It is well known that I don't and didn't believe in my boys having Ipods. Call me old fashioned or clueless or trying to keep my children too sheltered, whatever it appears to be. It has nothing to do with trying to keep my kids stuck in a decade where headphones didn't exist and we carried (well, I didn't, but you know what I mean) huge boom boxes around on our shoulders. It also has nothing to do with sheltering them and their rather varying musical tastes.
It has everything, however, to do with the fact that these Ipods are expensive and they are, well, teenage boys.
Expensive. And teenage boys.
Do I really even need to say anything further?
Ever since my boys bought their Ipods they have been giving ME a headache. Doing things they weren't supposed to. Taking them to school. Trying to bring them to the dinner table (NO!). And so on...
Last week Harrison brought his Ipod to the pool. I told him the pool or any body of water is not a good place for his (expensive) Ipod and to not bring it again.
Earlier this week we went to the pool. He apparently brought his Ipod and left it in his pocket. Yeah, showers is how I think it got wet but who really knows. Bottom line is it got wet and stopped working.
He saved money for over a year...every dime from Christmas, chores, his birthday, Easter, you name it...and spent $150 for his Ipod only a couple of months ago.
I was torn between being pissed/angry and sad for him. Sad that he wanted that thing so badly and now in one huge mistake, it is broken. He got home and submerged it overnight in rice. It turned on and now it doesn't. Josh called Apple support to see what can be done and they instructed him to look for a red or white light and Josh said he only sorta sees the red light (is that like being sorta pregnant?). If it needs to be worked on it would cost around a hundred bucks (cough). As of tonight it doesn't work at all.
At dinner he was sulking and I was upset and I decided him and I needed to have a little talk. I took him outside and he tried his hardest to refrain from crying (broke my heart). I told him that I am angry because he took it to the pool when I told him just a few days prior to NOT take the Ipod to the pool. However, I told him that I was sad for him too...that he spent all his money...but, I said that it was a mistake and one he most likely will not make again...so maybe it was a hard lesson learned. He asked about making money and we chatted about lemonade stands...he is going to have to sell a hellofalot of lemonade to get that bugger fixed.
I also told him to not dwell. He made a mistake, hopefully one he will learn from, but it is only a THING. I told him that it was the beginning of summer and to enjoy the outdoors and have fun...to find other things to occupy his time other than the Ipod (even if it meant pulling out the DS, gasp, the horrors!)...in another words, enjoy life.
While the situation makes me genuinely sick to my stomach I had to also come to terms with it all. It is just a THING and should not control his happiness...or how much fun he has hanging out with friends, swimming, taking trips, riding his bike, or spending time with his family.
At the end of our talk, he immediately felt better and was back to himself again and gave me a hug. We ended up going swimming after dinner and he said, "Mom, I don't think you should take your phone to the pool!"
I think he just might have learned a $150 lesson.
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