Advice: Gift idea for sheltered 16 yr old boy?

[vampgrrl]

My nephew had his birthday recently...and I wanted to send him a gift. I'd like it to be more thoughtful than a gift card or a video game. Plus, his mother seems to be pushing him to forget about going to college/wants him to stay around the town they live in. He hasn't been exposed to very much outside of trips to Disney...and I wanted to get him something that would either inspire him or get him to think...

I had been leaning toward a travel/European/urban photography book (but he is a teenager, how much is he actually going to look at a book?)
Or framed art/photography of somewhere..something...

Ideas? TrekBBS input?

 

[Sephiroth]

get him a bike....or a bus ticket >.>

 

[SeerSGB]

(standard reply) Porn...porn goes good with everything.

Serious reply: Just roll with his interests. Hard to really say what you can get that'll inspire him and not put you on the wrong side of his mom at the same time. I'm thinking a trip to somewhere other than Disney world. Find out what college(s) he's interested in (screw his mom, if he turns 18 and wants to go she can't and shouldn't stop him) and take him on a campus tour.

 

[vampgrrl]

I offered to buy him a plane ticket to stay with me for a few days (NOLA) but while he was interested...his mother, not so much.

 

[auntiehill]

Travel of some sort. Just get him away from his mother and show him a small piece of the world, so he can think for himself. Keep nagging his mother until she gives in.

Baring that, give him some music like Pink Floyd's "The Wall," or some books like Camus' "The Stranger." Those are things that all teenagers should have.

 

[Marc]

Travel of some sort. Just get him away from his mother and show him a small piece of the world, so he can think for himself. Keep nagging his mother until she gives in.

Baring that, give him some music like Pink Floyd's "The Wall," or some books like Camus' "The Stranger." Those are things that all teenagers should have.

I'm sure "Mother" from The Wall could get an interesting reaction.

 

[Sephiroth]

a few questions

Does he have plans to go to the DMV to get his license or access to a car?

Is his mother the sole influence in his house?

Why is his mother trying to keep him home?

 

[RoJoHen]

His mom wants him to NOT go to college?

 

[Awesome Possum]

A netbook, internet connection, and set the homepage to 4chan. One week of that should fix him.

 

[Kibbin]

What about a dvd series, documentary like Planet Earth, or Cosmos, whatever subjects he learns more toward. When he starts to see some of the cool stuff outside of town he may be moe interested in going and seeing them for himself

Just thought, that if you wanted to go for travel books what about a dvd travelogue, like Stephen Fry in America or the excellent Long way round?

 

[KiraDax]

A general happy birthday card to be viewed by mother.

Another, nephew only card explaining to him that however much she loves him and however much he loves her, his mother cannot forever be the center and compass of his universe and that there's a whole world out there waiting for him to explore it. Explain that fear of losing him is probably what drives her sheltering, but she'll come to terms and eventually be happy to see him thrive and learn, and possibly better both of their lives for it.

And an IOU on a pick your destination plane ticket or vacation for when he's old enough to legally make his own choices.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Travel of some sort. Just get him away from his mother and show him a small piece of the world, so he can think for himself. Keep nagging his mother until she gives in.

I think auntiehill has it right. Any sort of travel experience is good for someone his age, especially when he's clearly been extremely sheltered so far. It doesn't have to be much (your original plane ticket idea sounds great, if you can get his mother to relent). To be honest, I'd say you already have the right idea without any help from us, if I can be so bold...

 

[Emher]

I'm surprise no one has said "a 16 year old girl" yet.

That being said, auntie's got it.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Sounds like he needs a bindlestick and a ticket to the circus.

 

[RandyS]

I'm surprise no one has said "a 16 year old girl" yet.

That's because the correct response is "A sheltered 16 year old girl".

 

[Finn]

Is the mother your sister or sister in law? If it's the former, you might have your parents talk to her if you can't get through to him.

 

[vampgrrl]

My sister. She just wants her son to stay at home and around her I think...

He's a good kid, but he just hasn't seen much of the world (yet)

 

[RoJoHen]

Even so, aren't there any local colleges? He can live at home and still continue his education if he wants.

It sucks to be sheltered. I didn't actually realize how sheltered I was UNTIL I went away to school and lived on my own. My siblings still don't have a clue.