My daughter will be turning 15 in three weeks and I'm looking for ideas for a birthday party. We have done several different things in the past - sleepovers, shopping day at the mall (the mall only happens about twice a year for us due to distance), movie theater (again only happens about twice a year due to distance), bowling party, etc. Last year she invited some friends over and we did a Mary Kay party. The girls actually enjoyed it and learned some valuable makeup application techniques. I asked my daughter what she would like to have this year for her birthday and she said "nothing". This freshman attitude stuff is hard to take. She wants nothing to do with us (her family). Should I push the issue or simply do nothing? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Parties can be hard to do for that age group...they are in between stages and generally want NOTHING to do with parental involvement. All I can say is...good luck...and don't push the issue. If she doesn't want a party...throw a family dinner/cake together and let that be it...gifts are acceptable and generally appreciated, however.

Thanks RR joker, that is what I was thinking. She is pretty much getting needed items for rodeo this year as she will be high school rodeoing this spring, so hopefully she will appreciate the gifts she does get; although it is hard to tell if she appreciates anything these days!

I agree, have a little family party and call it a day. If you don't do ANYTHING she's going to be upset.

I think by 15 my b-days were reduced to doing a small dinner/cake/presents or something with my family and then going out with friends. The actual 'parties' were pretty well over by then - I cared way more about going out.

Let it go and have a family get together.
That way you did something for her and hopefully she appreciates it.
Hang in there.
I'd tell you it's over (the attitude) when they hit Junior or Senior year but then I'd be lying to you. It'll all work out. Just be there.

The years between 13 and 16 are the absolute worse for girls. I think they should be cryogenically frozen until they come to their senses! You could always throw a small party at a pizza place and invite her friends. Eat pizza with her, have cake with her, and then let her go with her friends. Eventually they come back to liking the parents. It just takes awhile. I have a 17 year old that likes me almost every day now and a 15 year old that can barely stand to be in the same room as me. Hang in there!

could we have their jaws wired shut until they are moms - hopefully somewhere around 30ish?

If we don't want them to be moms until they are 30ish we will have to wire more than just their mouths shut! Seriously, 15 is a rough age. They think they know everything and God forbid if you should suggest that they do chores or anything of that nature. But then every once in a while they have a moment of clarity and you remember that you really do love them.

My parents had a surprise 16th birthday party for me, and I was traumatized. I realize now that they were being sweet, but it freaked me out!

Order in some pizza and have a cake for her...

How about seeing if she would like to repaint her room???

see if she'd like to have her girls over and do it up???

PIzza...no party pressure...just getting to reinvent her room a bit!!!!

Hopefully they'll finish college - maybe an advanced degree, get married and by the time they are 30 their kids will be able to talk to them the way they talk to us......

My 4 best friends and I had slumber parties for our birthdays every year until we went to high school and then it was so not cool to do that. I had a couple of beach parties after that - cook outs at the beach, then nothing. At that age we all would just go to the movies together, then pizza, and hang out.

We've had bonfires for my daughter and her friends both male and female but that started at 16. They did hot dogs and roasted marshmallows and seemed to have a good time.

My teens like the fact that they get to pick what they want for dinner - whether it is to go out to a restaurant of their choice or what I make them for dinner. We've done both and eaten everything from crab to hot dogs!

rent them a limo, through in some pizzas and let them have fun for a few hours

That would get me arrested where I live.

that's why I like living in the country!

Thanks for all the advice. I know I was a brat to my mom when I was in my teens, but it is really hard to take when it's coming from that little girl who used to be so sweet.

I don't remember the specific occasion or exactly how old I was, but I clearly remember my mother looking at me and asking, "Are you possessed or something?"

My daughter does not want any girls when she has kids. Why do you think that now?????It's because she knows exactly what she has done to me with her attitude etc and she is scared.

And I only told her once because I don't believe in this getting back at you stuff that I hoped she had a kid just like her one day.

BUT I love my daughter and really I am happy to have her.

I had to chuckle at this. I wanted only boys because of how I was growing up. Guess what - out of three children I got two girls. My youngest is 12 and it is looking like she will be just like me. It really is true - what goes around, comes around!

LOL, I always wanted a girl, but am SOOOOOO glad I have a son!

At age 13, my daughter has informed both me and her mother that she wants to move back to Oklahoma to live with me before her soph year (she'll just have turned 15 if/when that happens). I'll be on here more and more for advice from this wise group!

Fraud Pup, I noticed from your profile that your birthday is the same day as hers 12/12 - Happy Birthday (a few days early)!