Ayah, What's your budget?
Is a low-end digital camera too much? This is a great age for these as they are really looking at things now. And it can spark some creativity in the right hands.
or a portable CD player boombox.

he is at the point of being a true slug.
no interest in photography at all.
that's his sister's domain.
he's got a sound system in his room and he's not into that.

he is into:
-sleeping a lot.
-dungeons and dragons ( and i told him if he ever dresses up to role play i am shaving his head and sending him to a christian school)
-hanging out with his friends who really dig him and are nice and all on the bohemian side.


he's really at a point of discovering himself big time.
he's phenominally bright but has definitely checked out with the learning stuff for now.
i work hard to be patient and have faith that he will find his way back to a little less sluggish life.

so, more than you wanted to know but this year will be hard in terms of finding gifts for him. i'm defintitely getting him and his siter tix to spamalot and the daily show.

god i hope he's not hanging out here.

I feel for you. I have a 14 year old. He went/is still going through it. But I think the hard part is over. He got involved in a theater group.http://www.ysp.org/

And it's made such a big differrnce! he's like yours, bright, almost too bright. School isn't a challenge but beating the system is. that's why this has been so good for him. it is peer driven and peers don't take any crap from each other. So as a result they keep each other in line. We are lucky we have this otherwise we would be tearingg our hair out!

Good luck!

Oh, dear.Good move.

Absolutely essential though. He doesn't need his skull cracked in by a movie-theatre usher when he goes to see a Harry Potter movie dressed like Voldemort... Not that I have cracked any skulls since the movie was released; then again, I didn't see anyone in costume.

Gar,

What did you dress up as?

Cinema usher.

with or without the head-cracker club?

I think I mentioned this once before:

YOUR SON IS HIGH

Chris, you sure do know how to make a mom feel better about her kid. Actually I would argue that most kids this age sleep a lot. Mine did. When they get motivated to do something they'll get up and do something with their life. the big question is what to motivate them with.

Don't teenagers actually need about ten hours of sleep per nite, due to the affects of puberty?

totally.
i slept tons as a 13-16 year old.
i only wanted to do what i wanted to do.
i can actually relate and understand a lot of what he's going through but as a parent it's hard not to be a little concerned.

we've discussed a lot of things and thank god nothing traumatic seems to have happened to him.. he's actually very happy just hanging out.

but what should i get him for christmas?
he's hinted around at wanting a top hat.
he has long hjair and wears ozzie glasses. the hat will make him very marc bolan-ish.

Get him a top hat!

Get him a black overcoat and the hat that would be toally cool! Mine has long hair too and he swiped my old vintage black coat. It actually looks good on him! You should be able to find one at a thrift or vintage clothing store.

getting the coat is a good idea too.
he hardly wears anything but t shirts outside even though he's freeezing.
i can see him actually wearing this.

He'll look WAY cool! (don't forget the uzi.)

TRENCH... COAT... MAFIA!!

fortunately, no uzi. at least not yet.
he's pretty sweet and gentle, particularly with the 4 month old foster baby they have living with them now.