What would you do with the kid???

[SousaKerry 503]

Well life with a 17 year-old step-son is always an adventure..

 

Went out to the shed yesterday to find that the kid shoved a couple of pieces of cardboard, that had 80-90 gear oil spilled on them, on top of my prize 655.

 

The fumes from the heavy oil started to eat the paint on the hood. Not quite bubbled up but it looks like it has dry over spray on half the hood..

 

 

Not all his fault I guess, I should have covered the tractor.   His mother told him to take care of the cardboard (just not where to put it)

 

 

He was lucky he was at work, as I was so mad I was shaking, and the resulting disturbance would have probobly had the cops summoned to the house. 

 

 

 

His mother is a saint though as she put up with my ranting calmed me down and by the time the step son got home from work the Kill Switch had been disengaged.  And get this he actually apologized and offered to repaint the hood (not that I would let him touch it)

 

 

Now what to do with the hood can it be buffed out or should I sand it down and paint it again Paint was Rustoleum in a rattle can

[6wheeler 669]

Step kids can be tough. I know, I am one. And now I have one too. They/We don't try to make a guy mad on purpose... They are, after all. Still just kids. Sounds like he meant well, just messed it up. I would say you will probably have to re-paint it. But it sure wouldn't hurt to try buffing it out unless the paint is softened. I flew off the handle at my step son once and to this day? I wish I wouldn't have. If he is willing to help? Let him. He may learn something from you and will probably tighten your relationship. Maybe he will learn a new "not getting  into trouble" hobby. And, of course. He will want tractors and that my friend may benefit you as well. Nothing wrong with a live in helper, if you know what I mean.

[AMC RULES 37,196]

  And get this he actually apologized and offered to repaint the hood (not that I would let him touch it)

 

Why wouldn't you let him help fix it...with your supervision, of course? 

Edited April 15, 2013 by amcrules00

[rmaynard 16,343]

Tough call on what to do with the boy since I don't know him or anything about his personality, but here is what I might do. Kids at 17 don't think before they act. Your tractor is not important to him, but it is to you. So thank him for offering to repaint the hood, but decline the offer. Instead, ask him to assist you in the preparation and repainting of the hood. Let him see how much work is involved, and why you were so aggravated with his actions. A little hands-on action may prevent a similar problem in the future, and maybe spark a little interest in the hobby (although I kind of doubt it).

 

As for the hood, I would paint it with acrylic urethane. Then you don't have to worry about gas and oil doing damage to the paint.

 

 

[chevyaddict83 39]

Is the boy into horses? Let him help you. I'm in the same boat, with my fiancee's 14 yrold daughter. If he offered to help, let him. Something good might come of Bhutto it.

Sent from my 416-8

[varosd 1,185]

United states Armed Forces!!!

[KC9KAS 4,744]

It is difficult enough to raise your own kids, and "step" kids are even MORE difficult.

 

I told my wife that we needed some ground rules right from the get-go, but it never happend.

 

The only disagreements we (wife & I) have had is due to the kids. They were 7, 9 & 14 when we started dating...And trust me, "dating" with 3 kids is rough!

They couldn't get along in a car for a 5 minute ride. Now, the 3 kids are 33, 29 and 27 and they are the best of buds. In fact, my son (29) and step-daughter (27) both worked 3rd shift for a while and would go out for breakfast together sometimes. My son even "rented" part of his house to his step-sister for a while.

 

Sorry for my story, and I can't help you answer your question about your step-son, but try to hang in there, and he will (in the futuer when he is older) realize that you were trying to do the best you could do to help raise him.

[posifour11 723]

It is difficult enough to raise your own kids, and "step" kids are even MORE difficult.

I told my wife that we needed some ground rules right from the get-go, but it never happend.

The only disagreements we (wife & I) have had is due to the kids. They were 7, 9 & 14 when we started dating...And trust me, "dating" with 3 kids is rough!

They couldn't get along in a car for a 5 minute ride. Now, the 3 kids are 33, 29 and 27 and they are the best of buds. In fact, my son (29) and step-daughter (27) both worked 3rd shift for a while and would go out for breakfast together sometimes. My son even "rented" part of his house to his step-sister for a while.

Sorry for my story, and I can't help you answer your question about your step-son, but try to hang in there, and he will (in the futuer when he is older) realize that you were trying to do the best you could do to help raise him.

I had the same issues. Kids were 12, 10, 8 and 4. Oldest two were the hard ones. Younger two have grown up around me, so much easier.

I say let him help. Good bonding time. Maybe he'll learn something.

[can whlvr 994]

i agree,let him help you, and sand off and repaint

[Wheel-N-It 2,976]

These guys said it all very well. I agree with them. This might turn out to be a good thing after all.

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

It's only a little tractor paint.  I don't get upset over these types of things. Life is too short and I've made my fair share of mistakes too.  

[Save Old Iron 1,571]

Yeah, reminds me of the winter we had 2 feet of snow one night and I told my oldest daughter to "go shovel off the snow on your mom's car".

 

Well she did. Ever see what the sharp edges of a used aluminum snow shovel do to a car hood? Yep she actually used the shovel to "shovel" the snow off the car. Scrapped every last bit of snow off the hood with that shovel. That was about 20 years ago and it forced me to learn how to paint with HVLP.

 

That same child later went on to develop a keen interest in automotive repair, started to apprentice on diesel and up until the time she moved from home a year or so back, took care of all the repairs on all the family cars. I did not need to touch a thing for almost 8 years. Brakes, mufflers, struts, gas tank senders, all taken care of. Seems like a fair trade to me. Now if I could get her to stop sitting on her cell phones every 2 months.

 

Precious memories . . . .

 

Breath deep - Chill out,

It's a tractor with a rustoleum paint job ( I know, Sacrilegious).. but it's not like someone shattered your one of a kind hand-blown Stuben Glass candleholders - that's a "middle daughter" story for another day.

[IthacaJeff 151]

I once jumped from a tall snowbank onto the top of my dad's car hood. . . with ski boots on.

As a GROWNUP I brushed off a bunch of gritty dirt on my mom's car with a dirty broom and. . ..

 

Point is, we are all thoughtless at times. The advice given in the letters above is spot on.

My advice is to take it.

 

Jeff

[SousaKerry 503]

I wasn't too hard on the boy.  I just needed to vent for awhile.

 

 

It has been challenging this past winter with him driving, working and, asserting more independence.  Just wish he would think before acting, a couple of months ago I went in the shed and found a side terminal car battery with charging studs in the terminals shoved up against a mower deck.... Good thing it was powder coated   or I wouldn't have a shed anymore.

Edited April 16, 2013 by Sousakerry2

[puddlejumper 67]

Kerry all the above is true, only thing is I am suprised nobody thought to have you think over some of the things you did at that age. If you are completely innocent of such things at that age. Ill kiss your a33 on main street and give you 30 minutes to draw a crowd.

[cheesegrader 433]

Agree with Varosd.

Every 17 year-old, even ones that are having a good day,

should know about the local Air Force Recruiter!

Maybe (just maybe) he may decide it is time to spread his wings and leave YOU to clean the shed!

[smoreau 658]

Kerry. It could be worse! I have met your son-in-law and last year he was better behaved at the MI show then the year before. My brothers son has ADD and ADHD at the same time. Very destructive to the point that he put axe holes in the bottom of my brothers aluminum boat, axe holes in the back of his steel pole barn,  and rutted up his back yard joy ridding and doing donuts with my brothers truck while he was at work. So how does my brother punish him? yells for 30 seconds, shakes his head and walks away. He is My nephew and everything I have given him he has bean destroyed to the point that it was thrown out except the pieced together Johny Cash Wheel Horse I gave him 2 years ago. I new not to give him anything that was any thing nice as he will just destroy it, but he takes OK care of his WH, he is proud of his tractor and does break it from time to time and asks me to come fix it. Its not always clean and taken care of, but the oil is checked often, and greased frequently, I think its the only thing that he does take care of. 

[stevasaurus 23,290]

I used to hang them from their thumbs in the door way...God, I miss the screaming.    Stolen from a Harry Potter film...Life's to short to drink bad wine.

 

Let me guess...you never did anything like that??

Edited April 17, 2013 by stevasaurus

[Ken B 3,189]

I can remember 25 yrs ago I backed my 69 Charger into my Dads BRANDY new Plymouth. It was the first new car he ever bought and only a week old. I busted the grille on his car and crunched the hood up on it pretty bad.  My Dad was a giant back then with arms that were twice as big as my legs and when he got pissed, it wasn't always pretty. I dreaded going inside to wake him from his nap. Well, I woke him up and when he came outside he just shook his head and calmly told me this, " Son, I'm gonna buy the new grille, the paint and everything you'll need but I sure hope you can do good body work and paint. Man talk about pressure! It came out pretty darn good if I say so myself as Dad was a happy camper. All I can really add is stuff happens......

[64s 83]

Lock the shed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hm12460 53]

Lock the shed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup! Nobody else gets a key . Stand firm.

[puddlejumper 67]

I have to disagree, I built a 30+40 last spring, the new hasnt wore off it yet and I am trying to be particular with it even thyough I am somewhat of a slob myself. The oldest boy completely disassembled his dirt bike this winter and it set to the point of me going off the handle without him carrying on with the project but instead I gently ribbed him occassionly and here a month ago he went out one friday night and put it all backm together and fired up about 530 in the morning and went for a ride so all the neighbors would know he had his bike back together. Now I have a friend of his dirt bike scattered all over hell. took engine to somebody to rebuild, Havent seen any progress in about 3weeks Kids got a little longer and I'll set all the pieces out in the driveway they will get the hint. Also got a magnum 500 4 wheeler  that belongs to one of his buddys tore apart in there waiting on a fuel pump for a little over a week now, Its supposed to be gone this weekend. I am talking about a group of 16 to 17 year old boys. Its not pretty sometimes. With that said there learning and thats one of the main reasons I built the barn I wish I could build one big enough every Kid in town could have room to work on something if they wanted to, Guess what I am saying Is I will tolerate it, It will be worth every bit of aggravation in the end..

Lock the shed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup! Nobody else gets a key . Stand firm.