Honestly, it was a tough birthday for me because THE ONLY thing he wanted was an iPhone. Not only did we not want to assume the cost of the monthly data plan, we also felt like an iPhone was not something Ben needed just yet. He has a phone (albeit not a smartphone) that rarely gets used, and he has a school issued ipad. All of the capabilities that he would have with an iphone he has between these two devices.
Brian and I prepped Ben weeks ahead of time, letting him know that we were not going to be getting the phone for him, and we weren't trying to trick him. So, what on earth do you give a 13 year-old boy? We decided to give him cash, but tried to come up with a fun way to have him open it.
I typed up 13 tasks he had to complete, and after every few, he was allowed to open a gift. Each task represented something special or unique about Ben and things that he has loved over his 13 years of life. Here is a sampling:
In the end, with combined money from us and relatives, he had $100 to do with what he wanted. He opted for idea #2 on this list...trombone refurbishing. I just picked up his spiffed up trombone today, and when he saw it, he said, "Whoa! That's actually a nice birthday present!"
Happy 13th Birthday, Ben! We are proud of you and love you very much!