- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Parenting
DS just chucked the Wii remote into our flatscreen...
and I feel like I'm going to puke.
We were having such a good time - DS2 was already in bed and DH and I were having some good quality time with DS1 (he's 5) playing Wii. Then the remote slipped from his hand and hit our 52", $3,500 TV. I've been googling and I don't think it can be fixed, at least not for cheaper than just getting a new one.
Ugh. DS started crying and felt horrible. We told him it's ok, it was an accident. Then we helped him get ready for bed. Then the two of us just looked at each other and now we're kicking ourselves for not making him wear the wrist band.
Stupid. It's just a TV, but oh, what a stupid mistake!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: DS just chucked the Wii remote into our flatscreen...
The screen didn't actually crack, but there's a giant spot in the middle of the screen where the pixels are all 'effed up. We literally froze when it happened, sick to our stomachs, but not wanting to make DS feel worse than we could tell he was already feeling by the look on his face.
Here's another question though - we told DS it's ok, it was an accident, which is true. But DH and I were talking and we feel he needs to understand it was a costly accident. How do we make that impression upon him without being too heavy-handed, considering he is just 5 and it was one of those freak things that happened so fast?
Yeah, I feel like you're right. We handled it well (with him) so far, but as we're trying to stomach it now, it just sucks. I just feel like such sh#t right now that we let a stupid thing happen.
That's what we kept saying to ourselves - as far as accidents go, this is the one to have. Nobody got hurt.
The TV was a 4 year old Sony Bravia. I guess the silver lining is it's cheaper now than it would have been 4 years ago!
And let my situation serve as a PSA to whatever Bumpies still lurk on Parenting - don't get lax with the Wii remote strap!! lol We were pretty vigilant about it when we first got the Wii, but we won't get lax again.
Ditto.
I actually has gotten very lax about it even after seeing videos of Wii remotes flying into TVs. DH is the one who has been enforcing it more lately. I'm definitely going to start being strict about this rule. Sorry about your tv but I think you guys handled it very well.
Exactly. He already feels bad enough and he is just a kid. It has a strap for a reason. I showed this post to my DH and he said the same thing, thankfully you can find those tvs for a lot cheaper now!
I think if you handle this in a kind manner, it could be a lesson learned for the whole family. As a matter of fact, there could be several great lessons here. The key is to keep a calm and kind voice and don't assign blame in any way. The lesson is NOT about being more careful, either. Your son already feels bad enough so making that the issue will not be beneficial (not that you would do that purposely but my "plan" has a potential to take a bad turn if you don't remain benevolent)
OK, so here's how I would handle it. I would stress to your son that accidents happen and "daddy and I will take care of it as quickly as we can." And then I would just sit on it for a while. Wait a week, two weeks, threeks, however long you and your DH can stand it to replace the TV. But never make it a punishment. If your sons raise the issue, simply tell them that accidents happen but not always at a convenient time. Let them know that you need a little time to take care of some things before you replace the tv (but only of your kids present an opportunity for the discussion, if YOU raise the topic first, it will be blaming, not teaching.). Maybe you tell your kids that somebody will need to be home when the new tv is delivered so you need to wait for a tIme when you are available. Maybe you tell your kids that you need to wait until you and your DH both have an evening when you don't have other chores to do so that you can go together to buy the tv because it's a big purchase that needs to be made together. Maybe you tell your son that you need to make sure other bills that are more important have to be paid first before you pay for a new tv. There are a ton of ways you could go with this.
Then you tell your kids not to worry about it at all because it will be like a family adventure. Have family game nights, play outside, read books, etc. Do all the things you always say you want to do and make being without a tv a positive experience for the next couple of weeks. You might even want to put on the calendar the day you think you might have everything "taken care of" so that you can go buy the new tv.
After a couple of weeks, your kids will realize that buying a new tv is a big deal just by watching all that is involved in the purchase of a new one. They can witness how parents work together to make big decisions, how to prioritize big expenditures, how to pull together as a family to find alternative entertainment, etc. you never, ever once have once have to "teach" the lesson about being more careful with the tv in the future but I bet they will learn that as a buy product of the whole purchase process you are about to undertake. And I bet if you and DH go without tv for the next couple of weeks you will be more likely to remember the remote straps in the future.
BTW, I learned all of this the hard way. DH and I have had times in our marriage where we have been rolling in cash and other times when money has been tight. I've learned that my kids are a lot more respectful of our things and our family works better when we aren't able to throw money around to fix a problem.
Thanks for your thoughts, 4Speedy. This is what I was trying to get at with the idea of teaching him it was a costly mistake. Not blaming him, but teaching our boys the value of things and how to handle mistakes we've made (ourselves as much as DS). You make some good points on how to handle things moving forward...
DH and I still have that sick feeling in the pit of our stomachs this morning, but we've been talking a lot about the entire situation. He remembers when he was a kid and he accidentally broke some new gadget his dad bought. His dad got so mad at him and told him "You don't have a brain in that stupid head of yours." I hate that FIL handled it that way, when DH was only 7 or 8 and it was an accident. I know we handled it the right way last night by reassuring DS everything was ok. Now it's a learning process for all of us moving forward.
We got an inexpensive flatscreen for our kids to use because of this, on of ds' friends already did that to a brand new tv. It's also why we're using the XBox Kinect, no remotes. But that's not really an option for a five year old, there aren't as many games geared for little guys. DS sold his Wii because it wasn't getting used, and the girls only ever use the dance games.
That does suck about your TV, but in tech land, your TV is obsolete anyway (scary how fast they do). There are so many on the market for that size under $1000 for an average one. Plasma TVs typically have a glass cover, it's a good way to go. LED's have fantastic picture/resolution, worth looking at. And yeah, I agree with pp's, at five, this isn't his fault.
uch, that totally sucks. gotta strap those suckers onto the wrist!
but you did handle it well...
did you buy a warranty with the tv? you should check. maybe its still good if you did. if not, there are deals out there for good tv's for less these days.
sorry though
Yes - we bought a warranty, it's good for one more year. I have a sinking feeling it will not cover this. The store we bought it from was closed today for inventory (go figure!) so we will find out tomorrow if we get lucky, or if we're in the market for a new TV.
And after this, I'm ready to get rid of the Wii and just get a Kinect!
I think you got great advice and have nothing more to add.
We have Kinect and there are plenty of games DS1 likes- different sports ones, Fruit Ninja, Disneyland, etc... we just saw they have Star Wars and I know DS1 would love that, maybe a b'day present.Fruit Ninja is so fun! I'm judging on my nephew, he's into Mario. Most of the games I've come across are all geared for teens and adults, but since before Christmas, a lot of games for Kinect have been sold out, so I'm guessing I've missed the E games.
Ugh, that sucks.
We have both a wii and an xbox kinect. The kids like the xbox much more, in fact, they NEVER play wii anymore.
There are a ton of games, and the nice thing about the xbox is that you can get kinect games or regular games to use with the remote. And the remote is much user friendly than the wii remote (at least for my kids).
Even if your warranty doesn't cover it... call your homeowners insurance. A lot of policies (at least around here) will cover damage in a house done by children under 16 w/o question. My BFF has white carpet in her daughters room and her daughter laid a RED popsicle on the MIDDLE of the carpet and left it there!
She talked to her home owners agent a few months ago and mentioned it and the agent told her it would have been covered for a full replacement and since the kids are so young there wouldn't have even been a deductible.