What do 13 year old girls like?

[curse10]

I am meeting my new mentee next week. She's 13. I want to bring her a little present the first time we get together, but I haven't been thirteen in a dozen years. I have no idea what kids like these days! Any ideas?

[Fenris]

God that subject heading sounded disturbing

:scared:

[Nlighten1]

26. Indeed...

LOL!

[POed_Ex_Repub]

29. Shame on you!

Yeah, I was thinking it too. If the next words were "That I met in a chat room" I would have had the FBI on speed dial.

[Nlighten1]

33. No kidding...

[Renew Deal]

1. What's your name?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x44380

[slinkerwink]

4. he's a mentor---one of those mentor programs for youth

[curse10]

21. Hey! I passed my criminal background check!

:P

[slinkerwink]

2. don't get her a present yet.....just buy her a drink or a cup of ice cream

and get to know her---then you'll know what her likes are regarding presents.

[VelmaD]

18. Oh my GAWD...we actually agree

I second the idea of not getting her a gift quite yet. I'm sure all the suggestions that have been made so far are made with the best intentions...but I personally would not have wanted anything from Bed and Body Works or Limited Too or wherever when I was that age - I was into sports. You never know what your mentee is gonna be into so I'd get to know her first. If you get her something girly and she isn't a girly-girl then it starts you off on the wrong foot.

I highly endorse slinkerwink's idea of taking her to get a coke or ice cream or something. :)

[curse10]

22. Well, for the first visit we aren't allowed to leave the group home

so I was thinking something super small. A magazine, a book, something like that. Under 5 bucks.

[slinkerwink]

23. then don't get her anything then if you're not allowed to leave the

group home. Just arrive with a game, or a deck of cards, and that should be it.

[mdmc]

41. Yeah, don't bring her anything that you can't leave with

Its too early.

[absyntheNsugar]

3. Gift Certificate for Wet Seal

or Limited Too (though that might be a little young)

[bif]

5. Bed Bath and Bodyworks gift certificate.

That's what my 12 1/2 year old would love. I don't know what it is about that overpriced store. They have the same stuff you can get at a drug store for a whole lot less. Advertising, I guess.

[curse10]

6. I'm thinking something super small

she doesn't have a lot because she's in custody of the state and no ability to really leave the house to use gift certificates :-)

[notadmblnd]

38. How about a journal and a nice pen

My 13 yr old neice lives with me, she loves little things like that. I bought her a package of hair ponies at the dollar store and you'ld have thought I was giving her a new vcr.

[Cuban_Liberal]

7. 13 year-old boys.

I couldn't resist...sorry. :P

[curlyred]

17. more like 16 year old boys, actually

:)

[Cuban_Liberal]

25. True.

Why are 13 year0olds trying soooo hard to be 25? Kinda sad, in a way. Kids should be allowed to be kids for longer than they are...

[silverlib]

8. Anything from Claire's

They cater to this age group and have a diversity of useless inexpensive things that would thrill a girl this age.

[catzies]

12. I second Claire's. Hair stuff, jewelry, accessories...

It's girl heaven.

[curse10]

15. that's a good idea

:-) I loved that store when I was 13 too!

[blondeatlast]

30. Excellent idea. nt

[texastoast]

9. A cute blank book

In which to keep her mentor's wisdom in hard copy form.

:hi:

[curse10]

11. LoL

Let's see if I drop some words of wisdom first!

[Jack_Dawson]

10. DON'T get the movie "Thirteen"

It's meant for people over "Eighteen"

[ET Awful]

35. And if you see the movie. . .

your thirteen year old may end up locked in her room for the next 10 years :)

[SW FL Dem]

13. My almost 13 yr old son and his friend (female)

Say that makeup and nail polish are popular. The popular store for gift certificates these days is Abercrombie (Limited Too is for the younger kids). Gift cards to music stores are also really appreciated.

[Sperk]

14. If you have a Build A Bear in your mall....it would be a big hit.

My daughter and her friends love it there. You pick the shell of a stuffed animal and they stuff it for you and you get to sew it up etc. Adoption papers, the whole bit. And a bunch of little outfits for them. It's really cute but you might want to save that for later.

Another idea. They all seem to love Claires. It's a store with all girly accessories, jewery, purses, makeup, hair clips etc. My daughter (12 1/2) and her friends always run to that store first when we go to the mall. Have fun!

[SW FL Dem]

16. Claire's is great

Even if she can't get to the mall, maybe you can pick up some hair accessories or a necklace. Earrings are tricky unless you know she has pierced ears.

[Sequoia]

19. How about a diary?

with a nice pen of course.

[WitchWay]

20. I would reccomend

Klutz brand books are really nice. They have a nice drawing book and watercolor book, for instance...but they also have books on friendship bracelets and hemp bracelets and other cool things.
I especially like the drawing book.
They usually have a "Klutz" book section in the bookstore...

[cally]

24. I like the gift certificate idea

or some blank book. This age is difficult. My 13 year old is horrified by Limited, too and Klutz books. Her older sister at the same age would have enjoyed them. :shrug:

If you want to give her something, then a few quality colored pencils. I watch the kids around my children and these are valued. Not the cheap discount store type, but a few good ones from an art store. They are much better and are useful if she likes art or for many classes.

Have fun. I can ask my daughter when she gets home. And a great big :hug: for doing this.

[geniph]

27. 18-year-old boys with cars

...mostly.

but on a more serious note...calendars are always nice, or diaries. Pick ones with pictures of baby animals or something.

[Liberal Christian]

28. I second the opinions of those who say "wait"

What's the purpose of bringing a gift? You're not trying to be her friend or buy her respect or affection. You want to set up an appropriate relationships with boundaries right away. That doesn't mean being mean or stingy, but it does mean wading in to the water bit by bit instead of jumping right in.

I like the idea of taking her out for a coke or a burger. It's easier to talk over food, I think.

If you want to do something tangible -- a deck of cards, a small game (Pass the Pigs is dumb, but fun), a cribbage board and teach her how to play (if you know how - it's perfect for two).

Find out what she likes, then bring a magazine or book next time. Chances are if you show up with Seventeen or whatever the equal is, she'd rather have a skateboarding magazine or extreme sports or some other thing that's 180 degrees different. And if you showed up with one of those, she'd rather have the fashion mag. No way to win with something like that. What you don't want to do is make any assumptions about who she is based on what other girls might like. She'll let you know.

[WitchWay]

36. I'd like to add to your ideas

and recommend chess. That's a fun game

[chimpy the poopthrower]

31. What do you do as a mentor?

I mean is it like a big brother/big sister thing where you're a good friend to hang out with? Are you supposed to be a role model career-wise? Are you supposed to take an interest in her education?

[name not needed]

32. me

send em my way:P

[ET Awful]

34. Anything their parents don't :) :) :) n/t

[Florida_Geek]

37. I have heard horror stories about Group homes in Florida

One thing I do remember is Hair Shampoo, the teenage girls got one bottle of 99cent shampoo a month.

Oh, I passed my DCF Check at one time. :)

[Mick Knox]

39. I have a 13 y/o daughter...

and I have to let her shop for her self... I'm sorry.. theres no way to predict it IMO... and I havent the slightest clue..

Get her a cute teddy bear if all else fails... for a small gift.. or something

[mdmc]

40. is this a career based mentor-ship?

1) Don't bring her anything, yet. You will have a very long relationship with her and you will never be able to give her everything. Your attention is the gift that you are bringing her.

2) Anything that explains your career (if its that kind of mentor-ship). Anything that brings you closer to her. I suggest a deck of cards, a magazine, and your laptop.

I'm glad to hear that you are taking part. Make sure that she turns into a proper young Democratic voter. :~)