school pictures and christmas gifts
I have a question since I do not have any bios. Do school's really only send and allow one order form for school pictures?? Since DH and BM split over 8 years ago DH is usually in charge of ordering SS school pictures. He has also been ordering and paying for BM picture requests on his form. This is due to when he would order them for himself before and they would get sent to BM house he would always order her an 8x10 but she would go out of her way to go through the entire package and just take whatever extra sizes she wanted, usually leaving DH short. Since he moved out he's been ordering them and having them sent to us, but giving her whatever she requests. I just find this odd, why cant they both go online and order there own pictures and have them sent to themselves?? It's not DH job to pay for BM pictures especially since she would never return the favor and still owes medical bills for SS. Given BM attitude in general, this "nice gesture" doesn't do DH any favors, she never says "thank you" it's just an expected thing for DH to do and it drives me up the wall. I don't see the point. I believe in "you get what you give" and BM never gives. Ever.
Question 2; DH is heck bent on buying SS a new gaming system for Christmas. Only problem I have with this is DH just paid off his credit card and is starting to get his finances back on track. If you have the money to splurge like that, great, I have no issue with that. But DH doesn't. His credit card payment was only $100/month, despite paying off the card you can't find a game system for $100 and I don't want to see him start to slide back into debt again. New gaming systems also require new games (most used games are at least $15 each, new games anywhere from $40-60 here) to go with them, and an extra controller, etc I can easily see this turning into a $400 Christmas gift.
I suggested a big LEGO project they can build together (one of ss favorite things) but DH says the last 800 piece set that SS got for his birthday was finished in two days and he wants something that will last longer.
I suggested a new tablet. SS had a new one from two years ago but it was ruined by him accidentally using the wrong charging cord and now it doesn't work. But DH says that isn't a "bonding" item, it's only for when DH has housework to do (lmao sure DH) and SS needs to entertain himself.
SS doesn't have any interests except in electronics, building things free-form and comic books. Electronics are expensive and we know nothing about comic books. I know a lot of comic books can have a lot of mature content in them, I have found "bulk lots" online of comics but they say nothing about the age appropriateness (DC and Marvel). SS knows nothing about comic books, a friend of mine had some he was getting rid of and gave the appropriate one's to SS. I would ask this friend for help but they have their own family drama at the moment and I don't want to be a bother.
Does anyone have any suggestions on gifts that involve building? Short of buying him two more buckets of Lego's I'm at a loss.
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How old is SS? Those K'nex
How old is SS? Those K'nex sets are a great next step from legos. Most sets have building projects with moving parts and some have battery operated moving parts.And you can build a bunch of different projects with the same set. (Like legos used to be).
Lego sets get on my nerves these days because they don't encourage kids to build from their imaginations AT ALL. Once the project in the picture is built, most kids will never again play with those 800 legos? WTF?
He just turned 11, I
He just turned 11, I suggested K'nex last year and DH said no, says SS is "too old for that". I thought the ferris wheel one was really cool but that was just me I guess lol
If you all own a computer,
If you all own a computer, your DH and SS could download some multiplayer games on Steam to play. And if SS has a computer at BM's, he can use the Steam account there, too. There is really no reason to buy a game system anymore unless you are wanting to play specific console-only games.
If your DH is hell-bent on a system, have him and SS learn how to code a Raspberry Pie. It's a tiny computer that people turn into emulators that they download games onto. Those can be cheap, it'd be a project for SS and DH, and they could download older games that are typically far more kid-friendly.
If he likes comics, you can go to just about any comic book store and ask someone working there to help pick out the best one for his age/likes.
Another avenue: board games. Not Monopoly, but board games that you buy at a game shop. Your DH could get 2 quality board games for $100, they have repeatability, the two of them could do it together, etc.
We don't have a family
We don't have a family computer, DH has his laptop that SS plays on sometimes but not often. Board games are possible but DH usually saves those for when he brings SS to visit his grandma once a month on DH side. They have a big game night with DH sister and her family with their grandma. I am intrigued by this "raspberry pie" thing, never heard of it but it sounds cool, thank you for the suggestion!
They have these really cool
They have these really cool engineering kits. I'd have to do some research to find the ones I'm thinking of. But basically it can all be taken apart and rearranged, it comes with a book of plans, but once they get the knack of it, they can start figuring out their own things. It comes with some kind of mini engine as well.
My little brother got one when we were younger and it was AMAZING. Kept him busy for hours, and it was something more versitile that invovled thinking and using his hands.
LOOKED IT UP: Look up "Erector by Meccano Super Construction25-in-1 motorized building set" it's about $70-$85 one time. Still semi pricy. But seems to fit what you're looking for.
this sounds really cool! I
this sounds really cool! I love the idea of him being able to build more than one thing. Like someone else commented, I love the lego kits...but once they are built you are kind of done and they are hard to play with because then the whole thing falls apart. I will suggest this to DH and see what he says. $70-85 isn't bad at all for something that makes that many things, its like buying 25 cheaper toys that he will break.
My SO too insisted on buying
My SO too insisted on buying SD9 a new video game system. She has never asked for it, and I'm not sure how much she's even going to use it. My SO is just so proud of himself though, he keeps saying how he thinks this will be a "really good gift", and that it's something he can play with her. She can play it on the big-screen TV in her room that she got for Christmas last year and never asked for. What 9 year old needs a TV and Nintendo switch in their room??? It cost $300, plus $25 for a case, and I can tell you how this is going to go- They will play a few games together the first few weeks, and then nothing. She will play it occasionally. He has finally paid off his lawyer from the divorce, but still has a shit ton of debt from his divorce/medical bills for SD, and we are trying to buy a house. SD does not need a $300 video game system! I knew he wouldn't listen so I just kept my mouth shut. He always has to buy some big shiny gift for each of them, and it's a bit excessive IMO.
I'll never understand a kid
I'll never understand a kid needing their own video game system. If you're going to have it cool. But it makes more sense to me for it to be a family device, not something for the one kid.
But maybe I just view it weird. We got one for Christmas. But we're not even giving that just to the girls. We've already decided it's a "family gift." So for everyone in the household. They'll probably play it more than us. But they don't need their own IMO.
I bought a nintendo wii a few
I bought a nintendo wii a few years ago and it ended up turning into a "family gift"...needless to say it was used so much by SS and his friends/DH that it broke. DH then went out and bought SS his OWN Nintendo Wii (newer version than mine) and a flatscreen TV to go with it for his room...leaving me high and dry. Very frustrating, especially when DH asked me when I was going to replace MINE before leaving and splurging on SS Christmas. The only thing that's nice about it is now DH can go ignore me and sit in SS room with him and play games/watch kiddy shows and I get to be in the living room by myself and watch my shows. I thought I was going to go insane if I had to watch one more cartoon super-hero sitcom...
It sounds like your DH wants
It sounds like your DH wants a gaming system for himself to play with too.. it just isn't for the boy's benefit.
So, what about you go in on the gift of the gaming system.. instead of giving your DH a gift.. giving him money towards the gift he will buy for his kid (which is really for him too..lol)?
Honestly DH isn't much into
Honestly DH isn't much into games, he just sucks at coming up with "bonding" activities with SS. Every visitation day has to be this "big event" with baking something, watching a movie, video games, cartoon series binging on Netflix, it drives me nuts.