To sell DSs XBox to pay for the orthodontic brace he has lost?

[SoupDragon]

Given that he's only had it 4 weeks as it was a replacement for the previous one he lost?
£165.
Twice.
In one fecking month.

I am actually planning to box it up and hide it in the loft rather than sell it BTW but it is the only thing that seems to have made any kind of impression wrt the cost.

He's 13.

I don't think he is doing it deliberately - he only has to wear it at night now so the benefit of losing it is close to zero. I do think he is lying about when he last wore them - as proven by the "Scout Camp" brace.

As things stand he will find this poster when he comes home (it does now have my contact details on!) with the old brace underneath.

He will be paying back the £165 I had to pay for its replacement by mowing the lawn for a nominal £5 per time (£10 per week).
He will struggle to explain how I found the old one which will be interesting.
He won't be getting the XBox back until he has made a significant dent in the debt.

I understand how things get lost - I am not an ogre regarding this, I struggle with losing stuff too. I told him I was prepared to fork out for one lost brace but not two in a month - hence the XBox to focus his mind.

Oh, and I don't check he is wearing it at night so there really is no point in him losing it on purpose.

Of course he'd be upset with you selling his xbox, I think I'd cry if someone sold my xbox! Presumably that's why you picked this punishment, because it would have an actual effect on him?

I repeat my earlier comment; never make a threat you're not willing to follow through. He knows you won't follow through, therefore the threat has no impact, therefore he isn't bothered about losing it/looking for it as he knows there's no consequence. Oh it's ok Mum will trawl through my disgusting pit of a room to look for it, and it's ok she'll never sell my xbox, and she'll just buy me another replacement brace.

I'm out of this thread, and I'll be out of the next one too when you complain he's lost something else expensive you can't afford to replace.

Actually, he doesn't know I won't sell it.

Given that the Xbox punishment was to pay for the EXTRA £165 I was going to have to fork out and I don't have to do this, there is now no reason to sell it. However, due to the obvious lying, the punishment is now to work off the original £165 which I had been prepared to pay.

Punishment is now required for a whole different "crime".

As an aside, I can easily afford to replace the brace and however many more he loses. The actual cost is not the issue.

The issue is that he appears to have no concept of money and that you have to earn it. I stamp out any hint of entitled spoilt brat whenever I can.

He is now earning back his right to the Xbox through hard labour.

I find this so funny - I have a 12 year old boy - he drives me potty and It's great to know he's not the only one .... We are on our 10th oyster card - they know me when I ring up for a replacement. I have resorted to saying "imagine it is something precious like my ashes!" - it seems to have done the trick! he's still got it

Fooso, you can renew them online and save yourself the embarrassment. I told DS I would replace his photo for a very embarrassing one next time I had to renew the card. He hasn't lost it for a whole month now

Wrt the brace, I am now punishing him for a different crime: lying. I have no extra financial loss over the £165 I had been prepared to pay. I want him to know there is no point lying to me because I am harsh but generally fair. Different punishment for a different crime IMO.

I agree - though lately I feel like all I'm doing is moaning at him - but as a friend at work said to me "do it for the woman that is going to marry him one day"...

""do it for the woman that is going to marry him one day""

Absolutely. So far I've taught him to iron shirts (admittedly as a punishment but nonetheless he can do it) and one side affect of the orthodontic treatment is that it has cured his snoring :o

I am in awe of you SoupDragon. Maybe you should write Battle Hymn of the SouDragon mother? Taught him to iron at 13. Fabulous.

How's things this morning Soup?

Did you find the other brace or just the original lost 1 ?

Not found the original brace. Yet. I am making him wear the original one all day, which is a little tight and thus aches, until it fits again. [evil]

DS1 spent most of the journey home from school with his head in his hands as I reeled off his list of transgressions.

It may be unrelated but he was incredibly helpful and polite for the whole evening... :o

I am slowly teaching him how to do all the chores I hate :o

In my household the Dc have to pay for anything lost.

DD had to pay £20 last month out of her savings to pay for her lost coat.

( I always feel bad for taking their money, but i think they need to be responsible for their actions and it's funny that the DC tend not to lose things as much now. )

I'm not looking forward to my DD' orthodontic treatment which will start soon as she also sucks her thumb. Just waiting for the dentist to say she needs it.

Glad you have found at least one of the braces.
Now you will just have to have a shower after being in a teenagers bedroom. .

As I am also prone to losing things, I do cut them a little slack.

It is persistent loss that makes me see red and makes me "charge" them via chores. I tend not to make them actually pay me because it does make me feel a little mean. Part of me thinks that actually earning the money directly to "repay" focusses their mind on the worth of money rather than just handing over some cash. I just hope it works!