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I've been racking my brain what to get my mates new born daughter... clearly it has to be something to secure her future as a professional cyclist so I'm thinking a balance bike..
Would you as a parent find that annoying having it sat around for another year or 2 if shes too small to use it? Is there anything bike or shuffle related that's a precursor to a balance bike I can get instead?
Thanks
Ideally a fluoro balance sled with 150b wheels and nice slack HA.. Won't be used for about 2 years tho
Maybe get that as a birthday present a few years down the line. They'll have enough shite floating (literally and figuratively) around without having to find somewhere to store stuff they don't need for another 2 or 3 years.
Consider Ewan The Dream Sheep.
Or just ask them what they need? Often grandparents buy a lot of stuff so they might appreciate if someone bought them something a little more boring that nobody has thought of yet.
Unless they have loads of space to spare (and who does, really?) then yes, it's annoying to have a bulky thing for 2 years before it can be used. Realistically anything else to shuffle around on will be a year away from use too.
Buy one of the usual newborn gifts, park any thoughts of cycling for a couple of years.
A season ticket at the dry cleaners for the parents would be a good choice.
New borns can read a 'dry clean only' label as soon as they get within vomiting distance of it.
Also, as a cycling parent I'd be affronted if somebody else bought my children their first bike! Would take away all the pleasure of researching which is best etc etc.
We managed to find a cool TdF polka dot jersey baby vest...
Get a scuttlebug which they can use much earlier than a balance bike and helps develop skills to progress onto a balance bike. My two have loved theirs and used them from around 12 months at the time they can walk.
Would you as a parent find that annoying having it sat around for another year or 2 if shes too small to use it?
Yes.
We found that most people bought clothes or toys for a newborn (obviously) but we did appreciate stuff for when they were a little bit older - babies grow out of clothes remarkably quickly.
Also, as a cycling parent I'd be affronted if somebody else bought my children their first bike! Would take away all the pleasure of researching which is best etc etc.
This!
That's a mum or dad job.
Plus it'd just get in the way.
For a newborn, I'd go for some really nice baby clothes (not necessarily expensive, just nice) for about 6 months old. We've got a bag of sentimental clothes, really nice stuff from when the kids were babies, pretty much all of which came from friends early on and you really value the memories attached to those.
Buy something for the mum, they will have loads of baby clothes etc. This will put you firmly in the good books. And certainly don't buy a future toy, you may as well buy them a car.
Babies are a proper time sink and you've no idea what's going on when.
I got my mate a [url= https://www.gousto.co.uk/join?promo_code=gbps50&utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc_brand&utm_term=gousto_exact&utm_campaign=brand_exact_gousto&gclid=CjwKEAjwka67BRCk6a7_h_7Pui8SJABcMkWRzW6UI7IYjWlZaXE3BpJ8b5aTxIjWvfCU-R7B_sHxIRoClHHw_wcB ]Gousto[/url] box - 4 days of fresh food with recipes delivered to their door so they didnt have to bother going to the shops for a few days.
I wouldnt' get a balance bike. That's making some assumptions about the kid. Leave it for a bit then ask. Or just offer to babysit if you really care 🙂
Or a stack of takeaway vouchers, as scaled says.
They'll be overrun with newborn clothes and a balance bike is definitely a Dad's present
A bale of white vests (like 30) of varying sizes going from 3 through to 18 months, with a mixture of long and short sleeved? Don't bother with ones with any kind of writing or print on - they're hidden all of the time and will only get fluro green shit dribbling down them.
Turn up with dinner. Don't expect to stay but provide something that can sit in the fridge and be nuked into life when they get a chance.
+1 for Ewan. Our daughter loved hers when she was very little. And a Gro-Clock for when they're a little older.
Tbh I wouldn't have thanked someone for giving me a balance bike at that time in my life. It's a nice idea but it's just so far down the line.
Some friends got us some really cool bike themed baby grows and stuff like that which we really liked. Probably the greatest thing you could do is offer to baby sit in a few months so your mate can go for a ride. For me even small bits of practical help meant so much more than more stuff, at a time when you're already swamped with stuff.
I've always offered to babysit for friends when they've had babies, but don't be surprised if the offer isn't taken up. Many new parents are nervous with anyone other than direct family babysitting for up to 6 months-ish. I know we were...not for any particular reason directed at friends mind, but we just were. It's just a protectiveness thing kicking in.
Cook them a meal! A big hearty stew or something. And then next week, bring them some cake. And ice cream. 😀
If you visit, let them sit down and make yourself and them a cup of tea and clear up after yourself. Don't stay too long.
Scaled has it. They will have little time and not much idea whats happening at first. My sister sent us some shopping from Tesco's. Had no idea until the van turned up to deliver it. Champers and chocolates, some beer and a couple of nice meals for us then some nappies, wipes and a pack of grows for the little lad.
Made life easy for a couple of days and was a nice touch as they were thinking about us too.
A Bumbo for the baby, some nice coffee, some ear plugs and a massive dish of your best home cooked food (portioned up)to put in their freezer..
My brother and wife have bought us a Ewan Dream Sheep for our (terrifyingly imminent) arrival, glad to hear people think it's good!
I bought a Glo Egg with a monkey shell, although slightly worryingly it's permanently orange as our house hasn't dropped below 21 degrees in weeks. Handily it has a guide on what bedding to use if you're stuck in particular temperatures, although I'm tempted to try and find a quiet fan.
I'm already looking at bike trailers for t'boy, but not going to be getting a balance bike for a while (we got balance bikes for our nephews, but not until they were 2 and 3 - one was a bit more physical than the other, he's now three and riding a pedal bike without stabilisers!)
As others have said, food is the answer. If you can't cook, buy the parents some really nice posh ready meals (Donald Russell do some) so they can eat a square meal without having to worry about cooking it or clearing up. If you really want to get the daughter something, get a nice book - like Each Peach Pear Plum.
I got my mate a Gousto box - 4 days of fresh food with recipes delivered to their door so they didnt have to bother going to the shops for a few days.
Agree with it being a PITA to keep a bike for 2 years before it's needed, and it really being a parent thing to buy anyway, but that suggestion above is a winner. Great idea.
It's a nice thought, but a few years premature. If you want to get them a cycling-related gift, how about [url= http://www.cafepress.co.uk/+bicycle+baby-clothing ]Cycling related baby clothes[/url] or something?
Depending on how newly born they are, one of my now favourite people brought round a large lasagne and a large mac & cheese.
Meant we had proper home cooked food for a few days without having to think about it.
Was really appreciated, certainly by me.
Ewan the dream sheep - yes. Seconded (thirded?) Plus 2 sets of rechargeable batteries, you don't want it going flat - ever!
Clothes for a 6 month old for the season (winter) or 3 month for autumn. We got loads of new born things which he's now outgrown at 9 weeks so there were things he only wore once as we had so much. Find out how heavy the birth weight is, and then work out average growth for the time until whatever season you're buying for to get the size.
Growbags are good as well, but find out if they plan to swaddle first.
Spherovelo :
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http://earlyrider.com/products/spherovelo
bought one for my mates little girl, although she has now outgrown it and is soon getting this :
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Spherovelo is cool but again, not really any good till 12 months-ish. Also useless on carpet.
Agree with the above, all they want is a hot meal and a kip. Bike is a world away when you have the reality of a newborn.
Our best 'present' was a couple who cooked dinner and held the baby while we had a lie down. I'll remember that forever. I have no idea where most of the rest of the stuff came from.
Minute pair or Vans/Cons for the baby and dinner/flapjacks/rest for the parents would be ace.
As new dad to a 7 week old, I can agree that food for the parents is a great idea. Either proper home cooked stuff for them or a voucher for something nice (we were given one for a local restaurant we like which does takeaway.) In those first few weeks, we didn't eat properly at all and we still find it hard to find the time to cook properly.
We got a dream sheep too which could work wonders, unfortunately our little one isn't too fussed and actually prefers a white noise app on the iPad cranked up loud.
I got my mate a Gousto box - 4 days of fresh food with recipes delivered to their door so they didnt have to bother going to the shops for a few days.
Great idea, though I did love nipping out for the shopping and take aways ... 😀
Go to their house, do the washing up, clean the bogs and do a couple of laundry loads for them
DO it.
At bigbikebash last year I bought my daughter (less than a year old at the time) an early rider belter.
She's tiny...it's gone on ice for...I predict....4 years!!
DrP