BTW, kudos for him telling the truth. That does mean a lot however, he still needs to fully understand what he did and face the consciences of it. It's a good life lesson for him because somethings in life will not be so forgiving.
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Need advice- A Yukon is not a go-kart....
- Thread starter davis211
- Start date
Mows the time when the realization that the punishment is just as hard, if not harder, on the parents as the kids. That's why it's important to set a proper punishment upfront and stick with it. It's amazing how our resolve dies as our anger subsides.
Too harsh? School bus sounds like the easy life. I'd buy him a Pink Bicycle and make him ride that to school for the rest of the year except when it was really cold or rainy. He essentially totaled the truck if he bent the frame.... With texting, music, and 1000 other distractions, stuff can go bad in a car instantly. Might be a little over the top but, have him Google Image "car accidents while texting", just to see what happens when you act careless.
When I was 15, a "well off" buddy was the first to get his license and tried to be cool by riding all of us around in a Lincoln Navigator. He tried to peel out and then over corrected because all the power was on that back wheel and he didn't know what he was doing anyways. The seat belt locking mechanism failed and it slung me waist up out of the passenger side window(the only reason I didn't fall out of the truck, was the seatbelt spool ran out on the retractor but, didn't tear off.
We swerved what felt like 8-9 times until he finally corrected it straight and we went in a ditch. I cussed him out and said that if he ever did that again, I'd beat the **** out of him. He felt bad and never did something like that again with people in the car.
There were 8 of us in the car. 2+3+3. It's amazing we didn't flip, hit a car head on, or wind up being an educational video.
At least he told you about it, which says a lot. Kids just don't know how to handle a big truck w/ a lot of power & don't understand how to control a car when sliding, peeling out, etc.
When I was 15, a "well off" buddy was the first to get his license and tried to be cool by riding all of us around in a Lincoln Navigator. He tried to peel out and then over corrected because all the power was on that back wheel and he didn't know what he was doing anyways. The seat belt locking mechanism failed and it slung me waist up out of the passenger side window(the only reason I didn't fall out of the truck, was the seatbelt spool ran out on the retractor but, didn't tear off.
We swerved what felt like 8-9 times until he finally corrected it straight and we went in a ditch. I cussed him out and said that if he ever did that again, I'd beat the **** out of him. He felt bad and never did something like that again with people in the car.
There were 8 of us in the car. 2+3+3. It's amazing we didn't flip, hit a car head on, or wind up being an educational video.
At least he told you about it, which says a lot. Kids just don't know how to handle a big truck w/ a lot of power & don't understand how to control a car when sliding, peeling out, etc.
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I say he pays the whole bill...there's more of a lesson here that about cars...it's about what ever you do or don't do in life, you are responsible 100% for your actions or inactions and you and only you should bear the weight of the consequences......that's the difference between good, responsible, contributing members of society and the dregs that the rest of us have to deal with and take care of.
When he wants his own vehicle, make him pay for at least 1/2.
I had to buy mine 100% and all that came with it..ins, repairs, tires etc...while the kids that got the freebies burnt, rubber and got traffic tickets, I drove responsily because everything came out of my pocket.
Dating .....like someone else said his date can drive or he can double......its called "consequences of the choices you made....you don't get "restored"until all the damages are restored.
It's what makes 18 year old MEN instead of 40 year old children!
The fact he told you..yes he's a good boy....help him become a good man by teaching him it's 100% his responsibility to make it right. He has to learn to stand on his own as the day will eventually come when you can't be there to help.
When he wants his own vehicle, make him pay for at least 1/2.
I had to buy mine 100% and all that came with it..ins, repairs, tires etc...while the kids that got the freebies burnt, rubber and got traffic tickets, I drove responsily because everything came out of my pocket.
Dating .....like someone else said his date can drive or he can double......its called "consequences of the choices you made....you don't get "restored"until all the damages are restored.
It's what makes 18 year old MEN instead of 40 year old children!
The fact he told you..yes he's a good boy....help him become a good man by teaching him it's 100% his responsibility to make it right. He has to learn to stand on his own as the day will eventually come when you can't be there to help.
I say he pays 100% of the bill, yes he was honest, but that was a nice first truck to just go bend the frame on, while doing something dumb. let it be a lesson to him. yes we were all young once and I broke a lot of truck parts, but I paid form them all, and soon learned it just wasn't worth it, I bet if you don't let him date a few months he wont ever forget it.
Good balance of punishment. No driving and having to pay towards repair goes a long way towards a very good lesson on accountability. Did the same with my son at one point. It was a lesson he hasn't forgot.
Spare the rod and spoil the child... Lessons are learned the hard way...
At least you taught him well enough to be honest, now I'd say follow through on him paying the whole bill then he has to get his own wheels after the repair. When I was 15 I worked at Kmart dragging carts out of the parking lot and stocking shelves until I could afford a Mazda pickup with a blown motor. I bought the parts to rebuild and my dad helped me get it running. Built character and it was mine so anything stupid I did with it was on me. I still wrecked it like most kids but I learned my lessons quick
Only have him pay off $1000? I'd have him pay off the entire $1700 and he'd lose his Yukon driving privileges until he paid at least $1000 of it, but that's just the way I was raised.
