Should I feel bad? Or be mad!

[PixieDustandEeyore]

I just read Everrryyy post of this thread.
THE LAPTOP WAS IN A SPOT WHERE NO ONE COULD HURT IT! The OP is single (unless she has random hotties coming over that side isn't getting used) as the OP ensured it was in a place no one ever sat etc it was fine. Why the daughter would be sitting up against the wall whens he usually doesn't from what OP has said I dont know. But alas us of the community boards are interesting....

Though I have no suggestions here is my suggestion for the future. As I'm 22 Ive had the computer taken away ALOT hahaha that was my big punishment. As at that time I had a desktop my mom took the mouse AND keyboard away...so I couldn't do too much. (Mind you I had a hidden mouse and keyboard I bought a pawn shop hidden under MY mattress yes its a great hiding spot) I would use it anyways (Yes I was the worst teen ever Disboards you can flame me hahaha)

So I'd suggest if you need to confiscate the computer confiscate the power cord. She may have like 3 hours of battery juice in her laptop so she'll have to conserve those last 3 hours til she gets her cord back on good behavior. You could easily hide the cord in say a purse etc and bring it with you since your DD seems to have sneakius teeniticus (careful its quite fatal)

OP hope things turn out and if she's going to college all colleges have great computer labs if she doesn't make enough money to earn it back (working on my masters now Im a professional student by career haha)

 

[MichelleVW]

OP hope things turn out and if she's going to college all colleges have great computer labs if she doesn't make enough money to earn it back (working on my masters now Im a professional student by career haha)

Not always the case, my DD goes to UT and for her major is required to have a Mac of her own.

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

Ah see where ive went if they required a personal Mac (which the teaching program did) they had ways for people who could not afford one to get one etc It's worth looking into anywhoo

 

[smb6]

When I take stuff from my kids (lap top, ds, whatever) I put it up in plain view (usually top of tv stand) and you better believe they don't dream of touching it.
So, I would say the mattress is not the best place; but obviously you know that now and everyone has done something similar at some point in life.
I think I would be flaming mad and then feel bad after the anger wore off. I would probably help replace it. (I'd explain you feel bad that it happened and that you should not have put it under the mattress; but that she should not have been snooping or even did whatever she did to have it taken away in the first place. Id ultimately go 50/50 on blame and replacing it)

 

[wdwfan16]

You are both at fault. You should be able to take the laptop away and not have to hide it from a 16 year old. Why you thought the bed was a good hiding place is beyond me.

You daughter is old enough to know not to enter your room and snoop for something she wants.

At this point she should not get it back for a long time (for the snooping). When she does she will need to pay 1/2 to get the screen fixed.

 

[peanut1967]

But then if she buys it herself, I would think Mom couldnt take it as punishment.

No you are right....but eventually it will need charging up, mom pays for the power...and internet, mom probaly pays for that...always a way around it...lol

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I just read Everrryyy post of this thread.
THE LAPTOP WAS IN A SPOT WHERE NO ONE COULD HURT IT! The OP is single (unless she has random hotties coming over that side isn't getting used) as the OP ensured it was in a place no one ever sat etc it was fine. Why the daughter would be sitting up against the wall whens he usually doesn't from what OP has said I dont know. But alas us of the community boards are interesting..

they are indeed.

Caps lock doesn't change the extraordinary fact that the laptop got damaged anyway by the act of sitting in the bed. Clearly--it was indeed in a space where it could be hurt even though the OP was banking on her assumption that it should not have.

Your capatalized statement is false. For if it were true, this thread would not have been started.

 

[ajk912]

I think taking away the cord is an awesome punishment. She would have to figure out how to best maximize her 2-3 hours....decisions.....ugh life is tough!!!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I think taking away the cord is an awesome punishment. She would have to figure out how to best maximize her 2-3 hours....decisions.....ugh life is tough!!!!!

Awesome idea!

 

[LisaR]

I think taking away the cord is an awesome punishment. She would have to figure out how to best maximize her 2-3 hours....decisions.....ugh life is tough!!!!!

Can't speak for the OP daughter, but my DD's computer has a 6 -7 hour battery life.

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

Can't speak for the OP daughter, but my DD's computer has a 6 -7 hour battery life.

Jealous! I could only afford a 4 cell but 8 cells could last 10 hours lol

 

[hereyago]

I would be like " too bad, so sad", if DD went into my room looking for anything that I bought, even if it was for her. I would get her a small box, maybe the one that the laptop came in and tell her to be responsible for said box, then maybe she can get a new one, or get a job and get one herself.

 

[MichelleVW]

they are indeed.

Caps lock doesn't change the extraordinary fact that the laptop got damaged anyway by the act of sitting in the bed. Clearly--it was indeed in a space where it could be hurt even though the OP was banking on her assumption that it should not have.

Your capatalized statement is false. For if it were true, this thread would not have been started.

Exactly!!!

 

[EllenFrasier]

Why would you put the laptop under the mattress in the first place? Sorry, but that was careless of you. Anybody could have sat on the bed and broken it, including you! Not sure how long it was taken away for, but if it was me I would have forgotten it was there and sat on the bed myself!

I think it was an unfortunate accident that it got broken. I'm not sure if it can be repaired or not. My dd was down in FL with her laptop and the frame around the keyboard fell apart. We called and they sent her a box and she mailed it back to them. I don't remember how much it cost to get it fixed, but it was less than a new laptop that's for sure.

If it was me, I would share the cost of the repair with your daughter, or pay for the whole repair if she has no money - and then make her do extra chores to work off her half of the repair. I would not let her have the laptop back until she had worked off her half of the repair, but this time - do not put it under the mattress. Make sure it works and then put it away until she has paid off the debt. If she is caught trying to use it before then, sell it as she's not ready for her own computer yet if she can't be trusted.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Why would you put the laptop under the mattress in the first place? Sorry, but that was careless of you. Anybody could have sat on the bed and broken it, including you! Not sure how long it was taken away for, but if it was me I would have forgotten it was there and sat on the bed myself!

Maybe you wrote this before reading the whole thread?

The OP has a very large bed.
She sleeps in it alone.
She's very short - when she sits on the side of the bed, her feet don't reach the floor.
One side of the bed is against the wall.
The OP doesn't sleep on that side of the bed or go anywhere near that end of the bed.
She took away her daughter's computer for some (valid) reason.
Her daughter took it back and continued using it.
The OP took it away again and hid it somewhere a reasonable person given all the above conditions would consider it safe - both from harm and from her daughter finding it.
The daughter entered the OP's bedroom solely in an attempt to locate the hidden computer. While in the bedroom she sat on the part of the mattress under which the computer was hidden.
Had the daughter not done whatever it was she did that required punishment and then exacerbated the situation further by using the computer after it had been taken away from her, she would not have then had the need to snoop for it and could not possibly have damaged it.

The OP most assuredly seems to be someone who, if she had forgotten and broken the computer herself, would have replaced it without question (in a few months, when the punishment was over )

 

[Halbleib1]

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.

Totally agree. We take things away from my 5 year old son all the time and I always make sure it is in a safe place. His DS is the item taken away the most and I would never think oh gee lets put it under the mattress. Even if it is not a side of the bed the OP sleeps on she could have forgotten she placed it there herself and sat on it etc.

I agree her daughter should not have been snooping but it is totally the OP's fault it got broken in the first place.

 

[Halbleib1]

Not always the case, my DD goes to UT and for her major is required to have a Mac of her own.

Yes if you go for graphic arts esp. you need to have your own laptop. They are needed in class as well as at home.

 

[Halbleib1]

Jealous! I could only afford a 4 cell but 8 cells could last 10 hours lol

Depends on the size screen you have and what you are doing with it. We have 17 inch laptops that came with 8 cell batteries but they do not last more than a few hours due to the screen size. Before that we had a 15 inch with a 6 cell that lasted about the same length of time.

 

[tinkamom]

Maybe you wrote this before reading the whole thread?

The OP has a very large bed.
She sleeps in it alone.
She's very short - when she sits on the side of the bed, her feet don't reach the floor.
One side of the bed is against the wall.
The OP doesn't sleep on that side of the bed or go anywhere near that end of the bed.
She took away her daughter's computer for some (valid) reason.
Her daughter took it back and continued using it.
The OP took it away again and hid it somewhere a reasonable person given all the above conditions would consider it safe - both from harm and from her daughter finding it.
The daughter entered the OP's bedroom solely in an attempt to locate the hidden computer. While in the bedroom she sat on the part of the mattress under which the computer was hidden.
Had the daughter not done whatever it was she did that required punishment and then exacerbated the situation further by using the computer after it had been taken away from her, she would not have then had the need to snoop for it and could not possibly have damaged it.

The OP most assuredly seems to be someone who, if she had forgotten and broken the computer herself, would have replaced it without question (in a few months, when the punishment was over )

Great synopsis, thanks again!

Love your signature!

 

[tinkamom]

I just read Everrryyy post of this thread.
THE LAPTOP WAS IN A SPOT WHERE NO ONE COULD HURT IT! The OP is single (unless she has random hotties coming over that side isn't getting used) as the OP ensured it was in a place no one ever sat etc it was fine. Why the daughter would be sitting up against the wall whens he usually doesn't from what OP has said I dont know. But alas us of the community boards are interesting....

Though I have no suggestions here is my suggestion for the future. As I'm 22 Ive had the computer taken away ALOT hahaha that was my big punishment. As at that time I had a desktop my mom took the mouse AND keyboard away...so I couldn't do too much. (Mind you I had a hidden mouse and keyboard I bought a pawn shop hidden under MY mattress yes its a great hiding spot) I would use it anyways (Yes I was the worst teen ever Disboards you can flame me hahaha)

So I'd suggest if you need to confiscate the computer confiscate the power cord. She may have like 3 hours of battery juice in her laptop so she'll have to conserve those last 3 hours til she gets her cord back on good behavior. You could easily hide the cord in say a purse etc and bring it with you since your DD seems to have sneakius teeniticus (careful its quite fatal)

OP hope things turn out and if she's going to college all colleges have great computer labs if she doesn't make enough money to earn it back (working on my masters now Im a professional student by career haha)

Random hotties!

sneakius teeniticus

As to why she sat in the normally unsittable spot, she was checking between the bed and the wall for her laptop. Hmmm, maybe I should snoop there in her room!(Just kidding! I don't snoop in her room!)