Around 2 weeks ago, my eldest daughter accidentally broke her phone! @_@

Friends since TLC days

I asked Ate to call or text me immediately as soon as they got to their friend’s house so I don’t worry (coz I’m such a worry-wart and all!). It’s our standard procedure which she always kept to heart. Since it’s been a while, and her friend’s house was so near, I started to have an uneasy feeling when she didn’t text or call after several minutes so I called her. Cannot be reached! Hmmmnnn.. So I called our atrebidang yaya who was supposed to drive the golfcart back home. My daughter answered. Right there & then I knew something was up! “Mom, I have to tell you something”, she says in a terse voice.

Oh no, I thought. Did they get into an accident? I will never forgive myself for not driving them over! 🙁 She goes “I dropped my phone, Mommy. I think it’s broken”

At first I didn’t go ballistic because of the relief I felt that they were all ok. I said “But you need a phone so I can reach you!!!” The “broken” part didn’t register yet, haha! All I thought of was how I can reach my baby every 15 minutes!! (kidding!) ;P

So she & Sam came back to our house. The moment I saw her phone I went TOTALLY ballistic. “ATEEEEEE!!! how could this have happened??? It’s SHATTERED!!! This doesn’t happen just by dropping it!!!)

She was near tears & kept saying “sorry” over & over again. (I would later on find out that Sam coached her to say this repeatedy because apparently, this is what she says to her own mom to appease her & get Sam off the hook! Clever girl!)

I got angry because I constantly tell my daughter to bring a bag, bring a bag! I bought her bags in different shapes, colors & sizes and she still prefers to put her phone in her SHALLOW pocket!!! Even in parties I remind her to use a wristlet bag so her phone doesn’t fall off when she goes dancing, or get stolen while she’s busy having fun. But does she listen to me? NO!

As Sam was in our house, I couldn’t get mad at her properly (plastic ko, diba?) ;P So I sent her off with a cheap old back-up phone telling her “THIS WILL BE YOUR PHONE FROM NOW ON BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR THINGS PROPERLY!!!”

After they left, I felt guilty because Ate normally takes good care of her things. She’s really a good girl who never gave me headaches & heartaches. And this was an isolated incident.. an accident for goodness sake! I just wished she listens to me more, but at their age, who listens to their mother anyway? I didn’t ;P

SO after heavy consultation with her 2 other friends who weren’t in the same place as her, I went off in search of a new phone. I’m not really sure if this is smart parenting! Buying a new phone as punishment! 😛

With her 2 other friends who are heavy blackberry addicts.. i mean users! ;P I will always remember Mar’s words that appeased me. “At least tita now she learned from her mistake, she won’t do it again.” And true enough, Ate takes MY wristlet with her all the time now for her phone hehe! 😛

Ever since I can remember, my daughter liked iPhones the best because of the applications. She’s had iPhones in all generations! But I felt I shouldn’t give her what she wants because it won’t be considered as punishment! (twisted, huh?) So I got her the next best thing instead. The latest top of the line touchscreen BLACKBERRY TORCH! (while I’m using a cheap myPhone waaaa!!!) Yes, I’m sorely lacking in parenting skills! 😛

I felt guilty because when I recently upgraded her sibling’s 3GS phones to iPhone 4, Ate considered the expense & hung on to her old one even though I insisted she also get an upgrade too. She is usually considerate that way so I felt bad for her. But I still wanted to teach her a lesson in obedience hehe so blackberry was the answer.. Not what she preferred but still a great phone so she doesn’t look kawawa naman!

Surprised her with a blackberry torch..

Turns out, buying her a blackberry wasn’t a punishment anyway because now she tells me she actually prefers it to iPhone! Hmp!

Ate! I hope you have learned your lesson & LISTEN TO MOM! @_@ I know how it is to be a teenager. Giddy & excited all the time. So much so that you are unconsciously careless with your belongings. So always carry a bag, even a small one, to keep all your things together. And of course KEEP YOUR BAG ATTACHED TO YOUR BODY THE WHOLE TIME or it defeats it’s purpose!!!

Love you so much, Ate. And like I tell you over & over again. Never be afraid to tell Mommy things even though you know I might get angry & disappointed (like if the phone was really run over by a car & didn’t just fall out of your pocket!!!). It too shall pass. I might get angry & disappointed but I will always LOVE you & consider you the best thing that ever happened in my life! :-*