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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I know i am...I think, But need the mumsnet jury

27 replies

loopylou6 · 07/06/2008 11:14

Whilst in Toy R us the other week, ds (9) spotted a very fancy bike, he has some money saved up but not quite enough, he asked me to borrow him some money i said i didnt have it The thing is, i dont want him to have it as this bike is very fancy and im worried if he has it it will get stolen and his money would be wasted and he will be gutted, or worse when hes out on it someone might take it off him IYKWIM.
Anyway this morning he has just phoned from my mums saying that my mum has agreed to borrow him the money I know im probably being silly, but im really not fussed on him having it. What do you think?

OP posts:
hercules1 · 07/06/2008 11:16

I would be too as I would expect my mum to consult me first before making such promises. I would explain to your ds why you don't want him to have it.

ButterflyBessie · 07/06/2008 11:16

Where do you live? Round here it wouldn't get taken off him.

Let him have it but maybe explain your fears

Original poster
loopylou6 · 07/06/2008 11:19

I have tried explaining to him, but hes one of them that ALWAYS knows best and wont be told. BB i dont live in a particulary horrible place, im near chester, but there are a few undesirable kids that may or may not want to steal it.

OP posts:
cornsilk · 07/06/2008 11:22

He's done well to save up though hasn't he? Bit naughty of your mum to do that without asking you though.

nametaken · 07/06/2008 11:24

Give him a chance this one time. Take the bike down the police station and they'll engrave it for you for free with your postcode. Make him buy a padlock for it too.

Could you get it insured? Either on your home contents or separately.

Make sure he understands that you've given him a chance this time and you expect him to be responsible and to avoid undesirable kids and areas.

Carmenere · 07/06/2008 11:24

I would tend to tell him (and her) that you are not delighted as you have reservations but then let him get it and if it gets stolen, well he will learn a lesson I suppose. But actually if he has saved up I hope he just gets it and enjoys it.

Original poster
loopylou6 · 07/06/2008 11:25

Yep cornsilk, its all money he got for his birthday, and normally i wouldnt mind making the difference up for him, but not in this case. My mum would do anything for him, anything at all, it drives me mad, especially as my little dd gets left out but thats another post that might be appearing soon.

OP posts:
piratecat · 07/06/2008 11:25

is it a ridiculously pricey bike? Does he have a bike already? Has he been saving all this time for a bike?

If its a £200 + quid bike then I would be concerned, and steer (geddit)him towards something else. Yet if he has set his heart on a normal type of bike, then tbh I would let him have it.

re your mum, well you need to have a chat with her about how the convo actually went.

He might have stretched the truth a bit!!!

cornsilk · 07/06/2008 11:29

Could it be insured? Can it go on the household insurance or something?

Original poster
loopylou6 · 07/06/2008 11:29

Name taken thats a good idea. Carmenere im probably gonna have to give in, but im really not happy. Kids grrrrr.

OP posts:
Original poster
loopylou6 · 07/06/2008 11:32

PC, its £100, he hasnt been saving for it especially, but it was his birthday in april and he has kept all his birthday money together (although he would of frittered it all away on football cards had he been allowed ) We where in Toy r us last week getting things for my DD's birthday and he spotted it, asked me, i said i didnt have the money to put towards it and hoped he'd foregt about it, which i thought he had, untill this morning.

OP posts:
Original poster
loopylou6 · 07/06/2008 11:34

Oh and i was very annoyed as he said 'about that bike mum, nan has said she will borrow me the rest of the money, we're going to look at it today, when is dad free coz we need the van to bring it home'

OP posts:
cornsilk · 07/06/2008 11:35

Naughty, naughty nan! That's exactly the kind of thing my mum would have done.

wotulookinat · 07/06/2008 11:38

Yes you can get a bike added onto your household insurance, but you have to speak to the insurance company.
Don't be too cross at your mum - she is only trying to make her grandson happy. Maybe you should have explained your fears to him instead of saying you didn't have the cash. He will have told gran that you didn't have the dosh and she has probably thought that she is trying to help and you wanted him to have the bike.

Original poster
loopylou6 · 07/06/2008 11:38

My mum is the reason we have a house full of gerbils aswell

OP posts:
Original poster
loopylou6 · 07/06/2008 11:39

Hmmm yes, i think a phone call to my mum is in order

OP posts:
cornsilk · 07/06/2008 11:40

Gerbils is really going too far!

Original poster
loopylou6 · 07/06/2008 11:44

LOL cornsilk
Have to go and wake up my sleep beauty DH now, but will check back later X

OP posts:
TheHedgeWitch · 07/06/2008 19:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

OverMyDeadBody · 07/06/2008 19:25

my thoughts exactly hedgewitch.

To help put your mind to rest loopylou, DS has owned a bilke since he was three, he's just got his second bike, an exact replica of his first but bigger, both bikes cost £100. We use it daily, he rides to school in it, locks it up all over town, and we've never had any problems (yet!). I suppose it doesn't look particularly fancy, just like a normal bike really, but I thought it was a normal price to pay for a decent proper bike iuswim.

misdee · 07/06/2008 19:34

£100 is standard price for a bike.

my dbro bought one with his paper round money, which was £400 and got stolen from outside the shop back door. my dad had insurence on the house policy, so it was replaced.

if your ds is set on this bike, then maybe go ahead with it if he has close to the amount, but also buy a lock for it at the same time.

OverMyDeadBody · 07/06/2008 20:14

Yep, definately make sure he has a lock for it and insure it.

(Oh, and he will be wearing a cycle helmet won't he )

Alderney · 08/06/2008 08:53

I remember when we got bikes as children we had to pay insurance on them from our pocket money - it was about £10 per year...

No idea how much it would be not for a child's bike but it might be worth investigating so that he learns about insurance and keeping things safe, and at least if it did get stolen you'd be able to replace it

ScienceTeacher · 08/06/2008 08:55

YABU if you did not tell DS the real reason why you wouldn't lend him the money.

ScienceTeacher · 08/06/2008 08:55

YABU if you did not tell DS the real reason why you wouldn't lend him the money.

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