Hive mind help? Gift for young man... microscope???

[Muse]

What kid wouldn't like an electric scooter? He could zip over to his best buddy's house and he could play games on the Mac you didn't contribute to.

Not sure. He lives in a pretty hilly neighborhood. Not sure an electric scooter would work out for him... or if he already has one even. I really know very little about these kids. They live in a fabulous house. They have a tennis court, pool, fabulous view. You can see Mexico from their back porch. I have no doubt that he's gonna have that Macbook, whether I chip in for it or not.

 

[IronWing]

Macs suck for games. Get him a pair of binoculars and a bus pass to Black's Beach.

 

[Muse]

That's the right answer. A microscope is a GREAT gift for .001% of boys that age and a complete waste for everyone else. If you're not completely sure which group he's in pass.

I'm sure when I acquired (received, I suppose), my little black 3 objective toy-like microscope at ~13 YO, I had no idea what to do with it. But I discovered things, so it was a window into another world. Too, I figure, a reasonably quality stereo scope like that Amscope linked above:

SE306R-PZ-LED 20X-40X-80X Cordless LED Stereo Microscope

will not become obsolete particularly. Don't know that for sure, but seems like it. Of course, I don't know that either kid will give that scope a 2nd look after opening the box. But most of the things I got for my bar mitzvah were all but useless to me except the $$$ I suppose but I don't remember what came of that. I just noticed that Amscope has a 10% discount for president's day on, so I may jump on that... two of those scopes for the kids. What doesn't reach $400, I figure I can chip in on the Macbook. I figure he's getting that anyway, my relatives are AFAIK rather well-heeled.

I think it's a cool idea, and surely some kids would be into it, but expect nearly anything you purchase for a 13 year old will be forgotten by the next year.

Even if it sits in those kids' closets, it's there and maybe some day they'll dig it. There's just about nothing I got for my bar mitzvah that means a thing to me now. If someone had given ME that scope at 13, I would probably still have it! And use it from time to time.

Edit: I'm rereading this whole thread because I have to make up my mind now, what to give this kid (and maybe his younger brother now too). That's why I'm riffing on it now.

 

[Muse]

I read through this whole thread this morning and decided to get those kids each one of those Amscope stereo 20x-40x-80x scopes, plus each a set of the Amscope 25 sample slides. I already have that sample slide set. I ordered a 3rd same stereo scope for myself!

I will make up the difference from $400 by contributing to the kitty for the bar mitzvah boy's Macbook.

Will your young man maintain sufficient interest in biology to warrant an expensive microscope? The last time I got interested in peeking at the microscopic world I spent the day watching Youtube videos on the subject and satisfied the urge, but if as a kid I had been taken out to, say, a local pond to catalog the microbiology by an adult it might have helped spark a life-long interest. If you have an interest in microbiology, sharing that will be as much of a gift as the physical microscope itself. But it will be a waste if it ends up forgotten in a closet.

I live 500 miles from these kids, will not see them often. Besides, my education in biology is meager. I could easily show them how to observe one celled animals in fluids, there's nothing to it, at least as I did at their age.

There father, however, is an M.D. and I assume he had plenty experience in medical school (probably in internship and residency too, also probably in undergraduate work) in using microscopes. He could and hopefully will take an interest in showing the kids some things they can do with the scopes. Hey, I won't be heartbroken if I hear that they never were the least interested in them.

 

[Chapbass]

Does he happen to be into music at all or anything? Drawing? Could get him some software FOR the MacBook. Music creation, CAD, etc. That way you contribute to the overall big gift but you have your own name on something and you can still influence him in a positive way (as opposed to a game or something)

 

[Muse]

Does he happen to be into music at all or anything? Drawing? Could get him some software FOR the MacBook. Music creation, CAD, etc. That way you contribute to the overall big gift but you have your own name on something and you can still influence him in a positive way (as opposed to a game or something)

I don't know what he's into! His 11.5 YO brother was very into playing little league baseball a year or two ago. He does have that reflecting telescope in his room. Noticed that late November when I slept in his room a couple nights. Hard to miss that telescope, but don't remember anything else. I'm not a nosy person...!

That's about all I know. I suppose they're into music.

 

[Muse]

The event was Saturday, and yesterday (Sunday) there was a brunch, and there I gave the 2 kids (11.5 and 13) their presents. They didn't know about them before I presented the microscopes, which were sent to their address. Their dad (an M.D.) was there and it was his idea for me to break it to them.

The bar mitzvah boy said immediately he'd been wanting a microscope! I noted that I'd noticed a telescope in his room (looks to me to be a ~4" reflector). I'd forgotten what I'd heard him say a year or two ago, which was that he intends to become a pathologist! He figures he'll make more money than his surgeon dad (heard him say that yesterday!), and he has other reasons. He's a real smart kind, there's way more to him than I can fathom. Had lots of friends with him over the weekend. Seemingly almost all boys, but I guess that's to be expected at that age.

I unboxed one of the scopes ( AmScope SE306R-PZ-LED stereo microscope ). He evidently didn't know the distinction between a compound binocular microscope and a stereo microscope, and I briefly explained that you get 3D with a stereo scope but not as great magnification and that many people find stereo scopes more useful and fun. He had said he actually has used microscopes at school. I also presented each of them with Amscope's highly rated 25 sample slide set, which people told me works for compound binocular AND stereo scopes OK.

Since he wants to be a pathologist I wondered if I got him the right scope. Maybe a compound binocular scope (my first idea) would have been the better choice. They're not the kind of kids to fake their emotions for you. Anyway, I figure they may well really enjoy those scopes by and by. Their parents can afford to give them most anything. You should have seen the extravaganza weekend they threw for people, some of whom came from across the country. The kid did mention in the speech he made during the after party that the party was mostly for his parents! Honesty!

 

[IronWing]

The kid can use the stereoscope to guide the scalpel while prepping slides from his practice victims.

 

[Muse]

The kid can use the stereoscope to guide the scalpel while prepping slides from his practice victims.

By the time he's practicing that scalpel may be computer guided. Well, some pretty far out stuff is happening now in the medical field involving computers and imaging. But as a pathologist, he may not have use for a scalpel. Microscopes, absolutely.