Originally Posted by
Alty
Bella, I'm going to start by telling you something you already know. She's six. At six most kids are like this.
Here's the problem, as far as I see it. She gets a lot of stuff. Who cares if you lose it, mommy or grandma and grandpa will just buy her a new one, or something even cooler. She doesn't care about these items because she never had to earn them, they were just given to her.
I learned this the hard way, and I went through the same thing with both of the kids. We bought them stuff, they never took care of it. They'd lose parts, or lose the item altogether.
So I stopped buying them expensive things. If they want a new device, they have to pay for it. I do give them an allowance, but they have to work for it. Don't do the work, you don't get the money, just like in the real world I'm trying to prepare them for.
Here's my idea for you, and it may not work because you are dealing with a 6 year old. But, in the same token, you can never start teaching responsibility too young.
She needs to learn that tablets, and other things, aren't cheap, and money doesn't grow on trees. So, since she lost it, she has to pay to replace it, even if she doesn't care about it at all. You have dogs. Let her pick up dog poop. Get a huge bucket for the poop. She gets $5 a bucket. She can unload the dishwasher, or wash dishes, she's old enough, $1 for each time she does this. She can fold laundry, she can vacuum, she can dust. She may not do a perfect job, but she can do these things.
Sit her down and tell her that she has to pay back the money for this tablet and the charger. You don't care if she doesn't want it, or doesn't care that it's gone. She has a list of chores, no playing until she's done them. If she doesn't listen, calmly go into her room with a garbage bag, and clear out all of her toys. She gets a bed, a mattress, sheets, a blanket, a pillow, and that's it. She has to earn back her toys by listening.
It seems mean, but that's probably going to be what it takes.
Last but not least, you're not a bad mom. If you were a bad mom you wouldn't care about this. You're just the mom of a 6 year old, and really, 6 year olds often make you understand why some animals eat their young. ;)
((hugs))