Should I feel bad? Or be mad!

[plutotek]

Let's see; she did something that caused her to lose the use of her laptop. Okay, it gets taken away. Did you make a bad choice in where you hid it? Yes. However, would the laptop have been damaged had your daughter accepted her punishment? No. So, feel bad, but don't feel guilty.

As for repairing it, we recently had to replace the screen on our DS' laptop, and it cost about $100. It is a little bit older, so I don't know how much that will make a difference. My wife found the screen and hinge parts on Ebay, if that helps. The computer is working great now.

 

[cruisnfamily]

I'm curious as to why you are hiding something you took away from her.

I have taken my DD's phone away from her and put it on a shelf in our living room. No need to hide it, she knew she was not permitted to touch it and wouldn't dare. If you lose a privilege, you lose it regardless of where the item is.

But, since that was not your question, here's my opinion on what you did ask: had I put a laptop under the mattress to my bed and somebody sat on it, I would definitely pay the cost to repair or replace it.

 

[kwelch10377]

Like others have said I would feel bad for a second, but then be mad that she was snooping in YOUR room trying to get it back.

As far as getting it fixed goes, did you purchase a service plan for it when you bought the laptop? If so, you should be able to get it fixed for free. My brother's screen cracked before (long story....no one sat on it though) and because he had a service plan for it purchased through Best Buy he was able to get it fixed for free. Just something to consider.

You have to have a service plan that includes accidental screen repair, it is not automatically included under all the service plans.

If you don't have a service plan that covers accidental screen damage it will be expensive to fix. You can call the manufacturer and they will tell you the neareast authorized repair shop.

As for the fault, I think it is both yours and your DD. She shouldn't have been snoping and that really wasn't a great place to put an expensive item that can be easily broken. What if someone else came in the room and sat on the bed and did the same thing. It is really here nor there now, but in the future if you take it away as punshiment I would just take the battery out and the AC adapter so she can't plug it in a use it and then just hide those. I would find out the cost of the new screen and split it with her, whether she just out right pays for her half or does things around the house to earn the money to repair it.

 

[Luvchefmic]

OP I'm glad she's a normally good kid & she's going to college next year which says a lot about you & her BUT again IMHO then what I would do is buy her one as a high school graduation gift, or maybe her birthday, or Christmas if you celebrate it, maybe even as a back to school gift in Sept if she's going to need it for her work. The rest of the summer though she'll just have to do without it and I'd buy a lock for my bedroom door too. As far as the one that was damaged maybe if it can be fixed it would be her responsibility but she still wouldn't get it back. Now its mine. Yes I'm all about tough love and thanks God it works I have the DDs (34 & 36) that tells me it works and they look back now & thank me.

 

[LisaR]

I think you need to buy a thicker mattress!

I can not imagine that the act of putting a closed laptop under my mattress and sitting on the bed would cause the screen to break. Of course, I am not willing to test my theory out. But seriously, did she dive on top of your bed and repeatedly jump up and down? The laptop was closed, correct? Are you certain the screen wasn't cracked before putting it under the mattress?

 

[MichelleinMaine]

"Daughter, you know how angry I am about you snooping for your laptop. You will still remain without it as punishment. You didn't respect my space and my belongings. But I also didn't show good judgment and care for YOUR things, and my carelessness with your laptop resulted in it being broken. I'm really very sorry, and I will accept my responsibility by repairing/replacing it."

Children learn by example.

This.

I'd also extend the time she was to be without the laptop. (Original time for whatever she'd lost it for + more time for bad-behavior.) May balance out to what it will take for time to get it fixed anyway, but I'd be clear to her her snooping is why she isn't allowed on another computer in the house, whatever.

 

[MichelleVW]

Who puts a lap top under a mattress??

 

[Wall-E1]

Who puts a lap top under a mattress??

Yeah, mattresses are for dirty magazines. Any self respecting teen knows that.

 

[LiberalPrincess]

The screen being the most expensive part of a laptop is a scam. The backlight broke on mine and I was quoted a fix price of more than 200 dollars to replace the screen. I went online, found a screen replacement (new) and replaced it myself -- and I am probably the least handy person on earth. It just took patience. All of the instructions are available online. The whole thing cost less than 50 dollars (and a few choice swears) to replace.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Who puts a lap top under a mattress??

an angry Momma !

 

[kwelch10377]

The screen being the most expensive part of a laptop is a scam. The backlight broke on mine and I was quoted a fix price of more than 200 dollars to replace the screen. I went online, found a screen replacement (new) and replaced it myself -- and I am probably the least handy person on earth. It just took patience. All of the instructions are available online. The whole thing cost less than 50 dollars (and a few choice swears) to replace.

The OP would just need to be careful about doing this. Since the laptop is only a few months old and still under mfg. warranty doing this will void the warranty, so if anything else were to happen they OP will have to pay for it even if it is still in the warranty time frame. If the OP doesn't care, then this could be a good option for them.

 

[LiberalPrincess]

The OP would just need to be careful about doing this. Since the laptop is only a few months old and still under mfg. warranty doing this will void the warranty, so if anything else were to happen they OP will have to pay for it even if it is still in the warranty time frame. If the OP doesn't care, then this could be a good option for them.

I completely agree -- my fix was for if the warranty won't help.

 

[disney1990]

So DD16 got her laptop taken away and I hid it under my mattress at the foot of my bed. I thought it would be plenty safe cushioned between the mattress and boxspring on the opposite side of the bed I sleep on.

What I didn't expect was DD coming into my room to search for the laptop and sitting on my bed!

The screen is now cracked! I so feel terrible, the laptop is only a few months old. I really thought it was safe under the mattress!

But I'm also angry with DD, if she waited for me to return her laptop instead of searching my room for it, it wouldn't have gotton broken.

So what do you think? All my fault, her fault, equally share the blame? Are laptop screens expensive to repair/replace?

UGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Did she tell you she was in your bedroom looking for her laptop? It would not have been out of line for our children to have come into our bedroom and sit down on our bed -- even if they were not looking for something. Is your bedroom totally off limits for your children -- ours never was. IMHO

I really don't know whose fault it was; that really doesn't matter now, does it?

I sleep on a waterbed, so I know I would have never put it under the mattress. LOL

 

[tinkamom]

I can't believe all you people blaming the broken laptop on the child. This is in NO way her fault.

Was she wrong to snoop around? Absolutely. But she had no reason to believe that she'd SIT on the laptop, because no reasonable person would hide one under a mattress.

Its 100% the OP's fault for not taking proper care of the item. She could have hidden it on the top shelf of a closet, or in a box, or anyplace else that it would be safe. Instead, she chose a very risky spot, because it could have been broken by anyone who sat on the bed.

Uh Oh! I guess I have bigger problems than I thought! I'm not a reasonable person!

Of course hindsight is 20/20 vision but my hiding spot did not seem to be a risky location. It was carefully placed far from where anyone would normally sit or lay.

 

[disneyfans95]

So DD16 got her laptop taken away and I hid it under my mattress at the foot of my bed. I thought it would be plenty safe cushioned between the mattress and boxspring on the opposite side of the bed I sleep on.

What I didn't expect was DD coming into my room to search for the laptop and sitting on my bed!

The screen is now cracked! I so feel terrible, the laptop is only a few months old. I really thought it was safe under the mattress!

But I'm also angry with DD, if she waited for me to return her laptop instead of searching my room for it, it wouldn't have gotton broken.

So what do you think? All my fault, her fault, equally share the blame? Are laptop screens expensive to repair/replace?

UGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

ALL your fault. You need to get it fixed and understand that accidents happen. You made a mistake, but show your DD how an adult responds

 

[Buckalew11]

I can't believe all you people blaming the broken laptop on the child. This is in NO way her fault.

Was she wrong to snoop around? Absolutely. But she had no reason to believe that she'd SIT on the laptop, because no reasonable person would hide one under a mattress.

Its 100% the OP's fault for not taking proper care of the item. She could have hidden it on the top shelf of a closet, or in a box, or anyplace else that it would be safe. Instead, she chose a very risky spot, because it could have been broken by anyone who sat on the bed.

Me too.


Should she be in trouble for looking for something that was taken away from her? Absolutely. But that is NOT how you take care of electronic equipment. Anyone who sits on or uses your bed could have damaged it.

That's like saying its OK to put a laptop in the shower. Sure, its fine there...until someone turns the water on.

The simple act of sitting on a bed shouldn't damage anything. The only reason it damaged the laptop is because the OP put it under the mattress. Its completely unreasonable for anyone to think that an expensive piece of electronics would be stored under a mattress. Its the OP's fault.

If the OP makes her daughter pay for the new laptop, the lesson she learns is that SHE has to take responsibility for doing something stupid, but my mother doesn't. The OP needs to teach her daughter that when we do something wrong, we take responsbility.

"Daughter, you know how angry I am about you snooping for your laptop. You will still remain without it as punishment. You didn't respect my space and my belongings. But I also didn't show good judgment and care for YOUR things, and my carelessness with your laptop resulted in it being broken. I'm really very sorry, and I will accept my responsibility by repairing/replacing it."

Children learn by example.

I'm also wondering about "hiding" it from a young woman who is about to go off to college. I have a 16yo who might also lose priviledges but I won't be hiding stuff from her. Maybe a younger child, but not a 17/18yo.

 

[merryweather20]

Given how reckless you were with such an expensive item I have to give your DD a pass for the snooping. In all honesty,I wouldn't be surprised if she was making sure you were storing it safely. It was your recklessness not hers that caused the damage. So you should be on the hook for the repairs.

I also agree with the previous poster who questioned why you are hiding it in the first place. Its a punishment, not a game. Heck, given the nature of the item you could always check if it was powered up anyway

 

[tinkamom]

I think you need to buy a thicker mattress!

I can not imagine that the act of putting a closed laptop under my mattress and sitting on the bed would cause the screen to break. Of course, I am not willing to test my theory out. But seriously, did she dive on top of your bed and repeatedly jump up and down? The laptop was closed, correct? Are you certain the screen wasn't cracked before putting it under the mattress?

Yes, it was closed! I'm not certain of anything.

 

[Luvchefmic]

OP you were very smart NOT to put in your post what she did to begin with I can just imagine where that would go

 

[dbogen]

Let me get this straight, the OP put a closed lap top under her matress on a part of the bed that people don't normally sit on. Then the lap top is broken from the DD sitting??? Something doesn't sound right. Maybe she stood on that corner of the bed to look up above, and that is how it broke.

WAIT, how did the OP even find out it was broken? Did she come home and DD tell her "mom I sat on your bed, in a corner close to the wall that I know we never sit, and I heard this crack. Or did the OP go and get it and find it broken. Me thinks maybe DD found it and when she tried to put it back quickly, broke it herself. Or maybe it was broken when Mom took it away....

Oh inquiring minds want to know