What my 13 year old GS has requested for Christmas

It's within what I spend on my DGC so I would buy it.
If it's more than you spend give cash towards it.

Good grief! It's a waste of money buying something you think is appropriate and they don't want.

I suppose I am not your average Nana and would get them what they want. I did with mine when they were young.

As a youngster/teen I had parents who did not understand a teenager needs. Though then I was able to work after school and bought my own.

My mom was 36 and my father was 49 when I was born. My mom as I learnt over the years wasn't the problem. It was my father.

My youngsters got the named gear they wanted growing up and I certainly have no problem doing the same with my grandchildren.

Birthdays are £50 each for the adult youngsters and partners. Christmas is £100 each for them either by cash or gift. The same for the grandchildren.

We give the eldest grandchild £100 in cash for Christmas and the £50 for his birthday has he is 13 now.

Because of my own story I know I am more open to my offsprings wants. Though I wouldn't give more than I can afford.

I save year round for Christmas and birthdays.

Gin

I asked my son for ideas for a Christmas present for teenage GS. I have just heard he wants a bottle of Prada Ocean, a cologne or aftershave in my language. The smallest size cost about £45! Am I being a meanie refusing to buy it? He is turning into a label conscious lad only wanting expensive named brands. I feel it is a trait not to be encouraged or are most youngsters like this? He is my youngest GS by many years, am I out of touch?

This is the going rate for most decent colognes/aftershaves these days.
As is the same for ladies perfumes.
Just buy him what he’s asked for if you can afford it.
My DD has asked for Lady Gaga perfume £55 for 50 mls on offer from boots. Yes I’m getting it for her.

My 9yr old asked for a tesla car as he can't drive yet and it will drive him

‘Big earner’

I buy just one luxury in life and that’s Chanel No 5….. you’ve asked and he’s told you. Buy it for him …. you cannot instil your values into him by denying something….there are other ways. When my son was 15 he wanted expensive trainers whereas my budget for them was £15 … the ones he wanted were £40…( were talking 25 years ago) …so he did some jobs for neighbours to earn the extra money….bought them….and grew out of them in 4 months…as they do! He’s never bought designer clothes since. Yet weirdly his older sister was never into designer stuff as teenager …all charity shops ‘Bo-Ho’ fir her…but since she’s been a big warmer it’s designer all the way …but does not encourage it in her kids!

How times have changed, when I was about 13 and asked what I wanted for Christmas I can remember asking for a Bambi Stapler. I got a beautiful little red one. Fast forward 50 years and yes, I still have and use that stapler and it means more to me than a bottle of cologne which would get used up and forgotten perhaps. I think that sometimes, children don’t give much thought to gifts, and possibly need some guidance. It may well be what he wants, but it’s not very meaningful or personal, I also think that expensive cologne for a 13yr old is ludicrous, but then I am the sort of person that does not latch on to the next trend but prefers individuality and character.

I give my 5 grandchildren, ages 7-26 £50 each to spend on what they want.

Mind you, when I asked the five year old what she wanted - back came the reply 'Another puppy!'.

Gin, I was brought up to budget carefully, although we were quite comfortable - and yes, old habits die hard. My kids won't allow the grandchildren to ask for much, so I sometimes feel mean and 'top up' with extra bits and bobs.

Juicylucy, my limit for birthdays is £60 - for Christmas (when they get so much anyway) it's £20 for little'uns and £30 for big'uns - and some chocolate too. There's eight of them (so far) so it's quite enough.

Get what he wants, if you can afford to, or ask for a few more ideas so that you can have some choice of what you decide to give him.

I think he is too young for such a present. Where will he wear it? School, he's to young to be going to pubs or night clubs.
That's the sort of thing men wear to smell nice for women, not something so expensive to be wasted splashing it all over for school girls. If he was 16/17 OK but 13, no.
How much will he want spending on him as he gets older?
He'll just go on thinking your his personal bank and you can afford anything he wants. And if you go for the smallest size he'll probably be upset with that.
Does he realise how much this cologne costs?
Try and say to him this is the sort of present that he should buy himself. He should save his money up to buy personal stuff. Then maybe he"ll come to realise what things are worth buying.
Sorry, I've had my little rant.
I have one GD that gets everything and the other GD has an after college job and buys her own things that she wants. Hardly ever asks for anything unless she wants something expensive and then she just saves money she gets for birthdays and Christmas and buys it herself.
The first GD will get a terrible shock when she has to buy her own stuff. Not that I expect that will happen any time soon
They are both 17.
How many Grandchildren have you got?
I have 8 and I don't ask what they want I just give them money. Anything between £5 to £20 depending how much money I have to spend on Christmas. I think the parents should buy the dearer presents (depending on their circumstances) then you can always help them out.

My limit for my teenage granddaughters is £65 each and yes they request expensive perfumes etc. why don’t you give dil the money and let her get it for you if you can’t find it locally which you possibly won’t.

Ive always believed that once you gift someone money or an item you cannot tell them what to do with it. People have different ideas of "worth".

If the amount is within your budget I would give him the money and allow him to spend it if he wishes. If he wastes it on things he later regrets than it will be a lesson learned.

I usually give my nephew money for christmas and birthdays. I dont always approve of how he spends it but thats his choice. A gift is a gift and not a bribe.

My 2 year old saw Santa on Saturday and said she wanted a laptop!!!

Why not give him the cash in line with your budget or a gift card from B***s so he can save the rest up and buy it for himself after Christmas?

Ridiculous! Thirteen, you say? Well I must be way out of touch but I have a GS of the same age and I cannot imagine him asking for such a present. Grit your teeth and give him some money instead, then if he wastes it on such stuff it's up to him - and his parents.

It is hard to step out of that mindset, for me.

My daughter was much more likely to buy frivolous things, I always thought.

I'm so glad she did now, and they weren't even that frivolous, now I really think about it.

Hetty58. I would not dare! It is strange is it not the different attitudes towards money in families. My DIL ( GS mum) is very generous and spends money like water as she was a much indulged child and her children are denied little. I cam from a family where money had to be carefully managed a therefore I brought my kids up in much the same way. Old habits die hard as they say.

Gin, - the cheeky so and so. I'd just have to have a laugh and get him this (tiny sample):

visionaryfragrances.com/products/copy-of-prada-luna-rossa-ocean?variant=42110821695726¤cy=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic

Just bought my DGS of 14 a ghastly burgundy fairisle cardigan much like my grandpa used to wear! It is grim - but apparently it is what he wants!

MissAdventure

What would you consider an unreasonable request for a girl, though?

Barbie dolls!

I don't mind so much for something like expensive footwear, because my boy takes excessive care of them nowadays.

He also asked for crease something or other.

It stops your shoes from getting a crease where your foot bends.

GrannyGravy13

You asked for gift ideas, your son has told you.

Now you have to decide if you want to give your GS a Christmas Gift he will like and use or give him something which you think is appropriate which could remain under his bed for the foreseeable future.

😂😂😂

DGD would like some very expensive trainers for Christmas.

I'm going to ask if the shop will sell me just one trainer.

MissAdventure

Then, when your mum had made you have a "version" of something, and you complained that the other kids laughed, she would try to convince you it was because they were jealous!