Inspiration please for DD(8) for Christmas.

notanewuser

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

The recorder should be banned and if anyones heard playing it then they should be sentenced to 10 years hard labour.Its even worse than Gary Barlow and thats saying something.

I have a treble and a bass recorded upstairs which give a lovely woody sound. WhenDD's hands are big enough she can have a go. Until then they are most definitely banned.

theoretica

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

The recorder should be banned and if anyones heard playing it then they should be sentenced to 10 years hard labour.Its even worse than Gary Barlow and thats saying something.

Hrumph. This is what a recorder can sound like - in the hands of a considerably better than average child

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDRwBNP9uU4

dandelionclock30

Yeah but the majority dont sound like that do they?. The majority sound like cats being strangled.
I say learn a proper instrument not something thats a step up from tracing paper over a comb or fingernails being dragged down glass.

theoretica

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

Yeah but the majority dont sound like that do they?. The majority sound like cats being strangled.
I say learn a proper instrument not something thats a step up from tracing paper over a comb or fingernails being dragged down glass.

That is because "proper" instruments are more likely to come with personal tuition and daily practice. I say learn to play an instrument properly whatever it is - don't blame the instrument. [Ever heard violin players who have learnt their instruments through a short group lesson once a week in school and no practice outside, the way recorder is so often 'taught'? I assure you, you [I]really[/I] don't want to! But don't blame the violin.]

System

notanewuser wrote: »

I have a treble and a bass recorded upstairs which give a lovely woody sound. WhenDD's hands are big enough she can have a go. Until then they are most definitely banned.

There was a fantastic recorder player in this year's Young Musician final. I can't find her on You Tube but she was very talented.

But I'm afraid you have to let people be 'bad' at something before they can get good! Or to put it another way the forest would be pretty quiet if only the best birds were allowed to sing. I expect all good players started off making sounds that weren't pleasing to the ear.

VfM4meplse

bylromarha wrote: »

She has a pet.

She has all the crafty stuff she wants - and many unopened sets TBH.

She has a camera.

She's got all the Lego she wants.

She isn't getting a tablet yet.

She has sat down with the Argos catalogue twice over the past 2 months and said she doesn't really want anything as she has everything she does want. She still hasn't spent her £40 Argos gift cards she got for her birthday back in July as there's nothing she really wants.

She's a reader - nothing she prefers to curling up on her bed with her e-reader.

Budget is £50-£75. Any ideas please...the 25th is looming and OH and I are stumped!

It seems to me DD is a very lucky young lady, the part highlighted I thought was particularly telling. Especially as my knowledge of you is through moneysaving posts alone.

Do you feel obliged to give something material? In your position, I would invest in some kind of development of DD. Or ask her to select a charity of her choice, or add to a savings account for her, rainy day money is always useful.

bylromarha

VfM4meplse wrote: »

It seems to me DD is a very lucky young lady, the part highlighted I thought was particularly telling. Especially as my knowledge of you is through moneysaving posts alone.

Do you feel obliged to give something material? In your position, I would invest in some kind of development of DD. Or ask her to select a charity of her choice, or add to a savings account for her, rainy day money is always useful.

You're right - DD is very lucky. She has a roof over her head, food in the cupboard and 2 parents who love her very very much. She would say she is not so lucky as she has a brother 2 years older than her

We've always trained our children to appreciate what they have and be content in all circumstances - it's at times like this I'm proud of my daughter for putting her money where her mouth is and realising that, with the whole choice of the Argos catalogue before her, she has all she needs in life and anything more just feels excessive. She doesn't have half the fripperies or tat, or wardrobe selection or consoles, or tablets that her friends have, yet she still said she didn't need or want anything.

We regularly do give to charity - and DD is fully involved in that - it's part of the "appreciate what you have" training. As for savings, again that is being trained in through pocket money being divided into 3 groups (spend, save, give) with allocated amounts of her choice.

Yes, I do feel the need to give something material to her as her brother will be opening a Lego Techics set, and watching him do so will be naff if her present isn't something tangible. I want her too to have the joy of opening a present which she will fully love and appreciate through the years. TBH, she'd never even thought of wanting a snuggly reading chair - I hadn't!

So thank you for the idea - but I've already started Googling comfy chair beds

bylromarha

And, BTW, I could rock the recorder when I was a teenager. I played a mean Pachelbel's Canon on the treble. Sounded gorgeous.

I shall have nothing said against it!

littlemissbossy

My nine year old niece loves the Tom Gates books.

HTH

Belenus

A half size children's guitar and tutor book if she shows any musical abilities.