Oppositelock Dad's Corner

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
12/08/2015 at 13:33 • Filed to: None

For years, I’ve been haranguing my boys about not eating or drinking at the computer table. Well, guess who spilled coffee on his keyboard this morning and had to go buy a new one.

Mmm, this crow tastes delicious. Now: do I tell the boys what I did?

DISCUSSION (49)

CB > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 13:38

Yeah, as a lesson. If they give you crap for it, just steal the power cables to all their electronics.

HammerheadFistpunch > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 13:39

yup. I would. Say: see? it can happen to anyone! That’s why Daddy will be following his own rules from now on.

Tekamul > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 13:39

No crow, because you paid for the damned keyboard!

I’m allowed to ruin my stuff, you’re not. Daddy’s rule. I say you tell them while leaning over the computer table and eating fried rices with your bare hands.

functionoverfashion > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 13:43

Last night my 3 year old son wanted to play with a ceramic bell off the christmas tree. I carefully explained that he needed to be very gentle, and had him go over to the rug to ring it. He shook it violently but only to hear the sound, then put it down. I said, “Nice job, buddy thank you for being careful.” I picked it up to put it back up high on the tree and immediately dropped it on the hardwood floor, breaking it into 94 pieces. He totally lost it and finally I got him calmed down, then my wife came home. First words out of his mouth: “Mommy! Daddy broke the bell!”

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 13:45

No. They must perceive you as perfect, infallible. The moment they no longer fear you you’ve got no power over them.

ttyymmnn > functionoverfashion
12/08/2015 at 13:47

I’m sorry, but I laughed at that.

ttyymmnn > Tekamul
12/08/2015 at 13:48

You make an excellent point.

I think a popsicle might be better, though.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Tekamul
12/08/2015 at 13:48

... and eating fried rices with your bare hands.

I laughed WAY harder than I should have.

You see my wife is asian and I may or may not of done this countless times. I tell people it’s a culture thing but deep down I was just to lazy to get up and get a damn fork.

ttyymmnn > HammerheadFistpunch
12/08/2015 at 13:48

Yeah, but probably not. Gotta have my coffee in the morning while I Oppo.

HammerheadFistpunch > Tekamul
12/08/2015 at 13:49

My daughter is going through a phase (she’s 4) where shes convinved herself that its her house and her rules. Therefore if dad can make a rule, surely she can as well and that’s the way its going to be! She’s seen the inside of her room a lot lately.

functionoverfashion > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 13:51

No offense taken, I laughed about it later too.

The bell was from our first year together as a married couple, so my wife wasn’t thrilled... until I found one on ebay later for $8.99, identical with the same year printed on it and everything. haha.

And definitely, you tell them about the keyboard.

HammerheadFistpunch > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 13:53

maybe take them with you to the store and show them the money changing hands for a new one...then say something about consequences of not following the rules and about your accountability is your acceptance of the possibility of replacing things you break as a result.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 13:54

Hahaha - yeah, why not?

That’s how they learn.

- what my sister-in-law says whenever a kid injures themselves after being warned not to do something =)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Tekamul
12/08/2015 at 13:57

Makes me think of Cliff Huxtable telling Vanessa:

Your mother and I are rich. You are poor. You have nothing!

Dammit, Bill... Why’d you have to go and ruin my childhood memories!

Funktheduck > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 14:01

Don't tell. Tell them they're grounded until they confess.

MonkeePuzzle > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 14:01

tell them? shouldn’t you just blame them?

“WHO SPILLED THEIR DRINK ON THE KEYBOARD!? TIMEOUT FOR EVEYRONE!”

zeontestpilot > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 14:05

Tell them.

Of course, you can mess with them and not connect the new one. When it doesn't work and they are confused, lesson time!

DrJohannVegas > HammerheadFistpunch
12/08/2015 at 14:07

“If you want to drink coffee and read Oppo like Dad, you better go out there and get a job!”

Or, the Lebowski version (NSFW):

zeontestpilot > HammerheadFistpunch
12/08/2015 at 14:08

For some reason my 2 yr old refuses to think she’s in trouble. She'll do a naughty thing and smile because she thinks it's a game. It tests your nerves, :/

ttyymmnn > zeontestpilot
12/08/2015 at 14:09

It’s on MY computer. They have their own. Yeah, I’ll admit it. So many times, I warn them about a potential calamity and they say, “I won’t break it!” And I say, “The only way to be SURE you don’t break it is by not doing what you’re doing in the first place.” They've been good about being careful with food and drinks in the past, but the potential for damage is always there unless you remove the danger. I will serve as a living example of my wisdom!

zeontestpilot > HammerheadFistpunch
12/08/2015 at 14:10

Oh this is a good suggestion. Make sure they see you pay for it, with cash, and keep referencing how you had to spend your money to get it fixed. Though, I guess this will only work if they have allowances.

HammerheadFistpunch > DrJohannVegas
12/08/2015 at 14:12

Damn strait! Also when you do you can curse

zeontestpilot > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 14:13

Multiple computers you say? Get a new one for yourself, and switch the old one for one of theirs. Sorry, I’m all for pranking kids.

HammerheadFistpunch > zeontestpilot
12/08/2015 at 14:13

This is being 2...to a t

zeontestpilot > Funktheduck
12/08/2015 at 14:13

I was thinking that too. It would be hilarious....for the parents.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > functionoverfashion
12/08/2015 at 14:15

Get used to it. My son is 10 and regularly rats me out to his mom.

vicali > HammerheadFistpunch
12/08/2015 at 14:16

My son tries that too (he’s 4), he comes out of his room in the morning and says, “Today is a whatever I want day.” - lol, that’s nice.

vicali > zeontestpilot
12/08/2015 at 14:19

That smile kills me.

Our 2yr old looks at you, smiles, does the bad thing, then march herself over to the ‘silly stairs’ and sits down. Meanwhile I’ve got to leave the room because if you smile or laugh at all you might as well hand over the keys.

HammerheadFistpunch > vicali
12/08/2015 at 14:19

Trying to explain the difference between what she wants and what she’s earned is like trying to teach my desktop to love

vicali > HammerheadFistpunch
12/08/2015 at 14:26

With Christmas coming we’ve had a ton of ‘want vs gets’ talks, I might have even said, “Daddy WANTS a Land Cruiser”. lol

shop-teacher > HammerheadFistpunch
12/08/2015 at 14:29

I laughed quite loudly at that!

shop-teacher > vicali
12/08/2015 at 14:30

I usually say, “And I want a million dollars. Looks like we’re both out of luck.”

OPPOsaurus WRX > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 14:35

have it plugged in and pretend to get made at something and smash it

Kinja'd!!!

show them u have no mercy

OPPOsaurus WRX > functionoverfashion
12/08/2015 at 14:37

haha I came home from work and my kids came running over to tell me my wife set off the smoke detectors

Rico > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/08/2015 at 14:41

Exactly, instead just blame one of them!

Rico > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 14:44

Blame them for it anyway! Muahaha. Then when they grow up they can come on Oppo 7.0 in the future and complain about what crappy parents they have like some of the other people on here. And you can Star their post!

zeontestpilot > vicali
12/08/2015 at 14:45

Smiling while she’s naughty is a sign of weakness, lol. We’ll tell her repeatedly to stop, but she doesn’t. She knows a lot more than she’s showing, I can tell.

MrPseudonym > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 14:48

How much was it worth?

ttyymmnn > MrPseudonym
12/08/2015 at 14:50

It’s an Apple extended keyboard, so about $50 new. I used some of my birthday money, so it wasn’t a complete loss. Except that I was going to buy Lego with the money. :(

ttyymmnn > OPPOsaurus WRX
12/08/2015 at 14:50

Ooh, I like the way you think.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/08/2015 at 16:17

As long as you can best them in feats of strength you are allowed to admit to lesser mistakes in front of them.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 16:19

“See kids, this is why we don’t drink and computer.”

uofime-2 > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 16:25

Wash the keyboard in the dishwasher, it’ll be fine.

Deny anything happened.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > functionoverfashion
12/08/2015 at 16:29

I almost spit my water on my monitor.

Damn this post is coming full circle.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
12/08/2015 at 16:31

My son is currently of the belief he can do whatever the F he wants as long as he says “Sorry” when busted.

SOMEHOW we have to convince him it’s not ok to smack you in the face and then say “Sorry” and walk off like he’s not in trouble and he’s off with no time out.

zeontestpilot > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
12/08/2015 at 17:23

We have trouble having her to even say that. She refuses to say it, such a strong-willed child, lol.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
12/08/2015 at 17:38

He’ll be fine as long as the boys haven’t learned the word “hypocrite” yet.

TheRealBicycleBuck > ttyymmnn
12/08/2015 at 19:04

It could have been worse. When I worked in a computer lab, someone spilled a spit cup into a keyboard and left it for the morning crew (me) to find and clean up.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > zeontestpilot
12/09/2015 at 12:13

Haha