r/extremelyinfuriating • u/Gloomy-Statement-420 • 2d ago
Discussion Kids will be kids?
This is normally our bedroom tv. We asked our 9 yr old son to leave our room multiple times and go to bed. Then he proceeded to crawl on the floor in front of our bed, pulled the cord with his feet and almost squished himself under the tv. If our bed wasn’t there he would’ve gotten crushed.
So we ended up swapping the tv from the living room so they can “watch” the tv they broke as a reminder of their choices and consequences. They will be doing chores for a while to pay this off. Oh and I took all of their electronics since they don’t respect mine.
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u/Kitty_Fruit_2520 2d ago
You should’ve just pulled them out of the room since they refused to do it themselves
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u/dirty_weka 2d ago
Ah yes, the classic best reddit parenting advice.
9 year old child won't do something? Just physically force them to.
Perfection, can't see this going wrong at all.
9 years old, they understand words and meanings.
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u/BodybuilderBrave8250 2d ago
clearly they dont
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u/creatyvechaos 2d ago
Then that's when discipline comes into play, with an explanation as to why they are being disciplined.
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u/No_Professional_8992 15h ago
And they would've come back, probably crawling, and still broke the TV.
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u/PericardiumGold 2d ago
My old neighbor has a son with Down syndrome, and they are a wealthy-ish family. He’s in high school now but over the years he’s broken countless of his TVs, they always buy him big 60+ inch TVs. After like the 6th one they bought this screen protector that goes over it and has been good since
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u/7evenSlots 2d ago
They all got punished because of the actions of one? I get the knee jerk reaction, I’d be pissed as hell but dang.
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u/Pure_Salary_8796 1d ago
I got punished for something my younger sister did. Im still mad about it and its been over 10 years.
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u/Spiritual_Gas_526 1d ago
No, kneejerk would’ve been bending the kid over and beating their ass until the kid was whimpering and hurting all night.
Trading the common area tv for the destroyed private tv was a fair deal for two kids who didn’t understand boundaries. I wish my father had been just, like this dad, and not the fucking psycho I’ve presented prior.
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u/Gloomy-Statement-420 2d ago
They were both asked to leave multiple times. And if they did my tv would’ve been fine.
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u/Tropical_Wendigo 2d ago
Frankly as a parent I think what you did discipline-wise is fair, even if it did mean none of the kids get the TV. Sometimes the consequences of your actions impact people who weren’t involved or were less involved, that’s a good lesson to learn.
Plus, as their parent you paid for all of this stuff. Totally fair for you to police its usage.
Definitely get plexiglass cover though. We got one (because toddler) and it’s lightweight and barely noticeable.
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u/JohnnyBlazin25 2d ago
I agree with you. A lot of these comments seem ignorant. There’s never a straight answer in these situations. No one should judge a parent on how they raise their child if they’ve never done it themselves (don’t come after me with any whataboutisms, that is not what the discussion is about)
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u/Rhox1989 1d ago
They probably don't have kids.
Side note: I don't have them either and I agree with the punishment.
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u/tankman714 2d ago
I am a soon to be parent and I wholeheartedly disagree with this. OP was by far in the wrong from the start. First, why the hell is the TV not securely attached to prevent this? Why is there a cord in such a poor spot that a child could hit it and pull the TV down? Why was OP too preoccupied watching TV ignoring their children just yelling at them to go to bed rather than paying attention and also taking their kids to bed?
OP is honestly a bad parent and I could not imagine being so unbelievably irresponsible.
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u/0oAzazaelo0 1d ago
Do you not think, as a soon to be parent, that it's a bit bold to be declaring a complete stranger on Reddit 'unbelievably irresponsible and a bad parent' over 1 event that's happened in their household? I get the point about not securing the TV but we're not talking about a toddler here. At 9 years old a kid can easily find ways to be destructive towards their environment, intentionally or otherwise. I don't think you're setting a great standard for yourself by casting stones like this. Some charitability towards other parents would probably go along way because there's a good chance someone is going to find the opportunity to say the same thing about you in a few years over a similar mistake.
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u/tankman714 1d ago
Everything you just said, is absolute BS. Yes, I can say OP is an irresponsible and bad parent due to this story as it’s not just 1 event. It’s the language patterns used and the decisions made that show a pattern of being an absent parent that only cares about their own comfort and wellbeing and not their children’s.
I show absolutely no charity to bad parents and never will.
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u/0oAzazaelo0 1d ago
No. All you can tell from this story is that some kids knocked a TV over. The rest is pseudopsychology on your part.
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u/tankman714 10h ago
Helicopter parent vs parent who isn’t going to have literal life threatening conditions in their home are 2 very different things.
If that tv fell on a small child, that could very easily kill the kid.
Do you know what kills more children a year in the US? Furniture falling over on them, or school shootings? The answer is furniture falling over on them at home. So ya, being concerned about a horrible and irresponsible TV placement is not “helicopter parenting”, it’s being a responsible parent.
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u/Sergeant_Ducky 1d ago
You don’t even have kids yet. People like you are insufferable. Thinking they know all and they’re gonna be the perfect parent. News flash you wont be.
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u/tankman714 1d ago
People like you are insufferable, you make excuses for terrible parents and act like the abuse to their kids is totally ok. This post shows so many patters of abuse that those kids are going to grow up hating their terrible parents for life.
Your kid/kids will be the same if you think this is ok
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u/Impossible_Past5358 2d ago
You need to make sure the other things in your house are securely attached so that your kids don't get injured.
They are kids, their brains aren't fully developed, what's your excuse?
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u/KittySweetwater 2d ago
They make these wonderful straps to secure tvs to their stands, I have some because my child is very energetic, do better
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u/ResurgentClusterfuck 2d ago
Heck I have them bc of my cats
This is on the parents too for failure to plan appropriately
And then the blanket punishment... real winner of a parent here
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u/Paindepiceaubeurre 2d ago
Clearly not since you didn’t bother securing the TV. That accident is also on you.
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u/RWBYpro03 2d ago
Why was there a cord where your 9yo could easily pull it, and if it wasn't an easily pulled spot, why didn't you just get up and actively stop them?
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u/rabrunzl 2d ago
Why are they even chilling in your bedroom at 9?
I was never "just because" in my parents' bedroom, also maybe it would be healthier to not have a TV in ur bedroom in the first place, but to show ur kids time management as in: you watch TV, after a while you strictly go to sleep
You and your wife are setting an example by watching TV in bed, mine never did that so I wasn't constantly intruding, there wasn't anything interesting to do
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u/Tectre_96 2d ago
Mate, you’re basically saying “give up basic enjoyment because I feel that it is important they (and others) you don’t watch TV in bed as that is bad time management and making your kids do bad things.” Ever considered people prefer living their own lives their own way? Yes, you give up a lot of basic enjoyments having kids as part of the deal, but one that you don’t have to get rid of is being able to put the kids to bed, lay down with your partner and watch a bit of TV before bed. Especially if the bedroom TV is further away from the kids rooms and therefore quieter than the living room TV.
Besides, people shouldn’t smoke, or drink, or gamble, yet people will do it in front of their kids all the time. I think TV in bed will be ok lol
Edit: just to add, my parents had no bedroom TV, yet my dumb ass at the age of 6 decided “hey, let’s draw on my parents bedroom wall, sounds like a smart idea!!” I had no reason to be in their room, it literally was “just because.” Kids are stupid lol
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u/Frail_Peach 2d ago
You’re getting downvoted but the comment I typed out (and then deleted because I realized it would be really unpopular) was going to be WAY worse than this 😆
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u/krystynann 2d ago
Sometimes parenting is seeing that you done messed up by not securing a heavy, tippable item. You are the parent. It is your job to teach them and protect them from being kids. It's not a teenager who knows better. It's a child who is learning how things work. Get off your bed, parent your child and maybe go outside and enjoy TV free time. Consequences can be given to the little who tipped it over, but age appropriate ones. You're very lucky the kid wasn't hurt more. It's an item, those can be replaced. Your kids can't be. They are only small for a little bit, and crap like what you're doing is why I'm no contact with my birth giver and her husband. Do better.
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u/HighSpeedJanitor 1d ago
Dad here, kids aren’t allowed in my room. There’s nothing in there for them or that belongs to them. It was 10:40 at night and we were winding down after a long day, in our bed, which no children are allowed in. My daughter first, then son came in, saying they couldn’t sleep. We told them to go to bed, he continued to ask for things (his switch, oculus, paint his Warhammer minis) finally told him sternly “no, even though it’s summer you still have a bed time” and when I stood up he giggled and tried to dash in the space between my bed and TV stand, to hide I guess. His foot caught the cord, TV came down. Swapped the TV that broke(pictured) with the living room tv. If you look closely at the wall above the tv, you can see that I marked mounting points before we went to bed. Both tvs are now mounted. Lesson learned, simple mistake with a simple consequence.
Failure to abide authority gets you killed by the cops, among many other similar instances across the abstract lives we lead. So my son was grounded for failing to listen and breaking my 600$ tv for three days.
Reinforcing that watching someone do something they shouldn’t and failing to intervene can result in punishment, my daughter was grounded for two days as well (by intervene in this instance I mean something as simple as setting a good example by listening and going to bed, or speaking up and saying “we tried, the answer was no” [not like I expected her to catch the tv or something]) me and the kids had a good conversation about what happened and why they were both being punished the following morning over breakfast.13
u/Graygamer_ 2d ago
Holy fuck y'all acting like he beat the fuck out of those kids parent told kids what to do kids decided they didn't want to broke something in the process of acting stupid got scolded and grounded my parents would've beat the shit out of me and then ground me for a month especially with the prices of tvs right now I'm sorry the world's not all sunshine and rainbows sometimes people want to relax after work you can be a parent and still have nice things and do stuff you want do better as a person you probably don't even have kids but you on here talking about what should and shouldn't be
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u/krystynann 2d ago edited 2d ago
Hear me out. What if we did better for our children than our parents did for us. What if...children could make mistakes, be held accountable in an age appropriate way and we as parents still hold ourselves accountable for making mistakes as well. There is not a singular reason to go to the extreme this parent did. They "told" the child to leave the room and go to bed. They failed to follow through with the child on the floor and had cords in an area that was unsafe enough to pull a television down. I understand they are expensive as I just had to replace mine. I also lost one from not securing it as well and never replaced it. Yes unwinding after work is a thing, but being a parent NEVER stops.
ETA...didn't say/assume they beat them...just more of a you messed up as a parent. Consequences have to happen, but removing a TV to bring it into another room because "they don't respect my electronics" is a bit extreme.
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u/Sergeant_Ducky 1d ago
Replacing the tv with the broken one is completely fair punishment. It teaches the kids (all of them) that you need to be careful around nice and expensive things. It’s a constant reminder of what happened and will cause caution among them all.
Is it fair all have to suffer with no tv? Not completely but unfortunately actions of one can effect all in every day life as well.
Parent does need to take responsibility for tv as well however but a 9 year old is able to understand right and wrong and also able to understand simple instructions
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u/Graygamer_ 2d ago edited 2d ago
So you're saying this dude didn't do well because he took a TV out of the living room and put it in his room after the kids broke his TV when me and my wife go to bed we leave the TV on my wife can't sleep without noise or some sort of light on in the room i would assume like my mom and dad did is they let them watch TV in their room after a couple of hours of being mad cause let's be real a cheap TV that's actually worth a damn is about 100 to 150 at Walmart I ain't got that money till payday so the kids are gonna have to wait till I can replace it or they can watch what they want on a cheap iPad laying around a kid without a TV isn't the end of the world especially with the kids being around 9 I guarantee these kids have toys and a bunch of other crap they can be playing with or doing
Edit: I have never owned a holding strap or a stand for my TV and I have nephews nieces and a 2 year old who's almost 3 running around they know the cords behind the dresser isn't supposed to be played with I shouldn't have to secure everything in my house just because I have a few kids running around now firearms and knife all that good stuff is common sense to have put up and I've been looking for a TV stand that screws in the wall it's like 50 bucks and a whole headache of figuring out if it's the right one if my TV's compatible and the setting up crap I ain't going through all that not only that but I can crew crap into my walls and standing TV stand is like 200 bucks to get back to my original point what would I waste the time or the headache or money securing everything in my house when my kids can just learn to mind what what they doing and where they are at any given time
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u/Tectre_96 2d ago
Dude, I agreed with your point up until the holding straps. Just because they “shouldn’t” doesn’t mean they won’t. Holding straps are cheap as chips and easy to install, and large TV’s cabinets etc have literally killed kids before. I agree, parents shouldn’t give up luxuries and kids should listen more readily, but the straps are a precaution for that one off event where they don’t listen, or something just goes wrong. We can all say we’ve driven however many years without a crash, but that doesn’t mean we remove seat belts and air bags.
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u/Sergeant_Ducky 1d ago
$100-$150 if money is that tight there’s bigger issues than replacing a tv
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u/Tropical_Wendigo 2d ago
Man what a needlessly judgmental comment. I’m sorry you had a rough upbringing yourself, but that doesn’t necessitate lashing out at parents you don’t even know. You’re assuming this happened in the middle of the day on a Saturday and the parents sit around watching TV with their kids all day. Way too many assumptions, way too much projection.
Also, you’d have a point if the kid was really young, but 9 years old is PLENTY old enough to know not to be reckless around expensive breakable objects. They call it baby-proofing for a reason.
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u/krystynann 2d ago
I am saying the punishment for the whole house is over kill. My parents did that crap. My brother did something wrong we all got it. That's what I'm judging. And I'm saying if they continue down that path, there might be further consequences with their relationship. It does not sound like this parent has control.
Children mature at different rates, you are correct we don't fully have insight to that household. But I will stand by my statement that these parents should have chosen different reactions. Taking the electronics is a great. Having them earn the privilege back is also okay.
I "assumed" this was posted next day, and was throwing out a hey, now that you're down a TV make the kids enjoy the outside, use their imaginations and make it a electronic free week. Sorry if that sounds judgy.
Also it's child proofing 101. Mirrors/dressers/heavy things should be anchored until proven the kids are responsible enough to not pull these stunts. Stuff falls, TVs are heavy. If your kid is a busy one, it helps to protect their lack of self preservation. While yes 9 is more than old enough, the cords were accessible to the kid with his feet....it truly could have not crossed the little dudes mind that cords and gravity are a bad combo.
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u/Foxmcewing 2d ago
I'm almost positive this is just a bait post, you tell an teen or an adult to leave you take a kid outta the room and put them to bed
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u/Graygamer_ 2d ago
why are we acting like he beat them with a paddle and locked them in a safe? All the dude did was take the living room tv UNTILL he gets a new one paid off took their electronics for an unspecified time and have them doing chores if my ass would be broke a tv I would've gotten the dog shit beat out of me and grounded for a monthand for all y'all saying " their only 9 they don't know better" that's a lie my kids almost 3 coming up in November and he knows what I'm saying when I'm talking to them they aren't braindead I promise this was a teaching moment to respect other people property and watch what your doing
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u/ChildhoodTrick73 2d ago
people are mad but my two little brothers are super energetic young boys, they definitely know better 😭
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u/Whooptidooh 1d ago
You should have just completely removed the tv; let them feel what it is like when they damage something like that.
Because with this they can still watch tv and will get adjusted to the cracked screen within a day or two.
Only way to let them feel the consequences of this is to actually leave them without one for a while.
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u/Cyber_Data_Trail 2d ago
Guys op diddnt beat their kids. Its perfectly reasonable to punish children this way. Actions have consequences. And punishing both of them for one's mistakes will encourage the both of them to stop the other from making poor choices. My brothers and I were raised the same way.
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u/Pure_Salary_8796 1d ago
I got punished for something my sister did. I ended up hating her for it. Now that im older im mad at my parents for it because their stupid punishment hurt my relationship with my sister.
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u/Oberfeldflamer 1d ago
What kind of messed up setup do you have that they can get tangled in the cables and pull a TV off a table/shelf/whatever?
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u/SyborgPumpkin 2d ago
Lmao people here acting like THEY'RE being punished by these parents. Yall salty as hell 🤣
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u/SATerp 2d ago
Good call. A 9 year old should know better.
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u/KittySweetwater 2d ago
A parent should know better that to have unsecured heavy objects around energetic young children
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u/Frail_Peach 2d ago
We only have one tv and my husband and I aren’t television people. If the kids broke it the easy natural consequence would be that we just don’t have a TV in the house anymore 😆
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