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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

I am very tired. Please help me exlaine to DS why I do not owe him £13.

66 replies

LynetteScavo · 13/09/2012 20:52

He bought CoD black ops certifiacate 18, online. He is 13. (From ebay; he set up an account, but that's a whole 'nother issue I have to deal with!)

I have swiftly removed the game. He was previously told if he ever bought the game into this house I would shred it. He accepted me taking it off him, but now wants the £13 it cost him. Apparently I owe it to him.

I am so tired I can't think of any answer except "No". Sad

OP posts:
SecretNutellaMedallist · 13/09/2012 20:55

Tough shit isn't the most politically correct reaction to a whiny 13 year old, but that's what it boils down to, ultimately.

B1ueberry · 13/09/2012 20:56

Well, I doubt this will cut ice with your son but I'm on your side. He bought something that will mess with his brain before it's fully formed !

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 13/09/2012 20:56

You don't need anything other than "No." He has broken the law and needs to accept the consequences.

Iggly · 13/09/2012 20:57

You told him you would shred it if he bought it.

He took the risk, you took it away. End of story.

B1ueberry · 13/09/2012 20:57

ps, wrt to owing him £13, if somebody buys a stolen car even UNknowingly then they lose the car if the police locate it don't they?? similar principle.

out2lunch · 13/09/2012 20:57

i agree no maybe followed up with tough

DameEnidsOrange · 13/09/2012 20:58

He broke the rules, he faces the consequences.

Take him to blockbuster / CEX / Game and trade it in, so he gets something back.

Or like Nutella said "Tough shit"

Blu · 13/09/2012 21:00

This: It wasn't your choice to spend £13 on the game then and it isn't your choice to spend £13 on the game now. If you give him £13 you are effectively buying it from him. His choice to buy something it is illegal for him to have bought. His choice to have spent his £13 on something you said you would shred. NOT your choice to now spend your £13 on re-imbursing him for his illegal and disobedient choices.

And then I would say if he argues any further, like ONE MORE WORD his next pocket money will be stopped because you can't take the risk that he will mis-spend that and waste more of your time arguing about it.

rubyrubyruby · 13/09/2012 21:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pagwatch · 13/09/2012 21:01

I would explain that you do owe him thirteen pounds but he has to pay you £13 every time he does something really stupid so it turns out you are quits.

crazynanna · 13/09/2012 21:01

Tell him it's a 'fine' Wink

sleepymum50 · 13/09/2012 21:02

Say for instance, If you had asked him if he wanted to go to ....... see a play, watch ballet .... (fill in appropriate) .... and he had said no.

But you went ahead a bought the ticket for him, and he refused to go - would he think that he owed you the money that you had spend on the ticket?

You are the parents, parents make rules, if you break rules there are consequences.

WhatYouLookingAt · 13/09/2012 21:02

Tell him he owes you 50 pounds for storage of the game until he's 18.

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 13/09/2012 21:04

Does anyone know what law he has actually broken? He says he doesn't mind going to prison because he set up an ebay account. I'm not exactly sure what crime has been committed here, or the consequences. (Although I'm pretty sure they don't put 13yo's behind bars for this type of thing)

OP posts:
amck5700 · 13/09/2012 21:06

Let him sell it again on ebay.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 13/09/2012 21:06

I think it's probably that he induced someone else to commit the crime of selling age-restructed goods to an underager, by means of fraud or misrepresentation. But no, of course they don't lock kids up for it, they just confiscate the goods!

Just like mum...

AuntAda · 13/09/2012 21:06

If you buy something that is illegal or against the rules of the society you live in (as set by your mother) then you forfeit the item and the money you spent to buy it.

I'm sure he doesn't suppose the police reimburse people for the cost of drugs destroyed in the course of a raid, or for confiscated bootleg fags or booze?

But yeah, 'tough shit', essentially. I'd do the same, fwiw (and I also have a 13yo). [ballsofsteel]

Catsmamma · 13/09/2012 21:06

do not justify yourself to a 13 year old...there lies the path to madness

you said no, end of discussion.

I do like ruby's idea...he can have it when he is 18. :D And change the password to the ebay account AND cut off his internet! Mwhahahaa!! :D

Blu · 13/09/2012 21:07

I don't suppose he has actually broken a criminal law by opening an e bay account.

But the point is he used it to do something you had said he could not do.

I'd be confiscating his computer at this rate!

Don't be de-railed by his distractionary arguing.

hippoCritt · 13/09/2012 21:07

Fraud? He clicked to say he was over 18 which is legal age to bid on item? I have no idea only sympathy

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 13/09/2012 21:07

I'm liking the "fine" idea, but according to him confiscating his Nerf guns constitutes theft Hmm.

OP posts:
WhatYouLookingAt · 13/09/2012 21:08

He hasn't broken any law. It's illegal for a shop to sell it to an underage person, but this doesn't apply to a private sale.

But that makes no difference to the situation.

Blu · 13/09/2012 21:09

Hahahahaha if he goes to prison he won't have access to his computer pr his games console...so not much point going to prison for the sake of getting the game...hahahaha

neverquitesure · 13/09/2012 21:09

PMSL at rubyrubyruby's telling him he can have it when he's 18!

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 13/09/2012 21:09

"I'm sure he doesn't suppose the police reimburse people for the cost of drugs destroyed in the course of a raid, or for confiscated bootleg fags or booze?"

Thank you. I think he will actually get that.

OP posts: