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Seek Suggestions for 17 Year Old Grandson's Chirstmas Present:

Posted on 11/30/2012 8:05:10 PM PST by Vinylly

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To: chuckles

And why doesn’t the grandparent speak with the parent involved anyhow. If it’s to be a gun there are umpty-ump laws that one could run afoul of depending on where it is. Some places are even uptight about paint ball guns. If the kid’s gung ho to shoot that’s not necessarily a BAD thing, but maybe an air gun would be more suitable depending on circumstance.


81 posted on 11/30/2012 11:45:14 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck (How long before all this "fairness" kills everybody, even the poor it was supposed to help???)
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To: Vinylly
I got my 15 year old niece a Jaxx bean bag chair and some Honor Harrington books. Don't tell her.


82 posted on 12/01/2012 12:33:12 AM PST by Casie (Chuck Norris 2016)
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To: Vinylly

OK. I spoke with He Who Has An Xbox. He said that he totally agreed with what I wrote. He also said the odds of your grandson reading, if he doesn’t want to...are great, even if you got him a book.

One tip He Who Has An Xbox said...if you REALLY WANT to get him a book, find out what kind of games he’s playing. If they’re science fiction, the odds are better that he “may” read a science fiction book. Ditto with “fantasy” games. (whatever that is...).

He Who Has An Xbox has spoken. :)


83 posted on 12/01/2012 12:33:52 AM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Psalm 83)
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To: Vinylly

Believe it or not, perhaps magazine subscriptions would be a very good idea to give. I started sending my first cousin many magazine subscriptions that I happened to get for free, and he now tells me that his 2 boys, both teenagers, now fight to see who gets to read which one first when they arrive each month.


84 posted on 12/01/2012 3:07:07 AM PST by rawhide
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To: Vinylly; married21

I like the idea of books for your grandson, but the ones you’ve picked out are pretty heavy going for someone who at present doesn’t read much. I read a lot of Heinlein as a kid, and when I finally encountered Ayn Rand, her ideas were not so much revolutionary to me as “old home week” since Heinlein had already covered the same territory, only with more interesting action.

So I will echo the suggestion of Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers” (the very good book, not the execrable movie), or his novel, “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.” Also any of Heinlein’s “juvenile” books such as “Tunnel in the Sky” (but avoid anything published after about 1961, when he struck out in a new direction).

Terry Pratchett, a modern fantasy novelist, is pretty conservative in his outlook, and your grandson might enjoy the fantasy angle. I suggest “Night Watch” or “Guards! Guards!”

Also I was surprised at how libertarian/conservative the recent novel “The Hunger Games” is. Your grandson might actually read that since some of his friends may have read it.

Ditto married21’s suggestion on the Civilization game. Sounds like a good prospect. Remember, if he won’t crack open the book or take a peek at the game, he won’t get anything out of it at all! Best of luck!


85 posted on 12/01/2012 3:10:26 AM PST by Hetty_Fauxvert (FUBO, and the useful idiots you rode in on!)
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To: Vinylly

If he doesn’t read books, don’t buy him books... they’ll sit on the shelf.

I’m with the “get him a gun” crowd. Ruger 10/22, perfect!


86 posted on 12/01/2012 3:22:07 AM PST by hattend (Firearms and ammunition...the only growing industries under the Obama regime.)
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To: struggle
Get him a .38 Taurus or a CZ52 and a copy of “Starship Troopers”

I'd second "Starship Troopers". "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" is also a good read with a libertarian basis.

87 posted on 12/01/2012 4:24:53 AM PST by Flick Lives (We're going to be just like the old Soviet Union, but with free cell phones!)
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To: Vinylly

MONEY or a gift card. I have a 17 year old and she picks out her own gifts and I wrap them.


88 posted on 12/01/2012 5:11:44 AM PST by angcat
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To: Vinylly

A tank of gas for his car.


89 posted on 12/01/2012 5:20:51 AM PST by DYngbld (I have read the back of the Book and we WIN!!!!)
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To: svcw; All

First stop worrying about the computer games.
Computer games develop math skills as the player must develop skills in sequential reasoning.
Reading the instructions is reading.
Kids will read a book if the book is interesting, problem for 16 year olds is most stuff is just not interesting.
Find a common interest between you and your grandson and buy that book, do not try and foist your interests on him - common interest is the key.
Teach him love him.......that is what is important


The best advice! Well said


90 posted on 12/01/2012 6:57:24 AM PST by SeminoleCounty (Illegal Aliens do not pay Social Security...Employers do)
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To: svcw

To: Vinylly
Oh, and another thing.
My husband bough a junker for our daughter.........

The pot calling the kettle black?


91 posted on 12/01/2012 7:09:00 AM PST by DaveA37
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To: svcw

To: Vinylly
Oh, and another thing.
My husband bough a junker for our daughter.........

The pot calling the kettle black?


92 posted on 12/01/2012 7:09:00 AM PST by DaveA37
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To: svcw

My ex always insisted the kids know how to change a flat tire, jump start their car and change the oil before they were allowed to even touch a set of car keys. The daughter - who was really cute and had a gazillion boyfriends - told her dad that if she wasn’t smart enough to figure out how to get one of the guys to change a flat tire for her, she wasn’t smart enough to be driving. Just one of the many challenges he faced with her. But I just left them alone and let them work it out.


93 posted on 12/01/2012 7:22:06 AM PST by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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To: Vinylly

What kind of computer games does he play? The subject matter of the games may help in deciding what kind of books to get him.

As a gamer and a reader I tend to cover the same subjects in my gaming and reading. If he plays a lot of sports games, then a good book covering the sport or sports, science fiction, then a good Science Fiction book, Fantasy, then a good Fantasy book, historical, then a good history book on the same subject, the same applies to any subject.

Once we (ie: Freepers) known the subject matter, then we can give you better suggestions.

Also, if he is interested in something on the computer, chances are he’ll be interested in it off the computer. So again, if we know the subject matter, we might give you some ideas to get him out into real life.


94 posted on 12/01/2012 7:38:16 AM PST by GreenLanternCorps
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To: Vinylly

Get him socks, he’ll remember this Christmas forever........


95 posted on 12/01/2012 7:40:55 AM PST by Hot Tabasco (Jab her with a harpoon.....)
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To: Progov

Huh?
I do not know what you mean.


96 posted on 12/01/2012 7:56:57 AM PST by svcw (Why is one cell on another planet considered life, and in the womb it is not.)
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To: Vinylly

“Chicken soup for the teen age soul”. Different books for the various age categories. latest publication 8/12 Amazon


97 posted on 12/01/2012 8:09:13 AM PST by capt B
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To: Vinylly
Once any “kid” in my family reaches the age of 12 up to the age of 20 (we don’t exchange gifts between adults) – gift cards! I get them either a no fee Visa gift card that they can use anywhere for anything or a gift card from a major retailer like Target or Wal-Mart or a gift card from Barnes & Noble if and only if they are into books, or even better yet, a gift card from Amazon!

No matter how much I think I’m “hip” to what I think they want, I’m pretty much clueless, just as most adults were when I was that age ; ),

As an avid reader, I appreciated some of the books I received as Christmas presents and then again, some not so much. And I can’t tell you how many really fugly sweaters I got from my grandmother that soon ended up in the Salvation Army bin.

IMO, a Christmas gift should be given in the spirit of giving something to someone that they really want and will appreciate, not giving a gift that the giver perceives that the recipient should appreciate based on what the giver likes.

I am however thinking of giving my 19 year old college student great niece who holds two part time jobs to pay her tuition and keep her car crappy used car running, a AAA membership and perhaps a gift card for gasoline. I think that would be appreciated and would be very practical.

98 posted on 12/01/2012 8:10:25 AM PST by MD Expat in PA
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To: struggle

what is Stand?


99 posted on 12/02/2012 9:36:53 AM PST by spacejunkie2001
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