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Original poster

wwyd?

101 replies

MairyHinge · 08/01/2012 19:24

Ok, so bought 15yr old dd a tablet for Xmas, was £130, half price in HMV. It's an archos. She wanted an iPad.
I was vvv lucky in that i got an iPad!
Dd was rather put out Xmas day when she saw my iPad, but seemed to come round and was happy with her tablet.
So today she sets the table without complaining. Eats all her dinner without moaning and even eats her cabbage!,
I should have known something was wrong.....

She has her bedroom in the coverted cellar, it's like a den and it's hers, we rarely venture into the pit of hell it.
Today she said " you never come down to see me" I felt guilty so went down for a chat....
She begged me not to be cross... She has smashed the screen on her tablet Angry
I Am devastated. She's really upset, and has offered me her £90 Xmas money but I haven't taken it.
I don't know what to do.
It's unusable btw.
Just wondered what you lot would do?
Home insurance excess is £100 so not worth claiming really.
I'm thinking she will have to save up and replace it......
What do you think?

OP posts:
thepeoplesprincess · 08/01/2012 21:47

troisgarcons

That's a very weird and pretty out of order thing to say, actually.

How on Earth is it spiteful for a working adult to have been given a better quality of something than her daughter? She is a child. She does not need, and should not expect to be given, incredibly expensive and top-of-the-range gadgetry. In my day you got a Discman and you were bloody grateful for it! You

PS: Do you have a better/bigger tv downstairs than your child(ren) has in their bedroom? Are you spiteful?

rhondajean · 08/01/2012 21:49

Orange iPad2 deal is two hundred up front and 25 a month for 24 months. Costing eight hundred. It was most definitely not cheaper in July and August because I checked everywhere then for best deals cos I fancied one.

Who's got one for a tenner a month? Is it iPad one leftover stock they were offing maybe?

AKMD · 08/01/2012 21:56

I wouldn't replace the tablet. She broke it through carelessness and then lied to you about how it happened. As she lied, I wouldn't help part-fund a replacement either.

pictish · 08/01/2012 22:01

I think it's perfectly fine that you should have an ipad while your daughter has a cheaper version. You are an adult, she is 15.

She has shown you that she isn't responsible enough to have one anyway, so thank God you didn't buy her one!

Enjoy yours though!

eurochick · 08/01/2012 22:02

She's 15. She has Xmas money and presumably will get some pocket money. If she wants to replace the screen she can save up and have it replaced. Then she can learn a lesson about the value of the things she has.

RedHotPokers · 08/01/2012 22:14

Pmsl. For those who feel sorry for ops Dd, the logical conclusion to your view is:

if your 17yo dc wants a car, and you need a car, it would be unfair for you as a working adult to get a new BMW whilst your 17yo gets a 2nd hand fiesta.

Get a grip.

pictish · 08/01/2012 22:16

Isn't it ludicrous pokers?

weevilswobble · 08/01/2012 22:26

I also agree with squeakytoy and domedon and others.
Its like getting the jeans she really hankered after for your self and her the New Look version.
Sorry.
I always take out insurance with gadgets for kids. I claimed on the ipod clutch policy that DD 1 got for xmas last year after it fell out of back pocket into loo. Wojld have been £249 to replace, policy to cover 3 yrs £49. It was worth it. Have taken cover on this years pressie- kindle and on DD2's netbook. Kids break stuff.

weevilswobble · 08/01/2012 22:27

*would

weevilswobble · 08/01/2012 22:31

Redhot, thats not a good analogy because you get cheap cars for kids because of the insurance. We're talking non essential Christmas pressies here.

squeakytoy · 08/01/2012 22:40

I think a bit of tact should have been used. OP says herself that her daughter looked a bit crestfallen on Christmas Day. OP is an adult and could have waited until after Christmas Day to have her iPad, rather than rub it in.

whatstheetiquette · 08/01/2012 22:45

I think that it is OK for you to want and have an ipad for yourself personally and for her to have an inferior tablet. However, I don't think it is OK that you opened it on Christmas day at the same time she opened her inferior tablet.

PattiMayor · 08/01/2012 22:50

thank god she didn't get a really expensive ipad if that's the way she's going to treat it Hmm

thepeoplesprincess · 08/01/2012 22:59

Well quite Patti.

Shirley this thread is a perfect illustration as to why you don't buy kids ridiculously expensive gadgets.

flyingspaghettimonster · 09/01/2012 01:19

I agree with Squeaky et al. I would never dream of getting the one thing my daughter wanted as my own gift. I wouldn't necessarily get it for her either, but I would definitely get it for her and go without...

I'd be mad that she didn't respect such a nice gift though. I would worry it was done in petulance at not getting an IPAD. I would want her to earn it back again... my kid broke our tv a few months back and to try to make him understand how big a deal it was we didn't replace it for nearly 4 months. No tv definitely helped make him appreciate why he needs to be more careful with the new one... and that parents can't afford to just immediately buy new things when a luxury item is broken.

1sassylassy · 09/01/2012 06:11

Op,if your dd wants to buy another tablet with her Christmas money,have a look here,its being raved over on a techie forum I go on.

iscream · 09/01/2012 06:18

Don't they come with a warranty? If so that should cover it, unless that sort of thing isn't covered, not being a manufacturers defect?

I expect your daughter will be more careful from now on. Perhaps her 90 will be enough for the repair?

Cracked/Broken screen -- from £70 - £190
It is probably worth getting repaired rather than replacing.

Sluttybuttons · 09/01/2012 06:25

OP has said her dd wanted a tablet. Her dp said he would get op an ipad since she didnt get a new phone (because dd got 1 instead). The chances are dd knew this and then decided she wanted one (i am assuming) so it could be that the ops dd decided she wanted an ipad because her mum was getting one

nicknamenotinuse · 09/01/2012 06:32

I really feel for your DD. She desperately wanted an ipad and you got her something different yet had an ipad for yourself. I think you wasted your money on the other item as it was a false economy. Can't help but think by you having an ipad you were rubbing it in somewhat. Sorry but just my opinion.

iscream · 09/01/2012 06:33

PS. When our ds2 accidentally knocked his laptop off a small bedside table, he paid himself for the repair. He left it in a precarious place and he knocked it over. His fault. That is how they learn to take responsibility for their actions. It is good to let them learn from mistakes. He is always careful with it now..

Original poster
MairyHinge · 09/01/2012 07:26

Well, again, thank you for all your input. Those of you saying how cruel it was for me to get the iPad and open it in front of her, whilst she got the " inferior tablet" , WTAF?
Sorry, but my 9 yr old son also wanted an iPad, oh and an iPhone 4 which OH has just upgraded to, should we have got him them? And my Ds sulked like crazy when OH got the iPhone 4, but I'm sorry, it's not something he is going to get/ have until he is a lot older. Same with dd,as she has proven, she cannot look after stuff, so an iPad would be a mistake for her.

Those of you who have given me links for a replacement/ repair, thanks you, I will look at those later.
redhotpokers I think that's an excellent example. Regardless of insurance, you are not going to buy a 17 yr old, new driver and top of the range BMW, unless you are either crazy/rich/.
I am going to let dd use my iPod when she needs to, but she is not going to be allowed to take it down into her pit of hell bedroom. I need to supervise her with it!

Thanks again all.

OP posts:
whatstheetiquette · 09/01/2012 07:38

Mairy, what I meant was that I would expect her to be happy with the tablet you bought for her and not be disappointed that it wasn't an ipad. However, you or any other family member opening an ipad on Christmas in front of her really does make it very hard for her because that was what she wanted? Surely you can understand that? I don't think she was unreasonable to experience some jealousy in that situation. I personally would have not opened the ipad infront of her but had it either before or after Christmas. Your OH having an iphone 4 - same sceneio - he's an adult, he can have what he wants, just like you can. No, of course you don't buy your DS an ipad/phone 4 because he's had a sulk that your OH has one - the difference with your DD is that you opened what she wanted at the same time as she opened her present which I think would be tough for anyone to take with good grace.

I wonder if she would have taken better care of an ipad than the tablet she got.

thrifty · 09/01/2012 07:52

Is it the archos 70. They were on offer at carphone warehouse before Christmas for 99 ponds. You might still be able to get a replacement from ebay. BTW, they are fab tablets and you shouldn't Feel guilty about not getting an iPad.

Original poster
MairyHinge · 09/01/2012 07:53

Hi whatsthe, yes I completely see where you are coming from, BUT, although she said she wanted an iPad,it was more a case of " everyone else has one, so I want one" she was told she wasn't getting an iPad, but if she was lucky would maybe get a tablet.
Yes I see it could look cruel that I got one and she didn't, but I'm convinced she would have been just as careless with the iPad as she has been with her tablet. As I said before, we said if she proved responsible with her tab she would get an iPad.
Sadly, she couldn't do more than 2 weeks.

OP posts:
Original poster
MairyHinge · 09/01/2012 07:54

Thrifty..thank you. We DID research tabs, and found that this one was a good alternative, and was half price at HMV, it was a really good choice tbh, shame she didn't seem to respect it enough!

OP posts:
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