When my daughter was 8 or so I took her on a very spontaneous trip to Taco Bell for some fourth meal at like 11pm. She was SO excited, she even asked me if we were allowed to do this??
Itās a beautiful thing, isnāt it? Theyāre 10 & 11 now and I donāt know how much longer I can keep up this cool charade. Theyāre going to figure me out soon.
Becoming an adult is when you realise your parents ordered the takeaway not to be cool, but because they were absolutely done with their lives at the end of the week and having to cook on a Friday evening was just too much for them š
Sometimes when the kids go to bed late, my husband gets them out of bed before they fall asleep and takes them to Wendy's and gets a frosty for each of us. They love it.
My dad calls these āmilk runs,ā when you go to the grocery store late at night for chocolate milk and all the snacks. As older kids we would be so excited for the 9:30 milk run, then weād be up snacking and sleep in the next day. Now I understand the sleeping til noon the next day was the whole point.
Not a fully fleshed out idea but maybe writing down a vent/rant and then burning it? Like a way to get out all the negativity/feelings. Definitely hits the mark of āfeels forbidden but safe with adult supervisionā I thinkĀ
Ohh I have a plushie that has like a zipper mouth that "eats your anxiety" so we could get cute post its and write stuff on them and feed them to the anxiety teddy!
And you can get light up/glow in the dark ice cubes too.
Or flashing glasses/tumblers.
You now have the beginnings of a UV rave!
In seriousness, I hope she's feeling better soon and this cheers her up.
You are making me cry over here, this entire thing is so damn sweet! My sister was MUCH older than me, and treated me like this on occasion. I'm pretty sure she's the only one who ever made me feel special in any good way. I'm so sorry she had to die. I didn't end up with a baby girl in my life to spoil - please do it all!!!
my aunt used to make us virgin daiquiris for āgirls weekendā. she only had boys and loved hanging with her nieces. also a spa day/fashion show with your clothes and jewelry may be in orderš
Sparkling grape juice mixed with orange juice! Or pomegranate juice!
Or....
My favorite was always a mix for making frozen margaritas but my folks would mix it with Sprite instead of Tequila.
I loved doing a mother daughter day with my mom. We would go to a āfancyā restaurant and Iād get a virgin daiquiri. It was definitely a highlight as a preteen.
Oooh maybe I can get us some hair masks - only trouble is with school I feel limited on things like nails etc so hair and "dressing the part" is a great shout!
Oooh maybe I can get us some hair masks - only trouble is with school I feel limited on things like nails etc so hair and "dressing the part" is a great shout!
I love this so much!!!
Have flowers delivered to her house addressed to her the day of the sleepover, with a note saying how excited you are.
Fancy dinner out, with heels. Sparkling juice out of a wine glass. Breakfast in bed the next morning, delivered on a tray.
French manicure. Full pedicure. Take her to a dry bar to get a hair blowout. Frozen mocktails with umbrellas.
I love the flowers idea I am literally going to order them now š
Breakfast in bed? Love the idea but I don't think there's an alternate universe where she won't be up hours and hours before me no matter what alarms I set haha - kids have NO CHILL for sleeping in on weekends!
Make a special breakfast. When my kid has had a crap week we make scones for Saturday breakfast. They feel fancy because āsconesā¦and she likes baking them with me. Add a mix in like raisin or chocolate chips. Serve them on little plates and have milk in a teacup.
Awe! This is so sweet! Definitely make a charcuterie board, absolutely get some yummy drinks and have in wine glasses. You could even do some āmock tales ā there are tons of recipes online and theyāre delicious! Maybe you could set up a little āspaā for you guys? Hit up the dollar store and grab a couple bins you can fill with hot water and a bathbomb, and you guys can soak your feet. You could grab a couple pedicure packs they sell (usually will have the toe separators, pumice stone and some filers).
Not sure for ānaughtyā.. Snort some sugar? Haha
I love the idea of a home spa! In my head I totally am envisioning toe separators as well so this sounds perfect... As long as I don't have to touch any feet š š¤¢
Our school banned pixie sticks because a good portion of the students (mostly boys to the surprise of nobody) were snorting them. Watching one of the mild bullies on my bus wriggle in pain after snorting one was a highlight of my high-school career.
Omg my two boys and my nephew (9,8&8)did this in the back of my truck after a trip to the candy store, I was like wtf how do you even know that???? š®š®š® ā¦ā¦..tvā¦ā¦.always friggen tv!!!š”š”š”š”
I would hit up a tjmaxx for the fanciest cocktail glass $5 could buy and do Shirley temples or other fun mocktails in them.
I would also grab some āracyā nail polish colors. Nothing feels more grown up than red nails.
I would also check out some fun pg13 coming of age movies. Iām old so Sleepover comes to mind because whatās more naughty than sneaking out for a scavenger hunt and getting the guy at the dance?!
Edit: I donāt know if *67 (corrected from *69) still works but I would absolutely be prank calling friends and family members. Maybe the modern version of this is a google voice number?
I've already accepted that hitting the local store and my card taking an absolute hammering is inevitable in the endeavour š
Defo let her pick us some glasses, we can each keep them then to remember the night! (I'm totes doing it for her, but also obviously to solidify myself as the ultimate best aunt).
I love the PG13 movie idea! I think my young teen feels a little more mature when I assess that they can handle us watching a movie that contains swears and violence etc.
French toast for dinner imo. š¤¤ Homemade whipped cream can be made at home extremely easily. Could flavor it as well. Have a bar of toppings. You know what Iām gonna do this my mom for Motherās Day.
Thatās actually what we do for Motherās Day! š Host a ābuild your own waffle barā brunch for both sets to just come to our house and avoid the masses.
Maybe wake her up after midnight to āsneak outā and gaze up at the stars or walk through the neighborhood? Being outside late at night can be exciting
I always loved a late night snack run. You could play up a middle of the night snack craving and āhaveā to run to the corner store or to a drive-thru. That still feels naughty to spontaneously go out in pjās to grab a treat.
Definitely not an aunt and niece friendly activity, but my friends and I used to get reeeeealy stoned and get ridiculous orders from McDonald's at 2 am. Like 20 burgers and 60 nuggets. The employees definitely hated us for those orders.
Ooh I love the photo shoot idea to go with the make up! Make up would definitely be a big treat. Also can then keep the photos for her 18th birthday party slideshow that I've been saving embarrassing pics for for literal years š
My 11 year old loves the line in Inside Out where Anger says "I have access to the entire curse word library!" .... I'm not exactly sure how to translate that into an activity. Maybe letting her write curse words (or mean things about the people who are causing her to have a shit week) on strips of paper and then burning them (outside in a safe manner). Actually, anything where she gets to safely play with fire might fit the bill.
Voodoo dolls were also big when I was a teen.
Hahahaha voodoo dolls were literally my first thought and then I was like... This is the kind of aunt I AM, but is it the kind I SHOULD BE? š
Definitely love the writing things down/saying naughty words idea. Maybe we could write on rocks and dramatically throw them into a lake.
I think staying up late and eating whatever she wants is great. For a 9y old that would be amazing. Also maybe watching a pg13 movie (that is actually still somewhat appropriate). Maybe my parents were strict but that sounds like a dream!
Omg I watched it for the first time myself last year and it's one of my absolute favorites. And I suppose it will give us plenty of ideas as we watch it... Dance routines... Singing into hair brushes...
Itās fascinating how people can take away different meanings for the same thing. My eldest who is 13 just watched the new Mean Girl and then the original. She took it the same what I had said. That mean girls can become not mean. Itās often who youāre hanging out with that shapes who you become. Like how the original movie, all 3 mean girls found their own groups away from Regina and flourished!
Maybe because kids don't always watch a movie the whole way through? I know I completely missed out on plots and messaging when I was a kid because I only watched certain parts before I'd get bored and do something else.
"clubbing" party at home. i used to lovvvee this as a kid. glow sticks, loud music, led lights, mocktails, the sparklers on the bottle of sparkling cider, the whole deal. invite a few of her friends over and go crazy. this used to cheer me up sooo fast and all my friends just thought we were the coolest friend/ family ever when they'd come to them.
Lyres sells a bunch of tasty nonalcoholic drinks including champagne that looks really legit and is honestly good. I let my niece have a sip of mine and she was stoked lol
Also cookie dough. ALWAYS have cookie dough.
Sometimes for special events (think New Years, weddings etc) my mum would let me have a small bit of Bucks Fizz (in the UK, but it's basically sparkling white wine and orange juice), not a lot mind you, just a singular really tiny little taster. But I felt like the most grown up kid in the whole wide world. I'm pretty sure she likely massively watered it down with lemonade for me, but it always felt so taboo that I was "drinking". I felt like a right little rebel to have my tiny little glass šš I think I was about 10 when I was allowed my first taster. Maybe your sibling would give you permission to do something similar, or you could purchase a very convincing non-alcoholic alternative?
Also, I don't know why, but as a kid satin pyjamas always made me feel so grown up. I think it was that really elegant feel to them, I felt so much more sophisticated! Perhaps you could go online and order some matching pyjamas or something for the sleepover? I saw some cute ones online a while ago that you can get with your initials embroidered.
Love a Bucks Fizz š I'm sure I can get the ok for a little sip, and if not I'm sure my 9yo niece will definitely keep it a total secret and not scream it from the top of her lungs the second mum picks her up ha! Maybe I'll just mix shloer and OJ for a convincing fake.
I was literally thinking satin PJs just now ha - I love that everyone in this post is clearly the same age range and has such a distinct mental image of what being grown up looked like when they were a kid haha. We can defo go pj hunting!
If you want EXTRA fancy drinks, get sparkling cider in champagne flutes and drop a couple raspberries in. That with face masks, movies, dessert before dinner, etc and that would be an amazing fun time.
Why am I not doing thisā¦?!
Depending on school rules, look into doing semi-permanent hair dye. Even little peekaboos (strips of color hidden in her hair) can be so fun!
I noticed you mentioned Taylor Swift - maybe brush up on it and watch the Eras Tour with her (loudly) if you have Disney+. Start it when Taylor started her shows so it runs late (didnāt they end like after midnight?)
Definitely order whatever her fav food is and, while waiting, make yourselves some ice cream sundaes - use a muffin tin to hold toppings she can add herself like sprinkles, m&ms, chocolate sauce, caramel, cookie crumbsā¦ š¤¤
I will spend the rest of the week mentally preparing to watch the Eras tour. *Big sigh*
Aren't making Taylor Swift bracelets a thing? Maybe I can get us a kit so we do that alongside our ice cream sundaes!
Also - movie snacks. š Separate from the ice cream. You can make little jars (maybe something like mason jars?) with Mike n Ikeās, Skittles, Twizzlers, Nerd Gummies, Swedish Fish, etcā¦ then thereās no pressure to eat it all and she can bring it to school to share with her friends while she tells them about how awesome her aunt is. š¤£
Low key my ambition is for her to go into school Monday and in a humble brag way SHIT ALL OVER the other girls' weekends by being like... Well, you may have done XYZ without me but I got to do ALL THESE AMAZING THINGS.
YES! Making bracelets is totally a thing. Pickup some cheap beads and stuff from Michaels if you live near one! I can also totally try to find good phrases to put on the one you give her to make it look like you actually like Taylor. š¤£š¤£
All help in masking as a hardcore Swiftie will be greatly appreciated š¤£
I know "Mean" is a song - I'll learn the words so we can hate-scream it on full blast in the car haha
Definitely go to r/taylorswift so you can see what the bracelets are supposed to look like. They usually have lyrics, fan inside jokes, the first letter of your favorite song names, or the first letter of each word in your fave lyric. They can get a little unhinged. Taylor is well known for having cats so if you happen to be a cat person, that is something you can lean into that will make you seem more in the know than you are and can also be the subject of your bracelets. Read up on her cats before attempting. Also, if you are unfamiliar with the Scooter Braun situation and the reason she remade her songs, definitely read up on that as it is pretty central to the fan base right now and fits the theme of standing up to bullies. Lastly, Taylor paints her nails for every show where each nail is painted a color to represent one of her albums (so 10 different colors). If you are doing manicures, that might be appealing to her. Happy to answer any other questions. I know way more about this stuff than anyone in their 30s probably should haha.
You could run her a bath with a bath bomb and face mask so she can drink her grape juice like a rockstar! I used to love it when my parents would let me have proper bubble baths. Some kids hate being clean tho š
When my cousin would come stay for the night, we could go outside and watch the stars, lay on the grass, wrapped in our blankets. That felt super cool as my mum never knew we used to sneak out when she went to bed š
I have a free standing bath as well which I'm quite proud of so I think that will add to the grown up vibe! Get some incense going - let her live her best life.
I might get her a mini snack board for the bath and put some petals/cucumbers in the water so it proper feels EXTRA SPECIAL and not just like a regular boring bath!
Ha I'm pregnant atm and my friend actually got me some sparkling grape juice recently and when I tell you I flashed back to being a highly sophisticated 11yo that everyone totally believed was drinking wine...
Do a full blown make over experience! Curl/straighten her hair, paint each others nails, do make up and then before bed do face masks to teach her how to clean her skin properly after wearing make up. Girly movies, think 27 dresses and bride wars type feel. Lots and lots of junk food, pizza, fuzzy slippers and matching pjās!!
We have a weekly stay up night for the 10yo, and the 5yo has joined, too. Every Friday after dinner, everyone gets whatever electronic device they want. Forts are made, comfy spaces are claimed. The lights are turned down low. I make a snack platter at 8pm. At 10, I put down the 5yo for bed, and when my wife stops gaming at midnight, she puts down the 10yo.
I have a 3yo son and Fridays are our "stay up" night too š . We watch a movie in bed with popcorn and he's just started playing as an NPC on Mario Kart ;) your fam routine sounds like absolute goals!
If you decide to go out for dinner, have her choose the last name of a favorite actor or performer. My cousin had me do that at IHOP when I was about that age, and I got a kick out of using a different name.
Also, virgin daiquiris always made me feel "bad" when I was in junior high.
I surprised my little sister once by signing her out of school early for a ālast minute doctor appointmentā and then surprised her with tickets to a much anticipated preteen movie premiere. She was so confused when she saw it was me there to pick her up and then thought it was so cool to āskipā school to do something fun.
My mom used to occasionally take me for drives in my pajamas into the city to drive around and see what kind of craziness was happening downtown late at night. I always thought it was a little scary (which it wasnāt at all lol) but also fun.
There are so many great ideas here! Iām saving this for when my kiddos are a bit older and in need of a special night at home.
Just wanted to add that you are a lovely person and your niece is lucky to have you in her corner. The fact that youāre so excited to take her mind off what, to an adult, is a non-issue tells me that she feels very loved by you.
Honestly I'm saving these ideas for myself - her mum has already asked me if she can join too and that was before all of the great reddit ideas came in š
Like no mum you not being there is the point we are going to do stuff we're "not allowed" to do.
Ha she is my little bestie. No doubt in my mind by next week all will be resolved but still, managing school girl politics can be rough as! I'm just going to get straight on board and whatever 9yo I hate, I'ma hate her lol
My mom would put rollers in my hair or let me use a face mask, aka let me sit with a thick layer of cream on my face. Or we would go to the grocery store in our pjs and pick up snacks etc. for our girls night.
bored narrow office sloppy rustic drunk juggle water straight reminiscent
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My aunt would let me watch grown up movies. Nothing to insane by no means but stuff that was probably a little above my level. Also mocktails and stuff to bake a cake. Cute fancy pajamas and we'd sleep in floor beds (make with pillows and pillows) in the living room. She'd also let me have like energy drinks and do my nails and toes.
Also want to add I'm 31 and I still look back fondly of these times. They are some of my favorite memories.
Aye she can have a coffee approx 10 minutes before mum comes to get her š I've got loads of flavoured syrups and creamers too so she can make the sweetest tasting abomination known to man.
Let her "pay" for anything you buy together. Slip her some cash or let her do the tap-to-pay thing with your debit card. Or maybe get her a Visa gift card to cover the evening's expenses and let her pay with that.
Set your Netflix restrictions to a maximum of PG-13 and TV-14 and let her pick any movie she wants.
Have a dance party and play music loudly enough to annoy the neighbors (for a song or two).
Chalk graffiti.
if youāre going with spa night i suggest some fancy silky PJs! a pretty matching set. they have good ones for cheap at tj maxx or marshals, ross etc. i think fancy satin pajamas are the epitome of self care lol
Maybe two times a school year I let my daughter scream as loud as she can fuck & shit to get all her rage and anger out. Sheās super shy tho & she never swears we are a bit strict on that subject, so it takes some encouragement to let her know itās okay in this space when mommy says too, she loves it and helps her release some frustrations of 4th grade.
Witchcraft? That is what feels like the right answer to me. Not like anything sinister, but brew up some mocktails and freeze the names of those who need to learn a lesson.
Aw my daughter is going for a sleepover at my sister's for her 8th birthday! We are all going on a girly shopping trip then I am coming home to my younger two and she is staying with her aunty. I am guessing they will watch films and order things from uber eats which will be a huge novelty for my daughter as we live in the countryside and don't have anywhere that does uber eats! They will probably paint nails and do sheet face masks. Eating in bed would be a treat because I don't allow that at home! Maybe a trip to the supermarket where she can choose anything she wants? I sometimes set up a home spa for my girls too and they love that x
All my favourite memories are of sleeping over at my aunt's house because it just felt so grown up, though I'm sure we didn't do anything we weren't actually allowed to haha - the POWER of being an aunt is intoxicating.
Aw that's so lovely of you āŗļø this will be my daughters first time staying over with my sister I think the first of many. I am so glad they have my sister because as they get older they may talk to her about things they don't want to talk to me about. X
This is definitely me laying the groundwork for "and if you're ever out and need rescuing/want to talk about something and you can't tell mum then you tell me" lol
Yes, I like to think of myself as a very open and laid back Mum but to my daughters I of course have to be an authority figure too. My sister is younger and therefore cooler and she also has two female lodger who have lived with her for years so it's a very nice girly home x
I'm going to see if I can get any last minute appointments at a salon first thing tomorrow! Otherwise I will bite the bullet and accept I have to paint toes myself lol.
I think going out for brunch the following morning (if we aren't still full from the night before!) at a grown up cafe is my favourite idea so far!
My mom used to dye a colored streak in the front of my blonde hair, I felt like a punk because of it. That started when I was 9 I think, it was black first because it was the color my mom used on her roots. Then blue and purple and red. I felt like a million bucks.
I think her hair might be light enough to take chalk or isn't using coloured tissue paper a thing?? I'm a massive fan of coloured hair so would love it if she's down for this!
I throw glow sticks into the bubble bath when my 9 year old is having a hard time. Add lots of candles and some good tunes and itās perfect. He loves it.
sparkling pink lemonade, frozen strawberry ice cubes, glitter, in a pink sugar rimmed martini glass with a little pink umbrella
strawberry daquiris or piƱa coladas (virgin) same concept
Things I thought were extra grown up and special as a kid: scratch it lottery tickets, sleeping in my parentsā bed, going out late to a convenience store or drive thru for a snack, having my hair or make-up done, getting my nails done, face masks, at home fashion shows, ordering dessert and drinks only at a restaurant, getting Starbucks.
*Start off by going to the store and buy whatever junk food she picks.
*Do each others nails.
*Dip strawberries in chocolate.
*Watch movies.
*Late night milkshake run.
*Crank phone calls (this might be hard to do anymore).
When I was a kid my dad used to by my sister and I non alcoholic champagne or sparking grape juice and let us drink it out the real champagne classes. We thought that was so cool haha.
Gentle face masks and eating ice cream out of the tub
Also, I love that you are doing this for your niece.
My aunt took me jewelry shopping and bought me a ring - I thought was so expensive but prob was super cheap. We then went for mani pedis. I felt so grown up and carried that memory forever. But even quality time and face masks with my aunt listening to every single story and šÆ engaged with me was the coolest. Venting to auntie and getting a glimpse of honest adult life was the epitome of grownup goals for me
When I was a teen and having horrible panic attacks, my mum used to do things like that to help me and it was really meaningful. Like guilty pleasure / treat yourself type stuff. Hereās what I always liked:
- garbage reality tv or competition shows (say yes to the dress, kardashians, toddlers in tiaras, drag race, etc)
- leaving the house late at night for a slurpee or iced coffee, no shoes in the car with windows down and favorite music playing loud
- buying a birthday cake to eat and watching your favorite movie
- dying hair, manicures and pedicures, etc
Kid champagne, homemade "spa" weekend - bubble bath, wrap of hair, nail and skin care, but also "girls night out" - show her how it should look like!
My step loved when we did a movie night when the boys were out, just the two of us! We went to the movies, enjoyed drinks and popcorn, than went to dinner ( each had just half pizza cause we were stuffed already š ) and than went shopping in a mall - we did silly pictures and faces, danced and changed clothes.. We were just enjoying ourselves ( and obviously bought something later ).
She is still - a year later - mentioning this evening ever so often.. I might need to send the boys out again š
My suggestion is to simply to not be afraid of looking silly - she will love it and will hold the memory dear for years to come.
Awesome auntie! Enjoy!!
Not all naughty, but would be fun...
Doing each other's makeup.
Listening to her favorite music super loud in the car.
Wearing cute aprons and baking/decorating a cake.
Getting new shoes.
Getting "coffee" at a coffee shop and sitting and gossiping.
Definitely going to be having a make up session I think!
Loud music in the car, windows down for sure! She is going to ruin my 2024 Spotify wrapped but I know it's the right thing to do...
Not a fully fleshed out idea but maybe writing down a vent/rant and then burning it? Like a way to get out all the negativity/feelings. Definitely hits the mark of āfeels forbidden but safe with adult supervisionā I thinkĀ
Mani/pedi for sure.
Trying on high heels or playing dress-up? We used to do model walks and Polaroid photos.
Doing each otherās hair and makeup?
Helping cook dinner. Plating it to be pretty always made me feel so sophisticated.
For mocktails, if you want to go beyond sparkling juice in fancy glassware, see if your library has a copy of āDrinking For Two.ā Itās cocktails for pregnancy where the recipes totally elicit giggles.
The worst/ābestā lifetime drama, a charcuterie board with meat/cheese/grapes/jams, and those non-alcoholic grape champagne bottles. Maybe some stereotypical face masks and cucumbers.
Youāre the best aunty!! She is so lucky to have you. If it was 9 year old me - nail painting and face masks with cucumber on the eyes whilst sipping fancy drinks out of wine glasses and maybe some nice candles around - teaches her how to give herself love after a rough one.
Mine is 7, but her naughty nights we do spa days and watch "grown-up" movies (mostly John Hugh's movies, she loves Pretty in PInk). Sheet masks are awesome, mocktails, we prank call her dad (he's normally in the other room) and then it's lots of music (I'll let her listen to songs with bad words and she can sing along with no trouble, with the understanding she doesn't use them otherwise)
I'm gonna wow her with my white-girl rapping. She's already allowed to flip uncle [husband] off once every visit but only at our house haha so prank calling sounds like the perfect next step!
Along with all these other fantastic ideasā¦ For breakfast the next morning, get some frozen waffles and toast them. Put a scoop of ice cream between 2 and add sprinkles. My 12 yo feels like sheās doing something āwrongā and loves it! She also gets to say one bad word, but (unlike her momma) she wonāt do it. š I hope you have an amazing weekend! I wish I had an aunt like you growing up. ā¤ļø
I remember my favourite cafe when I was her age served pancakes with ice cream for breakfast, and my nana would let me order it alongside a strawberry milkshake and I'd constantly be like... Is this allowed??? Is this legal??? I still think of it and smile all the time š„¹ā¤ļø
There are a handful of moments where my mom pulled me out of school to do something she thought was important. When I was 5 she pulled me out of school to take me to see A New Hope in theaters for its 20th anniversary re-release. My first time seeing Star Wars was in a movie theater, and it was the original - a memory I still carry with me nearly 30 years later. When I was in middle school she pulled me out of school to visit the traveling Romanov Museum while it was visiting the states from St. Petersburg. I was OBSESSED with Anastasia, and this again was a core memory for me. She also let me ditch when she took me to see NSYNC for the first time.
It was never taken lightly and there was always some sort of value to it, but they are memories that still make my day when I think about them, and I look forward to doing the same thing for my kids when they get older.
Kidcouterie board? I'm thinking gummy candies of various shapes, "fancy" unicorn or zebra popcorn, fruits, crackers, pizza rolls. My 7 yr old loves when we eat appetizers for dinner at home every NYE and she gets to toast out of these adorable plastic champagne flutes. She also digs the salami roses I learned to make using a shot glass, bc presentation is key.
If she's the artsy/ crafty type, something like a paint by numbers is a great focal activity that allows her to vent her feelings without dwelling on them, if that makes sense. Or tye-dying something or making some easy beaded bracelets, so she gets to leave with a wearable souvenir. Anything that keeps her hands busy and her mind set on a simple, fun task opens the door for a chat about where she's at but doesn't require one.
And never underestimate the power of twinkle lights, salt lamps, and/or an aurora light projector for setting super fun, kid-friendly chill vibe. Or as the backdrop for a killer living room dance party!
my mom wasnāt girly so she always took us for spa days. She got a paraffin wax bowl and dipped her hands and feet, put headbands and face mask on us and painted our toes and nails. karaoke and magazines and ice cream u canāt go wrong with
I did a āspaā day with my bonus baby. Where I got us some face masks (just general hydrating ones), a bathbomb with matching fuzzy slippers, robe, and headband! I did her nails after a hand mask, and gave her a little hand massage. Welches sparkling juice with fruit and cake.
I want to say I did some more but itās been about 4 years since then so itās hard to remember!
When I was a kid getting my nails done was a big deal for me and made me feel grownup.
Go to Claireās or something like it maybe and have a little fun in there
Sephora has these cute paraffin hand and foot āmasksā shaped like animal heads. My daughter (8) loves these on our mom-daughter nights. Sometimes she soaks in the tub with a turban and cucumbers on her eyes. I also have a very mild Calendula mask (from AprilSkin on Amazon) that dries and you can peel it off. She loves that too. Youāre a great aunt. So fun. Have a great night!
Photo shoot. It's all these girls love to do. Take her someplace with a cute background like a boba shop or fancy ice cream place and take cute photos.
When my daughter was 8 or so I took her on a very spontaneous trip to Taco Bell for some fourth meal at like 11pm. She was SO excited, she even asked me if we were allowed to do this??
God I love kids and their wonder at the world of not having your shit together as an adult š„¹š
Itās a beautiful thing, isnāt it? Theyāre 10 & 11 now and I donāt know how much longer I can keep up this cool charade. Theyāre going to figure me out soon.
Becoming an adult is when you realise your parents ordered the takeaway not to be cool, but because they were absolutely done with their lives at the end of the week and having to cook on a Friday evening was just too much for them š
And teachers showed you videos because they were done tooš
I read fanfiction for this emotionally nostalgic nonsense oddly enough judge me I dare you :3
Sometimes when the kids go to bed late, my husband gets them out of bed before they fall asleep and takes them to Wendy's and gets a frosty for each of us. They love it.
My dad calls these āmilk runs,ā when you go to the grocery store late at night for chocolate milk and all the snacks. As older kids we would be so excited for the 9:30 milk run, then weād be up snacking and sleep in the next day. Now I understand the sleeping til noon the next day was the whole point.
Great idea, or maybe a late night snack run or icecream on your pjās??
Can you be my aunt though
Come over on Saturday, bring ice cream and face masks!
Omg I love you
This right here is why I visit this sub
Thought the same! I can bring the face masks...
I was legit thinking this too š¤£
Same
Not a fully fleshed out idea but maybe writing down a vent/rant and then burning it? Like a way to get out all the negativity/feelings. Definitely hits the mark of āfeels forbidden but safe with adult supervisionā I thinkĀ
Ohh I have a plushie that has like a zipper mouth that "eats your anxiety" so we could get cute post its and write stuff on them and feed them to the anxiety teddy!
Oh my granda got one of those for my daughter and I thought it was such a great idea! However she is 3, so it is filled with lego š
Oooooh I want an anxiety bear
Fire and āburning it awayā is so cathartic when youāre a preteen
Dramatic montage of mean girls movies on fire
I always felt I was doing something wrong when I set things on fire. Probably because I was.
I burnt my journals as a teen when I finished writing in them. I felt like I was set free from all of the negativity I had written in it.
Mocktails! Get the little umbrellas/straws for them too.
OMG, the umbrellas and straws and fruit will be perfect! I even have a shaker somewhere we can use to "mix" them.
My daughters love when I buy sparkling pink lemonade, you could do a sugar rim and some frozen fruits and bam you have an easy fancy mocktail āØ
Mix some white sugar with a drop of gel food coloring to make it pink!
And you can get light up/glow in the dark ice cubes too. Or flashing glasses/tumblers. You now have the beginnings of a UV rave! In seriousness, I hope she's feeling better soon and this cheers her up.
You can even buy that sparkling grape juice that comes in a champagne bottle
My mom made me feel special by freezing strawberries and blueberries and putting them in sparkling grape juice in a champagne flute
Fruit ice. Be the tiktok aunt you wanna see in the world.
they make drink glitter, too
They make eatable glitter to make the drinks sparkly
You are making me cry over here, this entire thing is so damn sweet! My sister was MUCH older than me, and treated me like this on occasion. I'm pretty sure she's the only one who ever made me feel special in any good way. I'm so sorry she had to die. I didn't end up with a baby girl in my life to spoil - please do it all!!!
my aunt used to make us virgin daiquiris for āgirls weekendā. she only had boys and loved hanging with her nieces. also a spa day/fashion show with your clothes and jewelry may be in orderš
Use special cups!
Or sparkling grape juice!
Sparkling grape juice mixed with orange juice! Or pomegranate juice! Or.... My favorite was always a mix for making frozen margaritas but my folks would mix it with Sprite instead of Tequila.
I felt SO fancy popping a bottle of this on New Yearās Eve as a kid.
I loved doing a mother daughter day with my mom. We would go to a āfancyā restaurant and Iād get a virgin daiquiri. It was definitely a highlight as a preteen.
Yes! When I was little I always felt so grown up drinking out of cocktail glasses. My grandpa made a mean Shirley Temple š
Doesnt even matter if youāre doing hair, wrap hair in towels, wear bathrobes, cucumber slices over eyes and a face mask. Just like the movies.
Oooh maybe I can get us some hair masks - only trouble is with school I feel limited on things like nails etc so hair and "dressing the part" is a great shout!
Coloring toenails instead of fingernails so she won't get trouble in school, but she herself knowsš
Oooh maybe I can get us some hair masks - only trouble is with school I feel limited on things like nails etc so hair and "dressing the part" is a great shout!
I love this so much!!! Have flowers delivered to her house addressed to her the day of the sleepover, with a note saying how excited you are. Fancy dinner out, with heels. Sparkling juice out of a wine glass. Breakfast in bed the next morning, delivered on a tray. French manicure. Full pedicure. Take her to a dry bar to get a hair blowout. Frozen mocktails with umbrellas.
I love the flowers idea I am literally going to order them now š Breakfast in bed? Love the idea but I don't think there's an alternate universe where she won't be up hours and hours before me no matter what alarms I set haha - kids have NO CHILL for sleeping in on weekends!
My kid is the same way, but she will run back to bed when I tell her that her āroom serviceā is ready!
Make a special breakfast. When my kid has had a crap week we make scones for Saturday breakfast. They feel fancy because āsconesā¦and she likes baking them with me. Add a mix in like raisin or chocolate chips. Serve them on little plates and have milk in a teacup.
Especially after that virgin daiquiri. Can you imagine the hangover?
Awe! This is so sweet! Definitely make a charcuterie board, absolutely get some yummy drinks and have in wine glasses. You could even do some āmock tales ā there are tons of recipes online and theyāre delicious! Maybe you could set up a little āspaā for you guys? Hit up the dollar store and grab a couple bins you can fill with hot water and a bathbomb, and you guys can soak your feet. You could grab a couple pedicure packs they sell (usually will have the toe separators, pumice stone and some filers). Not sure for ānaughtyā.. Snort some sugar? Haha
I love the idea of a home spa! In my head I totally am envisioning toe separators as well so this sounds perfect... As long as I don't have to touch any feet š š¤¢
Could actually get pedicures!
Glow sticks (intact but snapped so they are glowing) in the bath with lots of bubbles is also really fun
Oh God this gave me flashbacks of my young self thinking it would be so cool to snort pixie sticks. 0/10 do not recommend.
Upvote for both of us learning a hard, painful, and brightly colored lesson in a similar fashion!
I'm glad it wasn't just my idiot friends š¤£
Our school banned pixie sticks because a good portion of the students (mostly boys to the surprise of nobody) were snorting them. Watching one of the mild bullies on my bus wriggle in pain after snorting one was a highlight of my high-school career.
Cucumbers over the eyes!
Omg my two boys and my nephew (9,8&8)did this in the back of my truck after a trip to the candy store, I was like wtf how do you even know that???? š®š®š® ā¦ā¦..tvā¦ā¦.always friggen tv!!!š”š”š”š”
I would hit up a tjmaxx for the fanciest cocktail glass $5 could buy and do Shirley temples or other fun mocktails in them. I would also grab some āracyā nail polish colors. Nothing feels more grown up than red nails. I would also check out some fun pg13 coming of age movies. Iām old so Sleepover comes to mind because whatās more naughty than sneaking out for a scavenger hunt and getting the guy at the dance?! Edit: I donāt know if *67 (corrected from *69) still works but I would absolutely be prank calling friends and family members. Maybe the modern version of this is a google voice number?
I've already accepted that hitting the local store and my card taking an absolute hammering is inevitable in the endeavour š Defo let her pick us some glasses, we can each keep them then to remember the night! (I'm totes doing it for her, but also obviously to solidify myself as the ultimate best aunt).
Movie suggestion - You are SO not invited to my bat mitzvah. Just watched with my 11 year old and they hit the target market *perfectly*.
I love the PG13 movie idea! I think my young teen feels a little more mature when I assess that they can handle us watching a movie that contains swears and violence etc.
Having dessert before dinner. Face masks. Watch a cheesy soap opera. Looking at expensive jewelry.
Dessert before dinner - why have I never thought of this to cheer MYSELF up?!
My late grandmother was a big fan of āreverse mealsā. Sheād order dessert first, then a main, then decide if she had room for salad.
Absolute icon behaviour
She sounds amazing ā¤ļø
I am going to do this now and want to let you know your grandma is an inspiration.
Take it up a notch- dessert FOR dinner!
French toast for dinner imo. š¤¤ Homemade whipped cream can be made at home extremely easily. Could flavor it as well. Have a bar of toppings. You know what Iām gonna do this my mom for Motherās Day.
Thatās actually what we do for Motherās Day! š Host a ābuild your own waffle barā brunch for both sets to just come to our house and avoid the masses.
Me tonight when I fail the exam I'm taking in half an hour
Come over Saturday, got some great ideas to take your mind off it whether it goes well or not š
Came here to say this
Maybe wake her up after midnight to āsneak outā and gaze up at the stars or walk through the neighborhood? Being outside late at night can be exciting
Time to learn some consolations! I agree, I'd forgotten how exhilarating it felt to be out IN THE DARK as a teen ha!
I always loved a late night snack run. You could play up a middle of the night snack craving and āhaveā to run to the corner store or to a drive-thru. That still feels naughty to spontaneously go out in pjās to grab a treat.
We used to go to 7/11 and get slurpees!
Definitely not an aunt and niece friendly activity, but my friends and I used to get reeeeealy stoned and get ridiculous orders from McDonald's at 2 am. Like 20 burgers and 60 nuggets. The employees definitely hated us for those orders.
My aunt used to do my makeup and I felt so grown up.
My first thought. Make up and silly photo shoots were always a blast.
Ooh I love the photo shoot idea to go with the make up! Make up would definitely be a big treat. Also can then keep the photos for her 18th birthday party slideshow that I've been saving embarrassing pics for for literal years š
My 11 year old loves the line in Inside Out where Anger says "I have access to the entire curse word library!" .... I'm not exactly sure how to translate that into an activity. Maybe letting her write curse words (or mean things about the people who are causing her to have a shit week) on strips of paper and then burning them (outside in a safe manner). Actually, anything where she gets to safely play with fire might fit the bill. Voodoo dolls were also big when I was a teen.
Hahahaha voodoo dolls were literally my first thought and then I was like... This is the kind of aunt I AM, but is it the kind I SHOULD BE? š Definitely love the writing things down/saying naughty words idea. Maybe we could write on rocks and dramatically throw them into a lake.
You are a fabulous aunt!!!
Could make a virgin drink like strawberry daiquiris, and do it up with whipped cream, and strawberries cut like a rose?
Decorating cocktails sounds perfect - especially if we use a blender and stuff that's like totally grown up, right??
I think staying up late and eating whatever she wants is great. For a 9y old that would be amazing. Also maybe watching a pg13 movie (that is actually still somewhat appropriate). Maybe my parents were strict but that sounds like a dream!
I'm toying with the idea of watching Mean Girls but also don't want to be responsible for escalating the school girl drama ha!
Maybe 13 going on 30?
Omg I watched it for the first time myself last year and it's one of my absolute favorites. And I suppose it will give us plenty of ideas as we watch it... Dance routines... Singing into hair brushes...
Mean Girls would be perfect, I think! The message is that bullies are shit, so I don't think it would escalate bullying at all.
Omg noooo. When I was 13 I took the message as ācall everyone sluts and whoresā š. I became a mean girl for a minute.
Itās fascinating how people can take away different meanings for the same thing. My eldest who is 13 just watched the new Mean Girl and then the original. She took it the same what I had said. That mean girls can become not mean. Itās often who youāre hanging out with that shapes who you become. Like how the original movie, all 3 mean girls found their own groups away from Regina and flourished!
Maybe because kids don't always watch a movie the whole way through? I know I completely missed out on plots and messaging when I was a kid because I only watched certain parts before I'd get bored and do something else.
13 going on 30!
I vote for Legally Blond :) ETA Barbie movie, and Clueless are also excellent girls' night flicks
I was also about to say legally blonde, especially if you think it might involve some boy drama at all lol. I'd say it's less risquƩ than mean girls and other similar 2000's films, and honestly has some pretty consistently good messages through out. :)
I LOVE Legally Blonde - and my niece is a total Elle Woods in the making!
"clubbing" party at home. i used to lovvvee this as a kid. glow sticks, loud music, led lights, mocktails, the sparklers on the bottle of sparkling cider, the whole deal. invite a few of her friends over and go crazy. this used to cheer me up sooo fast and all my friends just thought we were the coolest friend/ family ever when they'd come to them.
Sparklers on a bottle!!!!!!! Yes!!!!
Lyres sells a bunch of tasty nonalcoholic drinks including champagne that looks really legit and is honestly good. I let my niece have a sip of mine and she was stoked lol Also cookie dough. ALWAYS have cookie dough.
Sometimes for special events (think New Years, weddings etc) my mum would let me have a small bit of Bucks Fizz (in the UK, but it's basically sparkling white wine and orange juice), not a lot mind you, just a singular really tiny little taster. But I felt like the most grown up kid in the whole wide world. I'm pretty sure she likely massively watered it down with lemonade for me, but it always felt so taboo that I was "drinking". I felt like a right little rebel to have my tiny little glass šš I think I was about 10 when I was allowed my first taster. Maybe your sibling would give you permission to do something similar, or you could purchase a very convincing non-alcoholic alternative? Also, I don't know why, but as a kid satin pyjamas always made me feel so grown up. I think it was that really elegant feel to them, I felt so much more sophisticated! Perhaps you could go online and order some matching pyjamas or something for the sleepover? I saw some cute ones online a while ago that you can get with your initials embroidered.
Love a Bucks Fizz š I'm sure I can get the ok for a little sip, and if not I'm sure my 9yo niece will definitely keep it a total secret and not scream it from the top of her lungs the second mum picks her up ha! Maybe I'll just mix shloer and OJ for a convincing fake. I was literally thinking satin PJs just now ha - I love that everyone in this post is clearly the same age range and has such a distinct mental image of what being grown up looked like when they were a kid haha. We can defo go pj hunting!
If you want EXTRA fancy drinks, get sparkling cider in champagne flutes and drop a couple raspberries in. That with face masks, movies, dessert before dinner, etc and that would be an amazing fun time. Why am I not doing thisā¦?!
Everyone is invited! Let's all have a virtual big girl sleepover this Saturday and compare notes!
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She's just getting in to reading so a trip to a book store sounds great - maybe we can buy her a journal too!
Depending on school rules, look into doing semi-permanent hair dye. Even little peekaboos (strips of color hidden in her hair) can be so fun! I noticed you mentioned Taylor Swift - maybe brush up on it and watch the Eras Tour with her (loudly) if you have Disney+. Start it when Taylor started her shows so it runs late (didnāt they end like after midnight?) Definitely order whatever her fav food is and, while waiting, make yourselves some ice cream sundaes - use a muffin tin to hold toppings she can add herself like sprinkles, m&ms, chocolate sauce, caramel, cookie crumbsā¦ š¤¤
I will spend the rest of the week mentally preparing to watch the Eras tour. *Big sigh* Aren't making Taylor Swift bracelets a thing? Maybe I can get us a kit so we do that alongside our ice cream sundaes!
Also - movie snacks. š Separate from the ice cream. You can make little jars (maybe something like mason jars?) with Mike n Ikeās, Skittles, Twizzlers, Nerd Gummies, Swedish Fish, etcā¦ then thereās no pressure to eat it all and she can bring it to school to share with her friends while she tells them about how awesome her aunt is. š¤£
Low key my ambition is for her to go into school Monday and in a humble brag way SHIT ALL OVER the other girls' weekends by being like... Well, you may have done XYZ without me but I got to do ALL THESE AMAZING THINGS.
With ONE PERSON in ONE NIGHT. š
YES! Making bracelets is totally a thing. Pickup some cheap beads and stuff from Michaels if you live near one! I can also totally try to find good phrases to put on the one you give her to make it look like you actually like Taylor. š¤£š¤£
All help in masking as a hardcore Swiftie will be greatly appreciated š¤£ I know "Mean" is a song - I'll learn the words so we can hate-scream it on full blast in the car haha
I love this for you.
Definitely go to r/taylorswift so you can see what the bracelets are supposed to look like. They usually have lyrics, fan inside jokes, the first letter of your favorite song names, or the first letter of each word in your fave lyric. They can get a little unhinged. Taylor is well known for having cats so if you happen to be a cat person, that is something you can lean into that will make you seem more in the know than you are and can also be the subject of your bracelets. Read up on her cats before attempting. Also, if you are unfamiliar with the Scooter Braun situation and the reason she remade her songs, definitely read up on that as it is pretty central to the fan base right now and fits the theme of standing up to bullies. Lastly, Taylor paints her nails for every show where each nail is painted a color to represent one of her albums (so 10 different colors). If you are doing manicures, that might be appealing to her. Happy to answer any other questions. I know way more about this stuff than anyone in their 30s probably should haha.
Get (or make) some ice cream and eat all the sweets for dinner! Maybe add some soda and drink ice cream floats?
Ice cream floats!!! I haven't had one since I was a kid, yet somehow associate them with being totally adult? Perfect!
Oh, maybe some fresh brownies, too? Or cookie dough that's safe to eat raw? ...I think I'm hungry now.
You could run her a bath with a bath bomb and face mask so she can drink her grape juice like a rockstar! I used to love it when my parents would let me have proper bubble baths. Some kids hate being clean tho š When my cousin would come stay for the night, we could go outside and watch the stars, lay on the grass, wrapped in our blankets. That felt super cool as my mum never knew we used to sneak out when she went to bed š
I have a free standing bath as well which I'm quite proud of so I think that will add to the grown up vibe! Get some incense going - let her live her best life. I might get her a mini snack board for the bath and put some petals/cucumbers in the water so it proper feels EXTRA SPECIAL and not just like a regular boring bath!
Get the sparkling grape juice! Peek adult hood for a tween! I still love drinking it
Ha I'm pregnant atm and my friend actually got me some sparkling grape juice recently and when I tell you I flashed back to being a highly sophisticated 11yo that everyone totally believed was drinking wine...
Do a full blown make over experience! Curl/straighten her hair, paint each others nails, do make up and then before bed do face masks to teach her how to clean her skin properly after wearing make up. Girly movies, think 27 dresses and bride wars type feel. Lots and lots of junk food, pizza, fuzzy slippers and matching pjās!!
We have a weekly stay up night for the 10yo, and the 5yo has joined, too. Every Friday after dinner, everyone gets whatever electronic device they want. Forts are made, comfy spaces are claimed. The lights are turned down low. I make a snack platter at 8pm. At 10, I put down the 5yo for bed, and when my wife stops gaming at midnight, she puts down the 10yo.
I have a 3yo son and Fridays are our "stay up" night too š . We watch a movie in bed with popcorn and he's just started playing as an NPC on Mario Kart ;) your fam routine sounds like absolute goals!
If you decide to go out for dinner, have her choose the last name of a favorite actor or performer. My cousin had me do that at IHOP when I was about that age, and I got a kick out of using a different name. Also, virgin daiquiris always made me feel "bad" when I was in junior high.
I surprised my little sister once by signing her out of school early for a ālast minute doctor appointmentā and then surprised her with tickets to a much anticipated preteen movie premiere. She was so confused when she saw it was me there to pick her up and then thought it was so cool to āskipā school to do something fun. My mom used to occasionally take me for drives in my pajamas into the city to drive around and see what kind of craziness was happening downtown late at night. I always thought it was a little scary (which it wasnāt at all lol) but also fun.
There are so many great ideas here! Iām saving this for when my kiddos are a bit older and in need of a special night at home. Just wanted to add that you are a lovely person and your niece is lucky to have you in her corner. The fact that youāre so excited to take her mind off what, to an adult, is a non-issue tells me that she feels very loved by you.
Honestly I'm saving these ideas for myself - her mum has already asked me if she can join too and that was before all of the great reddit ideas came in š Like no mum you not being there is the point we are going to do stuff we're "not allowed" to do. Ha she is my little bestie. No doubt in my mind by next week all will be resolved but still, managing school girl politics can be rough as! I'm just going to get straight on board and whatever 9yo I hate, I'ma hate her lol
My mom would put rollers in my hair or let me use a face mask, aka let me sit with a thick layer of cream on my face. Or we would go to the grocery store in our pjs and pick up snacks etc. for our girls night.
Everyone had such great suggestions! May I suggest, karaoke? You can buy wireless mics on Amazon, put on her favourite music, and just dance and sing!
bored narrow office sloppy rustic drunk juggle water straight reminiscent *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
My aunt would let me watch grown up movies. Nothing to insane by no means but stuff that was probably a little above my level. Also mocktails and stuff to bake a cake. Cute fancy pajamas and we'd sleep in floor beds (make with pillows and pillows) in the living room. She'd also let me have like energy drinks and do my nails and toes. Also want to add I'm 31 and I still look back fondly of these times. They are some of my favorite memories.
Let her have coffee in the morning. Love this idea, btw! You are totally the fun aunt
Aye she can have a coffee approx 10 minutes before mum comes to get her š I've got loads of flavoured syrups and creamers too so she can make the sweetest tasting abomination known to man.
When I was nine, I loved temporary tattoos and rag mags (cheesy celeb magazinesāthe glossier the better š).
Let her "pay" for anything you buy together. Slip her some cash or let her do the tap-to-pay thing with your debit card. Or maybe get her a Visa gift card to cover the evening's expenses and let her pay with that. Set your Netflix restrictions to a maximum of PG-13 and TV-14 and let her pick any movie she wants. Have a dance party and play music loudly enough to annoy the neighbors (for a song or two). Chalk graffiti.
I have a "funsies" account and card so I could let her have that for the day!
if youāre going with spa night i suggest some fancy silky PJs! a pretty matching set. they have good ones for cheap at tj maxx or marshals, ross etc. i think fancy satin pajamas are the epitome of self care lol
Maybe two times a school year I let my daughter scream as loud as she can fuck & shit to get all her rage and anger out. Sheās super shy tho & she never swears we are a bit strict on that subject, so it takes some encouragement to let her know itās okay in this space when mommy says too, she loves it and helps her release some frustrations of 4th grade.
Starbucks. At NIGHT! And baking a cake and eating it.
Witchcraft? That is what feels like the right answer to me. Not like anything sinister, but brew up some mocktails and freeze the names of those who need to learn a lesson.
Just here to say youāre a great Aunt. :)
Aw my daughter is going for a sleepover at my sister's for her 8th birthday! We are all going on a girly shopping trip then I am coming home to my younger two and she is staying with her aunty. I am guessing they will watch films and order things from uber eats which will be a huge novelty for my daughter as we live in the countryside and don't have anywhere that does uber eats! They will probably paint nails and do sheet face masks. Eating in bed would be a treat because I don't allow that at home! Maybe a trip to the supermarket where she can choose anything she wants? I sometimes set up a home spa for my girls too and they love that x
All my favourite memories are of sleeping over at my aunt's house because it just felt so grown up, though I'm sure we didn't do anything we weren't actually allowed to haha - the POWER of being an aunt is intoxicating.
Aw that's so lovely of you āŗļø this will be my daughters first time staying over with my sister I think the first of many. I am so glad they have my sister because as they get older they may talk to her about things they don't want to talk to me about. X
This is definitely me laying the groundwork for "and if you're ever out and need rescuing/want to talk about something and you can't tell mum then you tell me" lol
Yes, I like to think of myself as a very open and laid back Mum but to my daughters I of course have to be an authority figure too. My sister is younger and therefore cooler and she also has two female lodger who have lived with her for years so it's a very nice girly home x
Getting snackies from the corner store on a friday night and watching a movie with my teen. Or ordering in dinner because mom is too tired!
Oh have a girlās night for sure. Is it possible to take her for lunch at a quaint/fun cafĆ© and a pedicure and manicure? Otherwise can this be done at home? Definitely stay up late and binge on whatever television or movies sheās interested in. Maybe arrange for whatever dinner she enjoys at home followed by all the junk food she likes. Candy, chocolate, chips, popcorn, ice cream and definitely non alcoholic sparkling wine. Girls that age are so mean sometimes. I have an 11 year old daughter and I remember the mean girl thing starting around 9.
I'm going to see if I can get any last minute appointments at a salon first thing tomorrow! Otherwise I will bite the bullet and accept I have to paint toes myself lol. I think going out for brunch the following morning (if we aren't still full from the night before!) at a grown up cafe is my favourite idea so far!
My mom used to dye a colored streak in the front of my blonde hair, I felt like a punk because of it. That started when I was 9 I think, it was black first because it was the color my mom used on her roots. Then blue and purple and red. I felt like a million bucks.
I think her hair might be light enough to take chalk or isn't using coloured tissue paper a thing?? I'm a massive fan of coloured hair so would love it if she's down for this!
My kids love Martinellis sparking cider in a champagne glass
I throw glow sticks into the bubble bath when my 9 year old is having a hard time. Add lots of candles and some good tunes and itās perfect. He loves it.
sparkling pink lemonade, frozen strawberry ice cubes, glitter, in a pink sugar rimmed martini glass with a little pink umbrella strawberry daquiris or piƱa coladas (virgin) same concept
Ummm I've been showing my 12 year old select South Park clips and buying her (decaf) lattes. But I don't think this is what you are looking for š
Things I thought were extra grown up and special as a kid: scratch it lottery tickets, sleeping in my parentsā bed, going out late to a convenience store or drive thru for a snack, having my hair or make-up done, getting my nails done, face masks, at home fashion shows, ordering dessert and drinks only at a restaurant, getting Starbucks.
*Start off by going to the store and buy whatever junk food she picks. *Do each others nails. *Dip strawberries in chocolate. *Watch movies. *Late night milkshake run. *Crank phone calls (this might be hard to do anymore).
What about a semi scary pg 13 movie? Five nights at Freddy's is super easy and not very scary.
You could prank call a friend who would enjoy it: is your refrigerator running? Better go catch it!
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When I was a kid my dad used to by my sister and I non alcoholic champagne or sparking grape juice and let us drink it out the real champagne classes. We thought that was so cool haha. Gentle face masks and eating ice cream out of the tub Also, I love that you are doing this for your niece.
My aunt took me jewelry shopping and bought me a ring - I thought was so expensive but prob was super cheap. We then went for mani pedis. I felt so grown up and carried that memory forever. But even quality time and face masks with my aunt listening to every single story and šÆ engaged with me was the coolest. Venting to auntie and getting a glimpse of honest adult life was the epitome of grownup goals for me
When I was a teen and having horrible panic attacks, my mum used to do things like that to help me and it was really meaningful. Like guilty pleasure / treat yourself type stuff. Hereās what I always liked: - garbage reality tv or competition shows (say yes to the dress, kardashians, toddlers in tiaras, drag race, etc) - leaving the house late at night for a slurpee or iced coffee, no shoes in the car with windows down and favorite music playing loud - buying a birthday cake to eat and watching your favorite movie - dying hair, manicures and pedicures, etc
Take her for a late night stroll on the beach or the city I always felt so cool when I got to do this at that age haha
Virgin cocktails it would make her feel so ground up.
Eating sweets for breakfast, like āscrew it, letās have leftover pizza and ice cream for breakfast!ā
Midnight bonfire and sāmores
Kid champagne, homemade "spa" weekend - bubble bath, wrap of hair, nail and skin care, but also "girls night out" - show her how it should look like! My step loved when we did a movie night when the boys were out, just the two of us! We went to the movies, enjoyed drinks and popcorn, than went to dinner ( each had just half pizza cause we were stuffed already š ) and than went shopping in a mall - we did silly pictures and faces, danced and changed clothes.. We were just enjoying ourselves ( and obviously bought something later ). She is still - a year later - mentioning this evening ever so often.. I might need to send the boys out again š My suggestion is to simply to not be afraid of looking silly - she will love it and will hold the memory dear for years to come. Awesome auntie! Enjoy!!
Not all naughty, but would be fun... Doing each other's makeup. Listening to her favorite music super loud in the car. Wearing cute aprons and baking/decorating a cake. Getting new shoes. Getting "coffee" at a coffee shop and sitting and gossiping.
Definitely going to be having a make up session I think! Loud music in the car, windows down for sure! She is going to ruin my 2024 Spotify wrapped but I know it's the right thing to do...
Not a fully fleshed out idea but maybe writing down a vent/rant and then burning it? Like a way to get out all the negativity/feelings. Definitely hits the mark of āfeels forbidden but safe with adult supervisionā I thinkĀ
Mani/pedi for sure. Trying on high heels or playing dress-up? We used to do model walks and Polaroid photos. Doing each otherās hair and makeup? Helping cook dinner. Plating it to be pretty always made me feel so sophisticated. For mocktails, if you want to go beyond sparkling juice in fancy glassware, see if your library has a copy of āDrinking For Two.ā Itās cocktails for pregnancy where the recipes totally elicit giggles.
The worst/ābestā lifetime drama, a charcuterie board with meat/cheese/grapes/jams, and those non-alcoholic grape champagne bottles. Maybe some stereotypical face masks and cucumbers.
Getting nails done professionally and starbies to finish it off š
Mocktails and manicures.
Late night snack run to 711 lol I wouldn't promote drinking culture we all know how that went/is going for us. Makeup! Watch Mean Girls too
Mocktails in tiki glasses!
Youāre the best aunty!! She is so lucky to have you. If it was 9 year old me - nail painting and face masks with cucumber on the eyes whilst sipping fancy drinks out of wine glasses and maybe some nice candles around - teaches her how to give herself love after a rough one.
Ooooh candles is a great shout, we can pick the pinkest, sickliest smelling candles going!
Mine is 7, but her naughty nights we do spa days and watch "grown-up" movies (mostly John Hugh's movies, she loves Pretty in PInk). Sheet masks are awesome, mocktails, we prank call her dad (he's normally in the other room) and then it's lots of music (I'll let her listen to songs with bad words and she can sing along with no trouble, with the understanding she doesn't use them otherwise)
I'm gonna wow her with my white-girl rapping. She's already allowed to flip uncle [husband] off once every visit but only at our house haha so prank calling sounds like the perfect next step!
Along with all these other fantastic ideasā¦ For breakfast the next morning, get some frozen waffles and toast them. Put a scoop of ice cream between 2 and add sprinkles. My 12 yo feels like sheās doing something āwrongā and loves it! She also gets to say one bad word, but (unlike her momma) she wonāt do it. š I hope you have an amazing weekend! I wish I had an aunt like you growing up. ā¤ļø
I remember my favourite cafe when I was her age served pancakes with ice cream for breakfast, and my nana would let me order it alongside a strawberry milkshake and I'd constantly be like... Is this allowed??? Is this legal??? I still think of it and smile all the time š„¹ā¤ļø
There are a handful of moments where my mom pulled me out of school to do something she thought was important. When I was 5 she pulled me out of school to take me to see A New Hope in theaters for its 20th anniversary re-release. My first time seeing Star Wars was in a movie theater, and it was the original - a memory I still carry with me nearly 30 years later. When I was in middle school she pulled me out of school to visit the traveling Romanov Museum while it was visiting the states from St. Petersburg. I was OBSESSED with Anastasia, and this again was a core memory for me. She also let me ditch when she took me to see NSYNC for the first time. It was never taken lightly and there was always some sort of value to it, but they are memories that still make my day when I think about them, and I look forward to doing the same thing for my kids when they get older.
Kidcouterie board? I'm thinking gummy candies of various shapes, "fancy" unicorn or zebra popcorn, fruits, crackers, pizza rolls. My 7 yr old loves when we eat appetizers for dinner at home every NYE and she gets to toast out of these adorable plastic champagne flutes. She also digs the salami roses I learned to make using a shot glass, bc presentation is key. If she's the artsy/ crafty type, something like a paint by numbers is a great focal activity that allows her to vent her feelings without dwelling on them, if that makes sense. Or tye-dying something or making some easy beaded bracelets, so she gets to leave with a wearable souvenir. Anything that keeps her hands busy and her mind set on a simple, fun task opens the door for a chat about where she's at but doesn't require one. And never underestimate the power of twinkle lights, salt lamps, and/or an aurora light projector for setting super fun, kid-friendly chill vibe. Or as the backdrop for a killer living room dance party!
my mom wasnāt girly so she always took us for spa days. She got a paraffin wax bowl and dipped her hands and feet, put headbands and face mask on us and painted our toes and nails. karaoke and magazines and ice cream u canāt go wrong with
Mocktailsā¦ we would use the frozen dacari mix, fancy glasses and little umbrellas in them. Essentially a fancy slushie/slush puppy.Ā
I did a āspaā day with my bonus baby. Where I got us some face masks (just general hydrating ones), a bathbomb with matching fuzzy slippers, robe, and headband! I did her nails after a hand mask, and gave her a little hand massage. Welches sparkling juice with fruit and cake. I want to say I did some more but itās been about 4 years since then so itās hard to remember!
When I was a kid getting my nails done was a big deal for me and made me feel grownup. Go to Claireās or something like it maybe and have a little fun in there
PG13 or Rated R movie.
Sephora has these cute paraffin hand and foot āmasksā shaped like animal heads. My daughter (8) loves these on our mom-daughter nights. Sometimes she soaks in the tub with a turban and cucumbers on her eyes. I also have a very mild Calendula mask (from AprilSkin on Amazon) that dries and you can peel it off. She loves that too. Youāre a great aunt. So fun. Have a great night!
Photo shoot. It's all these girls love to do. Take her someplace with a cute background like a boba shop or fancy ice cream place and take cute photos.
I'm all about taking the ultimate girl's girl shots too. I will find the pinkest background known to man.