Sweet 16 ideas

My DD will be 16 next June and i need ideas how to make her 16th bday “sweet”!

- we dont have extended family local to us. I have a couple step sisters and their kids and a maybe a couple cousins and her 2 uncles and their wives are on LI if we have a party
- ex DH doesnt work or give me child support
- DD has a “few” friends but not a huge group to invite (even for her bday this year she chose to only invite 1 friend for dinner) if she did something with them and no family

Because of lack of family and being divorced/not having a lot of extra funds i feel bad for and worry about events like this.

Any ideas of what I can do for her? She hasn’t talked about what she would want yet.

If i did a trip/cruise thing it would just be me and her sister I guess. I wouldnt pay for my exDH!

Re: Sweet 16 ideas

Maybe a trip into the city to see a show? I also like the cruise idea, but depends on your budget.

Re: Sweet 16 ideas

I have an immense family, as does my husband, but I've already talked to my girls about a trip for their sweet 16s...I would rather make memories together than have a big party. A party would cost me a fortune with all that I have to invite plus their friends (they are years away so who knows how their friend group will look), but we talked about a "big" girl trip (me and my two who are 18 months apart for each of their sweet 16s) with their little sisters (5 and 11 years younger) staying with dad. I think they will get more from that experience than a party!

Re: Sweet 16 ideas

I think parties are a huge waste and they trigger my anxiety like nothing else. Especially if you are saying your daughter has a small group of friends and you don't have a ton of family locally, I would 100% do a trip or even a day in nyc instead.
Add to that the fact you say funds are tight and it's a no brainer.
Never ever put yourself into hock for a party.

Message edited 8/11/2018 8:19:14 AM.

Sweet 16 ideas

Maybe a city trip? My cousin did Hershey PA

Re: Sweet 16 ideas

I was very shy and quiet back then and didn’t want a party. My parents took me to get a nice piece of jewelry instead that I still have. Perhaps a trip to Tiffany’s instead of a party?

Sweet 16 ideas

Never had a sweet sixteen party. My sis and I never wanted one. My mom and dad rented us a limo and we invited 6 friends to come with us to the city. We went to planet hollywood. This was a longggg time ago lol. Im sure there are more fun places to go now

Re: Sweet 16 ideas

I had a sweet 16 but my bff didn't. Her bday was in November so we went to VT to ski, but what about a long weekend in LBI for her and a friend? We did that at the end of the school year with her family and it was a great trip as well.

Message edited 8/13/2018 10:48:08 AM.

Re: Sweet 16 ideas

When my niece turned 16, she did not want a party but instead a dinner in the city and theater tickets for some of her closest friends.
That seemed to be the trend among her friends.
I don't recall what my nephew did.

My sis and I never had sweet 16 parties, nor did friends of ours. Our immigrant parents didn't know about them.

What would your DD like to do ?

Re: Sweet 16 ideas

I never had a sweet 16 because the thought of a party scared me. I didn’t want to do anything actually. I just wanted a CD player.

What does she want to do? What is your budget?

I think the city idea sounds like a good one with her close friends. No need to pay for your ex either.

Re: Sweet 16 ideas

There are a lot of things you can do that will be memorable and not necessarily cost an arm and a leg. All depends on what she is into.

Like others mention a night out in the city with dinner and a show. Maybe an overnight hotel stay or a limo ride in and out of the city.

A beach weekend (LBI, Montauk, Cape May, Fire Island)

I know someone who did an overnight at the Allegria in Long Beach. She was allowed to take a few friends, they had adjoining rooms. Hung out on the beach, went to dinner in LB and brunch the next day.

Other local places are Oheka Castle or the Garden City Hotel.

Or you can go North. We recently did a weekend in New Paltz on a whim and it was so nice. Vermont also has some great places in the spring time (def a lot further though).