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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU thinking my son should pay for this?

34 replies

DrDance · 13/08/2013 20:29

Often of evening I have the laptop on the coffee table.

It's plugged in at the wall and so the cable is lying across the carpet

Last night DS1 (20) stepped over it to get to the window, then started yabbering about something, forgot it was there and stood on it, breaking the charger.

I want him to pay for a new one.

He thinks AIBU

So who's right in this scenario?

OP posts:
TabithaStephens · 13/08/2013 20:30

YANBU.

halestone · 13/08/2013 20:31

I think YABU it was an accident, what if he had tripped over it and broke his leg? Maybe keep it somewhere safer when its on charge.

LindyHemming · 13/08/2013 20:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

girliefriend · 13/08/2013 20:31

If it was on the floor across the carpet and he knew it was there and was just being careless then he should pay for it.

If it was on the floor and he genuinely didn't know it was there then you should imo!!

Maybe you could compromise and both pay half?

JassyAlconleigh · 13/08/2013 20:31

the cable is lying across the carpet

If I were an arsey 20 year old I'd say tough shit for leaving it there.

Is he mortified? Does he have an income?

I think there are bigger things to fall out over; can you reach a compromise and both learn to be a bit more careful?

maddy68 · 13/08/2013 20:32

You are. You left it lying on the. floor where he can trip.

BrianTheMole · 13/08/2013 20:33

Think you should split it.

revolvenotevolve · 13/08/2013 20:33

It was an accident and probably a very avoidable one had you sorted the lead so it wasn't blocking an obvious pathway.
YABU - he could have injured himself.

kali110 · 13/08/2013 20:37

You should split it. Yes he should have remembered it was there but easy to forget. You did leave it there he could have had an accident. Split it its not worth falling out over

BrokenSunglasses · 13/08/2013 20:38

I agree you should split it.

It was an accident, he didn't do it on purpose, and you left it somewhere that it could easily get broken.

Original poster
DrDance · 13/08/2013 20:41

we are not falling out it's a point of principal.

Last month I accidentally blended the plastic top thing of his blender trying to clean it and he wanted me to buy a new one, which I agreed to.

That was an accident too, which I have pointed out and said 'You can't have one rule for when someone accidentally breaks your things, aand have a different one when you accidentally break something'

So I said I'd ask here and will go with the majority vote

OP posts:
ClaraOswald · 13/08/2013 20:44

Chargers for laptops are not small items.

How the hell did he "forget" it was there?

Nope. He should pay, especially as he had already stepped over it once already.

LaurieFairyCake · 13/08/2013 20:46

He should pay given your latest post - you paid for your accident to his stuff.

flybynight · 13/08/2013 20:48

Given your second post, he should pay.

BrokenSunglasses · 13/08/2013 20:48

There's a difference between the two situations though, unless there is more to the blender story.

Your accident was an accident that he had no part in. It couldn't have been avoided if he had done something differently.

The accident with the charger is something that you had a part in by leaving it on the floor, and it could have been avoided if you had done something differently.

cathpip · 13/08/2013 20:51

He should pay seeing as you had to after you accidentally broke his stuff, also it sounds like the charger is usually there in the evening, and he had noticed it!

candycoatedwaterdrops · 13/08/2013 20:56

Grin at "he could have injured himself", he's 20 years not 20 months.

It was an accident, maybe ask him to go halves?

Fairyegg · 13/08/2013 20:59

Yabu, until your last post. Now Yanbu.

Original poster
DrDance · 13/08/2013 20:59

Yes the charger is usually there, has been on a regular basis for about 4 years.
He is well aware it is there and has been told on numerous occasions to stop leaping about like a lama when he's got it tangled in his feet before.

Only last night his giant foot landed on it and broke it Grin

OP posts:
mumofweeboys · 13/08/2013 21:03

I would just by myself a new one tbh, accidents happen.

phantomnamechanger · 13/08/2013 21:07

He has to learn accountability and consequences at some point in life - at 20 he should have been more careful - going halves would be a fair compromise IMO

choccychoccylover · 13/08/2013 21:46

not worth falling out over,pay half each and tell him to be more careful next time

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 13/08/2013 21:49

Given the blender scenario he should pay.

While you are buying the new charger though, think about getting an extension lead to run round the wall under the sofa or something to avoid it having to sprawl across the room!

mercibucket · 13/08/2013 22:18

trip hazard
he shouldnt have to pay

Mia4 · 13/08/2013 22:38

Chargers don't cost much OP, I picked up a dell one on amazon for £7-as long as you know what kind you need you can use megashopbot.com to search.

Given that you occidentally damaged his blender lid and he made you pay then yes, he should cough up. One rule for all, not one rule for one.