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Original poster

All 3 of the DCs new Tablet PCs have now been smashed.......

169 replies

TeenTwinsToddlerandTiaras · 12/01/2013 13:43

I mean ffs can't they make them bloody bounce. One bigtiny fall on wooden floor and they are buggered.

DD's lasted about 3 days until the toddler threw it. DS2's lasted about a week longer until it was sat on and DS1 is now in tears as his has just smashed on the floor when I grabbed it out of his hand cos he was'nt listening to me as usual.

I bought them so they would'nt keep arguing over the laptop. SHIT!

OP posts:
Groovee · 12/01/2013 16:28

My dd has a tablet provided by the school. The child who threw theirs in the air hasn't had it replaced. Dd's broke but as it was an error rather than breakage, she had it replaced under the insurance team.

As for the homework, she's old enough to do her own homework in her own time. Its her responsibility to explain to the teacher why she hasn't handed it in.

I think you all (you included OP) need to learn to care for your possessions more carefully and not to break them and keep them in safe places overnight and when not in use.

PolkadotCircus · 12/01/2013 16:28

Hmmm there is no need for tech toys to get broken or to be shunned.

My dc are 9,9 and 8

They each have an IPod Touch and a DSi. Dtwin 2 also has a digital camera and printer whilst as a family we have a Mac mini,a laptop and IPad.

Nothing has ever been broken and we've had these things since the dc were small.Dtwin2 has been teaching grandma how to use her iPad.

Dp is a coder and has always taught our dc to treat tech with respect,no respect=no tech in our house.

My dc are avid readers and get through piles of books between them each week alongside playing the piano.They also only have 3 x hours of screens a week.They are outdoorsy kids and spend a lot of time outdoors with their mates on scooters,bikes etc.We spend hours in the woods,on moors,on the beach etc.

Whilst dtwin 1 had a fab Apptoy fishing rod for his Ipodtouch for Christmas which is proving great for his casting skills he also had Lego.Dd has gorgeous dolls,ceramic t sets etc.For Christmas she had the SF camper van which she has played with for hours however she also enjoys her iPad time.

Tech toys have immense value and certainly don't need to end up broken-it's how you parent as to things getting broken and how kids play.There is also a place for both tech toys and traditional toys.

D0oinMeCleanin · 12/01/2013 16:31

'Just because you give a child a gadget doesnt mean they only play with that one thing.'

Of course not, if they only played with one thing who would play with the kindle and xbox? Wink

To put your mind at ease idipig, dd1 has just joined the school competitive skipping team, which means both children are normally found on the street, skipping from dawn til dusk.

The laptop is used only when it gets too dark to skip.

MikeLitoris · 12/01/2013 16:31

One is an accident but three is careless.

But they weren't broken by one person. Is only one allowed to have an accident? Three individual accident.

Op should have made them use cases after the 1st accident. Less likely for all 3 to get broken that way.

hillyhilly · 12/01/2013 16:32

My 5&7 yr olds got iPads for Xmas (minis), they are in leather cases. One has been dropped a couple of times and survived due to the case.
They do not take them out of the case, ever,
If they did I'd confiscate it immediately.

PolkadotCircus · 12/01/2013 16:35

Oh and the Kindle Fire is fab!!!

Dtwin2 had a sleepover last night and said friend brought his Kindle Fire.Dp and I were mighty impressed waaaay better for kids imvh. It's such a good size,screen is supposed to be tough and the stuff they can do!!!!!!! Both boys spent a lot of last night looking at books and recommending different titles to each other.Both get through piles of the paper variety too!

You can get Dandy and Phoenix apps too.

Dp and I were saying should we ever save enough to go travelling if each child had a Kindle Fire they wouldn't need much else and would be fab luggage wise!

Glittertwins · 12/01/2013 16:36

Ouch, 3 broken with 3 weeks?? I see your reasoning in buying them but your elder children should know better than to leave some like this near a toddler or on a chair. Replacing them might send the wrong signal...how about them earning them back through helping around the house.
Guess it depends on the ground rules before use. Our 5 yr old twins having been using an iPad for 18 months without a problem. Both iPads are in cases and they are to sit on the sofa to use them and not walk about with them.

Catchingmockingbirds · 12/01/2013 17:07

Who sat on the tablet?

pingu2209 · 12/01/2013 17:17

My children think I am totally unreasonable because I won't buy them an Ipod, Ipad or Iphone. They are too young for an Iphone and don't have anyone to phone or text. However, the reason for no Ipod or Ipad is because they will 100% break it within the first week or so. That or they would lose it.

All their friends have Ipods or Ipads and many have not broken them. But they are not my children. My children were born with 4 left feet - no hands!

Catchingmockingbirds · 12/01/2013 18:03

pingu if you were ever considering getting your Dc and iPad/iPod you can get really thick covers. My 5yr old DS has an iPhone 4 and it has a protective screen cover, a thick plastic phone cover and a rubber protective cover to go over that so very sturdy. He has coordination problems so drops everything too but there's not a scratch on this.

ImperialBlether · 12/01/2013 19:06

It does sound like chaotic behaviour in the family. Perhaps now's the time for you all to look at how you're behaving? Five breakages in quick succession is just ridiculous.

WhateverTrevor · 12/01/2013 19:18

When the first one got cracked why didn't you insist they went back in their cases?
Ds dropped my iPad, I learnt my lesson and have a case on it at all times.

Viviennemary · 12/01/2013 19:22

They sound far too young to have such expensive and breakable items. Still older children can be careless too. But accidents always happen but not three i pads gone in a week.

lljkk · 12/01/2013 19:28

OP said they were NOT iPads. Galaxy Tablets, maybe?

They are perfectly appropriate age to have such items.

I feel strongly OP should probably replace the one that only broke because SHE made a grab for it. I would. Unless OP think she'll just break it again(?) And depends whether it was a Christmas present or a different kind of one-off optional gift.

I don't know about sat on one or toddler smashed one, it depends how those events happened. Who was responsible, how careless the actual owner was being, etc.

KobayashiMaru · 12/01/2013 19:32

It was not bad luck, it was carelessness. I have had one for two years, all my children use it from age 2-10, and it has never been damaged or broken.

lljkk · 12/01/2013 19:37

I imagine the tablet thrown by toddler was put in toddler's reach by an adult.

wewereherefirst · 12/01/2013 19:38

My son has a tablet- he's 6. I would not have let him have one if I didn't think he would treat it with respect and care. I also keep my 11 month old hurricane away from DS1 when he is on his tablet.

Surely you should make sure the toddler doesn't get hold of it, that it is always put on the table when not in use and you don't grab it out of their hands? Or am I being really sensible?

GoldPlatedNineDoors · 12/01/2013 19:46

I have a rubber stamp here which I will.ink up and send round if replace them.

They dropped them / mishandled them. They should replace them. Unless of.course your toddler got a hold of one which is half the teens fault for leaving it lying around and half your fault for.not supervising your child enough.

Tbf through you say one of your DDs broke her phone and laptop within a few weeks so I wouldnt have bought her one to start with.

GoldPlatedNineDoors · 12/01/2013 19:47

Forgot to add, my stap says "Mug"

LtEveDallas · 12/01/2013 19:48

What will you buy them when they are 16

Whatever she wants that is within my budget. Why? Does the money run out?

Or if I buy a 7 year old an iPad does that mean a 16 year old should get a private jet?

OP, don't replace, repair. I know you've said they weren't iPads, but you didn't say what they were. YouTube vids are aplenty for this type of thing

bedmonster · 12/01/2013 19:52

Not much respect going on full stop in your house is there OP? Kids have none for you or your rules and none for their posessions, but you don't respect yourself either or else you would have made dc do homework before taking them out for treats. Your kids are taking you for a ride. You are the parent first, friend later.
None of what I'm saying is about money.

thebitchbrigade · 12/01/2013 20:00

It's ok, none of it is real anyway.

Biscuit
lljkk · 12/01/2013 20:06

I bet it's not real, but I'm still enjoying the scenario.
Wish OP would elaborate on how the other tablets got broken.

MummytoMog · 12/01/2013 20:16

That's a bit crap. My 3 yr old and my nearly two year old have been playing with IPads and iPhones since they were teeny tiny. There are cases on them but they're pretty flimsy. No breakages here, but we do keep an eye on them and they're put out of reach when not being played with. DD's Leappad is over a year old now and has been dragged around, dropped, thrown and trod on and the screen is still fine. Guess that the difference with toddler tablets.

McPhee · 12/01/2013 20:22

And this is exactly why they are a piece of adult equipment, not toys....

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