# I'm a Bad Mom--What to get a 12 yr. old for his Birthday **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 1, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965 "2006-05-01T16:27:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/1 "2006-05-01T16:27:44Z")
Hallboy’s 12th birthday is coming up at the end of this week, and I don’t have a clue what to get him! I would appreciate any suggestions… –We live in the city. He has a bike and rides it around the neighborhood, but that’s about it. –He has a GameBoy and a Game Cube, so there’s always a game in a pinch, but I’d rather not encourage him to spend anymore time in front of the idiot box than he does already. –He’s not much of a reader, but does like science (he loves his Natl. Geographic Kids) and he’s crazy about animals. (Another pet is out of the question, as we already have two cats and a rabbit.) –He likes the computer, but that’s the same as the Idiot Box. –He’s absolutely crazy about Bionicles (and building stuff), but pretty much already has every Bionicle on the market. Building stuff is something I’d like to encourage. (He also have the complete Lego, Knex, etc. kits.) –He’s 12 and absolutely is not into fashion. Shoes? As long as they fit, they’re fine. –He likes dragons. HELP! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/2 "2006-05-01T16:41:34Z")
Dungeons and Dragons stuff, if he has friends who play and you don’t mind spending about $200 on stuff over the next year or two. A couple D&D novels and a library card (otherwise, see above re: hundreds of dollars…). The google ads think you should buy a home drug test kit, but that would be kind of a bummer. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/3 "2006-05-01T16:45:30Z")
maybe a “young scientist” kit? –they have simple instructions to build your own electric circuits, or use a microscope and see neat stuff . ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/4 "2006-05-01T17:00:02Z")
Music? Anything from an ipod to a new CD. Art supplies? To tell you the truth, I don’t know if a boy would like this. Art supplies seem mostly aimed at girls, but I don’t see any reason that a boy couldn’t enjoy drawing or painting. Maybe model-building would be masculine enough. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/5 "2006-05-01T17:00:35Z")
Does he have a telescope? It would tie into his interest in science, and I don’t know many kids who wouldn’t want one. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/6 "2006-05-01T17:02:02Z")
Not sure which part of PA is the armpit, but could you do something related to the Carnegie Museum? They have a fabulous dinousaur collection, if you haven’t been there, and maybe there’s something in their catalog he would like. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/7 "2006-05-01T17:15:01Z")
D&D stuff, **Ethilrist**? Isn’t that like jumping on a highway of crack? I’ve known people who get sucked into D&D at an early age and are still at it into adulthood… **yellowval** , he has a telescope that sits on his shelf collecting dust. We live in the city, and…well…it’s nearly impossible to see much of anything outside of the city lights. Actually, he does like music–Weird Al. I’m doomed. Doomed, I tell ya’. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/8 "2006-05-01T17:19:03Z")
😃 > [@phall0106](#): > > D&D stuff, **Ethilrist**? I’ve known people who get sucked into D&D at an early age and are still at it into adulthood… Actually, if you’re posting here you don’t just know some, you’ve found their den. 😃 What about a musical instrument of a sort? An inexpensive starter electric guitar or a keyboard. Even if you don’t play, the keyboards they sell today can entertain for days at a stretch. ---
**Author:** ![parsnip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parsnip/32/4564_2.png) [@parsnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parsnip)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/9 "2006-05-01T17:22:28Z")
Two good kids magazines are [www.moocowfanclub.com](http://www.moocowfanclub.com) and Muse and Odyssey on the [www.cricketmag.com](http://www.cricketmag.com) website–everything from Carus publishing is great–all you have to do is pick the age and interest. ---
**Author:** ![Cowgirl\_Jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Cowgirl\_Jules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowgirl_Jules)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/10 "2006-05-01T17:32:20Z")
My science-geeky kid turns 12 this month too. I got him a [robot kit](http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104567&cp=&origkw=robot+kit&kw=robot+kit&parentPage=search). I got it on [Woot!](http://www.woot.com/), but I think it’s this brand. I hope he likes it, and I also hope I don’t end up stepping on various robot parts sprinkled throughout the ouse in my bare feet at night, but that just isn’t going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/11 "2006-05-01T17:32:29Z")
> [@phall0106](#): > > Actually, he does like music–Weird Al. Wait…I thought you said you were a bad mom. Sounds like you’re raising him right to me! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/12 "2006-05-01T17:41:40Z")
Get him a 12-year-old girl. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/13 "2006-05-01T17:46:19Z")
> [@phall0106](#): > > D&D stuff, **Ethilrist**? Isn’t that like jumping on a highway of crack? I’ve known people who get sucked into D&D at an early age and are still at it into adulthood… I started D+D in 1979, still meet up regularly with friends from those days and even run the roleplaying club at my School. I’ve played all over the World (and admittedly quite a bit on my computer too!). Roleplaying teaches team-work, concentration, use of imagination, reading books and arithmetic. I’ve personally seen it benefit shy kids, domineering kids, insecure kids and non-sporty kids. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/14 "2006-05-01T17:59:49Z")
A puppy is always the answer to the “what do I get for \_\_\_\_”. StG ---
**Author:** ![scott62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@scott62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott62)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/15 "2006-05-01T18:04:04Z")
> [@yellowval](#): > > Does he have a telescope? It would tie into his interest in science, and I don’t know many kids who wouldn’t want one. Good luck! Ooh Ooh! I want a telescope!! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/16 "2006-05-01T18:25:17Z")
[Here](http://www.robotstore.com/store/default.asp?catid=1558) and [here](http://www.robotstore.com/store/default.asp?catid=1628) are more robot kits from the Robot Store. Hovercraft?? Flying saucer?? Oh, to be a kid again!! ---
**Author:** ![Frosted\_Glass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frosted_glass/32/3926_2.png) [@Frosted\_Glass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frosted_Glass)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/17 "2006-05-01T18:26:27Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Get him a 12-year-old girl. If my mother had gotten me a 12 yr old girl for my 12th birthday… 😃 Well, if he really is into Legos and he enjoys his computer you could always get him a [Lego Mindstorms](http://mindstorms.lego.com/default.aspx) set. It allows you to build the robots and program their functions on your pc. The best part is that you have to leave the computer if you want to test out your creations. At the office, the team that I work with purchased [this book about dragons](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763623296/sr=8-1/qid=1146507255/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-5807312-7908862?%5Fencoding=UTF8) for our project manager and he practically melted when he saw it. Most boys that I have known enjoy working with art. Since he enjoys building things you could get him a [modeling kit](http://www.hobbylinc.com/cgi-bin/s6.cgi?cat_s=SS&age=&mfg_s=&str=&sort_i=0&show_i=0). The artistic contribution would be to include a paint set with the gift. My mother used to do this a lot and I found it very relaxing to sit in my room building and painting cars and planes. Looking back the relaxation may have come from the model glue and paint fumes though. So maybe you should get some of that non-toxic paint instead. Does he enjoy playing any sports? What about rollerblades, can he skate? ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/18 "2006-05-01T18:38:23Z")
There’s always [Snap Circuits](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000683A4/103-5796116-7087067). We’re getting these for my son’s birthday this summer. The box says ages 8-108. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/19 "2006-05-01T18:58:56Z")
Every boy deserves a good, solid [pocketknife](http://www.swissarmy.com/MultiTools/Product.htm?category=everyday&product=53501&), i recieved a Victorinox Swisschamp from my parents when i was around 12 or so, and i used the crap out of it, all into college, when i broke off the big blade, stupidly i didn’t know about Vic.'s lifetime warranty, or i’d have sent it in for repair/replacement what self-respecting boy _wouldn’t_ love to have a pocketknife bristling with tools, i used the Phillips head screwdriver (taking stuff apart to see how it worked) and magnifying lens (for burning ants, mainly) more than the main blades when i was young ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965/20 "2006-05-01T19:16:51Z")
I was going to say D&D stuff. However, I now agree with a pocketknife, if he’s responsible enough to use it. No taking it to school, etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-bad-mom-what-to-get-a-12-yr-old-for-his-birthday/354965.md?page=2)