroncoMama]

Girls are so strange.

You are absolutely correct.

 

[ID Bronco]

My dear Coreshot, the sweet 16 is a HUGE DEAL. After being married, you should know that women of all ages will make martyrs of themselves on their birthdays and other random occasions. Even if getting her a vehicle isn't in the cards right now, is there any way to throw her a sassy party? For my psuedo-neice's sweet 16, her mom and I made a bunch of appetizers and I put together a play list of fun music and we had a "dance" for her and her friends. It was really quite inexpensive and she loved it.

Ideas from the mind of a party planning princess:

~A dance with her friends and boys
~Anything out of the ordinary with her friends and boys
~If she loves a certain kind of food, take her and her best friend or boyfriend out to a really nice restaurant, your treat ( for me it would be sushi)
~A party at your house with her friends and boys and plenty of adult supervision

And that's all I have right now.

I think you are absolutely right on here. It doesn't have to be a car, but make her feel extra special. Self Esteem is a huge thing right now, if all the other kids her age are turing 16 she will want to tallk about how much fun she had.

My kids are still under 16, and I never got a car from my parents so I think you are fine.

 

[Coreshot]

My dear Coreshot, the sweet 16 is a HUGE DEAL. After being married, you should know that women of all ages will make martyrs of themselves on their birthdays and other random occasions. Even if getting her a vehicle isn't in the cards right now, is there any way to throw her a sassy party? For my psuedo-neice's sweet 16, her mom and I made a bunch of appetizers and I put together a play list of fun music and we had a "dance" for her and her friends. It was really quite inexpensive and she loved it.

Ideas from the mind of a party planning princess:

~A dance with her friends and boys
~Anything out of the ordinary with her friends and boys
~If she loves a certain kind of food, take her and her best friend or boyfriend out to a really nice restaurant, your treat ( for me it would be sushi)
~A party at your house with her friends and boys and plenty of adult supervision

And that's all I have right now.

You are the one I was hoping to lure out on this one. Gotcha!!

It looks like I some planning to do. For her it would be sushi also.

 

[TRNDRVR]

What do you think? Ideas for a sweet16?

Kegger.........

 

[BroncoMama]

You are the one I was hoping to lure out on this one. Gotcha!!

It looks like I some planning to do. For her it would be sushi also.

I do love a good party! I don't know what how expensive this would be, but if she loves sushi, maybe you could have her invite one or two of her best friends and/or boyfriend and have them get all dressed up. Take them out to dinner and either have the restaurant supply a birthday dessert or see if you could take a cake or her favorite dessert in and have everyone sing to her.

 

[Cody]

My most recent fave sushi joint in SLC is 'I love Sushi" on state and about 380 S. Not quite as fancy as some place like Happy Sumo or Naked Fish etc, but it's not terribly priced and the quality is better.

I can't speak for Takashi (which is the most expensive and amazing from all reviews), but the best Sushi I've had in Utah was the Flying Sumo in PC. I love sushi is 2nd place and slightly cheaper.

 

[Coreshot]

My most recent fave sushi joint in SLC is 'I love Sushi" on state and about 380 S. Not quite as fancy as some place like Happy Sumo or Naked Fish etc, but it's not terribly priced and the quality is better.

I can't speak for Takashi (which is the most expensive and amazing from all reviews), but the best Sushi I've had in Utah was the Flying Sumo in PC. I love sushi is 2nd place and slightly cheaper.

Good to know. We've been going to Simply Sushi out here in WJ. I had no sushi experience prior to them, but since we have started eating it, we have tried a few recommended spots around town. I still prefer Simply Sushi to some of the more expensive places so far. They are building a second location down by the Gateway somewhere.

 

[Amy]

My parents never did s*** for my 16th. They were firm belivers in totally and completely unspoiling thier kids. I bought my own car when I turned 16 and I dont even remember my 16th birthday. My dad was an ass.

I agree with Tara though. I make a big deal out of my birthdays now because I never got really kick ass bdays growing up. It is important, and it's going to be even funner and exciting for her if she didn't even see it coming.

 

[Coreshot]

My parents never did s*** for my 16th. They were firm belivers in totally and completely unspoiling thier kids. I bought my own car when I turned 16 and I dont even remember my 16th birthday. My dad was an ass.

I agree with Tara though. I make a big deal out of my birthdays now because I never got really kick ass bdays growing up. It is important, and it's going to be even funner and exciting for her if she didn't even see it coming.

We've always done fun things for bdays for all our kids, but this one's a little different. I just don't know what to do, becauase most of her friends live in layton where she lives with her mother. Mom and I don't get along real well, so it's best if she does her thing and I do mine. Luckily I've got Tara (mine, not Yellowbronco's) to help me put something together. Tara knows what teenagers like these days, so I'm sure whatever we do will be a good time.

 

[Paudrhound]

If she watches MTV you watch MTV and watch my super sixteen. The show sucks but you could get some ideas from it just have to tone it down from their versions. They go totally overboard but if she watches it.......
Never had girls of my own, but coached them for years in high school, and if they didn't have a kickin' party for their 16th it was not a good thing for anyone around for a while.

 

[Coreshot]

If she watches MTV you watch MTV and watch my super sixteen. The show sucks but you could get some ideas from it just have to tone it down from their versions. They go totally overboard but if she watches it.......
Never had girls of my own, but coached them for years in high school, and if they didn't have a kickin' party for their 16th it was not a good thing for anyone around for a while.

That show scares me...