@Holly I feel your pain. My daughter throws away anything that doesn’t appeal to her, since her illness began: an old repainted bicycle built for two that was a garden decoration, old (and new) cell phones, books, and especially her clothing (that I bought for her). I wouldn’t really plan on buying a lot of “things” for your daughter. You have done so much for her already, and she may never realize or appreciate what you have already spent thousands on. Just my suggestion: I only buy art supplies for my daughter. She keeps some and uses them, and throws the rest away. I buy them at flea markets or dollar stores for less than $10. My daughter used to love to do art pre illness. I’ve also taken her to movies or live shows, which she always loved, and oddly enough she controls acting weird in those environments for a few hours, then comes home and slides back into psychosis for a few hours. Besides “life supplies”, these are my only outlays on her now, as gifts.
Hi Holly,
Welcome to the forum. Really hoping that your daughter will be able to full return to her former life once she is more established on the meds, some people with scz on meds do fully return to their prior lives.
So glad you know that managing stress is a big part going forward. You sound like a wonderful support for your daughter.
Thank you both for your kind words. She is about to lose her “right” to live in her present home when her daughter’s graduate from school this year. The house is in her ex-husband’s name. I was shocked to see that his anger toward her, some dieserved no doubt due to her past behavior, has made him almost abusive, rather antagonistic, verbally. He seems to think he can move her out and move in with his girlfriend and her family to give his grown daughters a better life. Unfortunately for him, her family knows he cannot move in without a court order; and he has lost his children’s respect so they prefer to support their mom. She is also not aggressive or really unpleasant to be around at this point, other than being very impatient and paranoid, so that helps. As for spending tons of money on her, other than groceries, I cannot and do not buy her things as I am on a fixed income. I was just hoping to find very inexpensive gifts that she may find enjoyable. Since everyone is different I guess there is no easy answer. Thanks again for your time and kind words! I do not want to rely on my family for support at this time when they are all young and equally traumatized.
Dear Holly, Feeling as you are just as desperate, your post was in Nov 2018, how is everything ?..
I bought small gifts for my daughter as well including, lavender oil (to place a few drops on her pillow) extra nice body wash, I helped her download a “safe place meditation app” to her phone, however, she doesn’t listen to that anymore as she claims her phone is being intercepted by someone else listening in. Favourite chocolate, incense is calming, a small photo of a close family member who she can privately chat to. (Our daughter has my deceased Mums photo who she was very close to… and burns incense in a nice holder).
For Christmas we gave an electric oil vaporiser that creates a lovely calming fragrant mist throughout the room. (Lemongrass).
It’s such a difficult journey we are all on we try anything to make their minds somehow more calm.
Try to take care.
Maggie46 
Sorry to hear about your son, recovery is possible.
I’ve had a history of severe mental illness but managed to get better and no longer take any medication, work part time 2 jobs and actually enjoy my life with my girlfriend and look forward to the future. If your son would like some ideas on how to get better here’s a link to my short essay
Link: http://media.yoism.org.s3.amazonaws.com/CakeTheory.pdf
Also I have a YouTube Channel where I air my views. Good Luck>
Oh wow 
you are amazing Thank you so much for sharing. Sending positive strength to you and your life whatever today brings.