Mixed feelings day....

[mrtony]

What...no punishment for the young lady? LOL

[Dave Pgh]

Even if it is 'just a car' your daughters carelessness resulted in damage to a $20,000 investment tha is going to require more $ to repair. She should feel bad, and you were right to be upset.

You'll get over the anger, she may eventually be sorry, and all will be well.

[sakigt]

Um...she didnt mean to do it?? I love the car but Im assuming she didnt "hit and run" Dont worry about it too much, Im sure you didnt scar her for life....I know I wouldnt be. My 2 cents

[Matt]

Tough break and true its just a car but remember this, we should instill values on our kids to respect property and to take care of things.

I don't like it when my wife slams the hatch or parks carelessly but she never learned those things when she was growing up. My daughter and son are slowly understanding I take reasonable care of my PT and show the same respect to it that I do.

But sometimes they forget and they have to be reminded. But above all, it is just a car.

Matt

[Wendy]

For 18 months now, our kid has been too scared to admit that, yes she did knock the handle bar of her bike on the front fender of my PT. She KNOWS that death would have resulted if she admitted it! I've just let it slide, even though the forensic evidence (close encounter re-enactment of the event by hubby and myself - evidence of PT impact damage on her handle bar) proves that those 4 marks on the fender are a double touch by the handle bar and brake handle.........

Our kid knows shes done wrong, she knows that we know that shes done wrong and she's all the more careful around the cars now...... Sometimes it's easier to say "it's just a car" than "sorry"......

[RubyRed]

Originally posted by VtPTLover
I'm not having a great day...

she started crying and ran to her room.

Been there , seen that. Go to PT Discussions and find the thread called " My daughter just got her permit and...", go to page 2 and look at what my daughter has done to my PT. The first incident cost me close to $280 due to extra mounting and balancing, new snow tires and an alignment. The second "incident" only cost $90. Both times, I didn't yell but I did make it clear to her what the actual repair costs were. That helps to carefully temper the " it's just a car" attitude- ANY car is going to cost a lot to repair when it gets mistreated.
Just remember, you are not alone.

[JOEM]

I know!

Let's ask Ward Cleaver what he'd do!



"Now, Beaver, you know you were careless and that's what caused the damage to the automobile. I'm sorry I lost my temper and yelled at you. But you need to understand that actions have consequences. I think if you mow lawns on Saturdays until the cost of repairing the automobile is repaid, that will be adequate punishment. Now, let's see if you Mom has any of that peach cobbler left."

Thanks, Ward! I knew you'd fix things up nicely.

[jpscruiser]

oh, golly gee wally......

[GOLDMEMBER]

yikes

[Merrickj2000]

"Ward, once I am finished with the peach cobbler, I'll be outside detailing our PT."

Here's a suggestion, wait until she has her first child and then bump it's head into something. Then we'll see how nonchalant she is about the issue.

Seriously, I am just kidding. She should have some hand in the repairs, whether it's chipping in allowance $$ or doing chores around the house as reparation for so many days. Kids (especially teenagers) need some kind of accountability for their actions and understand that wreckless behavior will result in certain kinds of consequences. How about giving her some real world experience.... if she dinged someone else's car do you think they would buy the "it's just a car" line and let her go? How about letting her handle some of the responsiblities of getting the car fixed? A lot of this, of course, depends on her age, too..