This'll get him off of the videogames..
Posted on 11/30/2012 8:05:10 PM PST by Vinylly
I have a 16 year old grandson that spends too much time on the computer and playing X games. He doesn't read books. So, I am thinking of giving him a couple of books for his christmas present. Two books I am thinking of is; 'The Richest Man In Babylon' by George Clasan and 'Anthem' by Ayn Rand. I would like suggestions from other writers that counter act the teaching he is getting in his school, and still be interesting for a 16 year old.
Get him his first gun.
Get him a .38 Taurus or a CZ52 and a copy of “Starship Troopers”
How about a trip to Vail wuth snowboard lessons
+1 on the gun idea. I suggest a semi-auto .22 like the Ruger 10/22. Can target shoot with it, hunt, plink, all kinds of things. Or, maybe a pellet gun, if he has not had experience with firearms yet.
Get him his first gun.
And membership in a gun club, a lot of ammo to practice with, and an experienced instructor or friend that knows how to shoot. If done right, he may find a life time interest that has additional value.
A trip to the shooting range?
With any luck, anytime the Food Stamp President appears on TV, a natural reflex will be to reach for his bible and his gun.
"One Second After" by William R. Forstchen. Will definitely drive home the fact that the government can't be everywhere all the time (i.e., the government can't be Santa when it all collapses). And the novel will challenge him to ask himself, "What would I do, in situations like this?"
And just as entertaining and challenging for adults.
A firearm — .22 would probably be best if he has no experience with guns. Also if he no experience, a semi-auto is less of a good idea. A bolt action would teach him to make his shots count.
Rand for a sixteen year old? Been a while since you were 16, huh.
The gun is a better idea.
Get him a gun, or a bow and arrow, or a good rod and reel.
Probably the most depressing book I’ve ever read. The diabetic kid, the nursing home visit...Not to give anything away of course.
BTW, I am an English teacher, and the books/works of lit. that counteracted all of the liberal crap are as follows:
Starship Troopers by Heinlein
Lord of the Flies by Golding
1985 by Burgess
Any Ayn Rand
Thoreau’s Walden
Emerson’s “American Scholar”
Solzhenitsyn’s “Denisovitch” and “Archipelego”
but the biggest of all:
THE BIBLE.
Whether you believe it or not, the Bible gave me a depth of understanding of literature and psychology that transcends everything.
They want CASH.
I loved George Orwell’s Animal Farm and 1984.
This'll get him off of the videogames..
A set of drums!
Try Earth Abides by George Stewart.
I like struggles list also recommend ‘killer angels’ about Gettysburg, Tolkien LOTR or hobbit (movie out in a few weeks). If you know the game types you could tie to what he enjoys more - Scifi, fantasy, historical fiction or just history, etc
A Bible, New King James
My Brother once told me that people give gifts that they them self would like to get.
Since then I have noticed it is often true especially with kids. For instance my Grand daughter gave me a really nice necklace for my birthday. Of course she was only six and probably thought I would like it since she would.
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 diabetic kid, the nursing home visit...’
Those dam’ dogs.....
“Chirstmas Present”
How about a couple of dictionaries.
One for each of you.
>>Earth Abides by George Stewart.
Read it in my middle school years and liked it but Stand blew it away.
Oh, and another thing.
My husband bough a junker for our daughter when she was 15, and together they worked on it and fixed it up so by the time she was 17 and could drive she was a pro on basic auto repair.
That is an idea.
Any gun will do, as they offers an opportunity for many “quality time” excursions to the range.
I suggest no books, if he does not read much now. Or possibly one or two of the Heinleins. Starship Troopers, suggested earlier, is a good read. Maybe “Between Two Planets”, as the kid in it is about 16, IIRC.
Holy crap, I forgot.
Want to REALLY show him human nature and make him think you’re some kind of rock star literary expert?
I read this when it was still Japanese only but it was profound and beautiful.
Hire someone from the nearest ‘hood to “break in” and steal the x-box game and leave some fake Hollywood blood in a couple of spots.
Fear is often a great motivator, worry about the books later.
not that much cash, lol
For books: The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Hobbit. Great allegory. Barnes and Noble has some anniversary editions out that you can order online and they also have an inexpensive 4 volume set.
Another great set of books is The C. S. Lewis classics Chronicles of Narnia which come in boxed sets of paperbacks.
For theme of Redemption: Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables - kind of heavy going, but has a great message.
All have related movies showing this season, or in the case of Narnia, recent era movies. It is a worthwhile lesson to contrast the richness of reading the book vs seeing the movie.
Re 22 rifles: another possibility, the Marlin model 60 is a good tube-fed semi-auto, great for learning shooting, and target plinking.
I have both of those. At least I did before the unfortunate boating accident.
Try to capture his imagination.
Think of his interests, and then find a biography or autobiography book about the successful life of someone who either had similar interests or personality traits.
Buy a book that is moral, emphasizes work and is inspiring.
Try the reference Librarian at your Public Library first. A bookstore will probably guide you to the drug-culture rags to riches heroes of today.
Historical men and women are a good choice, as the reader will tend to focus on the work and ethics, rather than the glitz and glamor of someone in our familiar pop culture.
Read part of the book to him, discuss possible meaning of what you have read, and try to create confidence in him that his interpretations can be trusted to be valid. Get him started, step back and discuss the ideas at the dinner table.
The Dinner Table is where we all have to behave ourselves so that we can sustain our bodies until the next meal. Bringing non-food ideas in at dinner time forces all to be more polite and tolerant. Discussing his ideas with a wide range of aged people will raise his confidence as he makes his way from child to adult.
BTW, the above is just MHO as a Father and Grandfather. Revise all to your situation.
I agree with svcw. I had one son who wasn’t much of a book reader, but he loved reading the sports pages. He eventually worked his way to reading novels that his English teacher (also his soccer coach) encouraged him with. He later read Dante’s Inferno with great interest. There’s a book for everyone, you just have to find out what he’s interested in.
Find a mutual interest and cultivate that hobby. Use books/magazines/etc. that will apply. The love and interest you show in him will be very special and bonding. Best wishes!
Yes, they do.
It is the sequential aspect.
Make that *have* one son, not had.
You have no idea what you’re talking about.
How about tools? Get him something hands on, off the computer. Craftsman or Snap on... How about a multi-tool like a Gerber? Or maybe a combo pocket knife with a seatbelt cutter and glass breaker. Or a serious camping/survival knife like a Ka-Bar.
Actuality I do.
Disagree if you wish but sequential games develop math skills.
since people are going to argue about computer games, just give the kid a puppy
My husband bough a junker for our daughter when she was 15...”
One of our neighbors was looking for a junker for he and his son who will turn 16 next spring to work on and restore. Couldn’t find very many any more. Remember Cash for Clunkers?
Get him a college co-ed. Bring me one, too, while you're at it, grandpa.
Bet he would enjoy and remember a hooker more then books!
It was hard, but I think it was a fantastic thing they did.
He just didn’t want her to have to depend on others to do basic skill repairs on the car.
Very bonding for the both of them.
My husband is a great guy but not very magnanimous, it was a way to show her how much her loved her.
Oh, and she knows a lot about cars.
A gift card to a bookstore. Choosing books for someone who isn’t interested in reading might not have the desired result.
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