Family Forum / Parenting / Parenting / November 2005

Hi --

My suggestion would be to get another Lego set for the boy -- interests
like that don't tend to change much between 8 and 9 years of age -- and
for the girl get fruit-scented soaps and lotions.  (The lotions with
glitter in them are VERY popular among tweens and early teens.) One of
the soap stores in our local mall, one of those national chains whose
names I can never remember -- is running a 5/$25 sale for soaps and
lotions and bubble baths that normally cost $9-$15 apiece.

I base these suggestions on my own experience with two sons and 3
nieces, all now or recently in the target age group.

My two cents,
--Beth Kevles
 bethkevles@aol.com
 http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
 Disclaimer:  Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
 advice.  Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE:  No email is read at my MIT address.  Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

Oh my god...do NOT get her an easy bake oven!!!  My 11 year old would
die laughing.  They are old enough to learn how to use a real oven.
Now, the 11 year old is probably in one of two categories of girl...or
somewhere in the middle.  She is either the really sqeeky clean
American Girl type (do a good search, there's a whole line of American
Girl stuff) whose aim (besides to capitalize on these kids and their
parents) is to keep girls, girls, not little women. A girl such as this
also loves shopping at a store called Limited II.  Then there's the
more precocious girls (like mine) who wants to grow up fast.  She is
into fashion and nothing would make her happier than a gift certificate
to one of her favorite stores (Aeorpostale, for one)  That way, she can
spend the money as she sees fit.  Same applies to DVD's or music CD's.
A gift certificate to blockbuster or any music store would be awesome
also.  Some girls are into scrapbooking...so supplies for that are a
nice gift.
My daughter also loves those squishy pillows (that are filled with
microbeads) and she likes those warm, really, really, soft socks to
wear around the house.  I don't know a child that doesn't love
candy..and the malls have that candy store where you pick out your
candy and buy it by the pound (I am least supportive of this one, but
it's still an idea)

Where are these kid's parents?  Can you not call them and get an idea
of their interestests?  Just one peice of major advice...IX NAY the
Oven!  :-)

An 11 yo is really hard to shop for without knowing something about
them.  (The same is only slightly less true of a 9 yo.)  One of my
favorite christmases a girl this age was given a Barbie, a new baseball
glove, a bra, a manicure kit, and a stuffed dog -- they really are all
over the place/

I'd try to get some information!

If her ears are pierced, decent earrings might be a hit -- but you would
have to know something about her taste in jewelry.

Some girls this age are still into Barbie -- others would rather die
than play with any sort of doll!  But if you find out she's into one of
the American Girl sets, or some other sort of stuffed animal/doll thing,
that can be one direction to go.

A really good set of headphones, if she's into music and has equipment
into which it can be plugged.

Many kids this age enjoy gel pens -- a HUGE set of various colors and
types (ie, glitter, metalic, pastel, etc), along with a blank-black
paged diary seems to be something that they enjoy.  (Those pens also
write well on skin . . . at least around here, that has been a hugely
popular thing to do.)

I know quite a number of girls this age who are getting into beading:  
going to someplace like Michael's and getting a good assortment of glass
beads and some of the accessories for making necklaces, bracelets and
earrings might be a big hit.

Good luck....