How do I convince my parents...

[FFTT]

People like me with ADD also have highly selective hearing.

We tend to hear what we want to hear and block out the rest.

Unless you're buying something very basic like an iBook, I would wait.
Not because your parents want you to, but because you haven't seen what else Apple has planned over the next 6 months.

Apple HAD to release a faster laptop because of market competition, but this will not be their best offering. The MBP is a REV A machine and all the collective experience in these forums should tell you to hold out for at least
the first upgrade.

Apple is currently closing out the PowerBooks, so it won't be long before we should see both a smaller and larger MacBook and the replacements for the
iBook.

You should at least wait until you can select from Apple's entire new line-up
before making a final decision.

 

[Mord]

-- Parents are always right about us.

Especially when you are still under their roof.

any parent that takes advantage of that is a bad parent for haveing to.

 

[asherman13]

I have a Palm Pilot, and I used to sync it with iCal, however, I can't get it to install on the iMac G4, nor the Dell, so I'm stuck with my school-issued planner.

I like the argument of "I'll be able to have iCal & Palm Pilot reminders of everything again"; I wasn't feeling too well last night so I went to lie down before SNL and ended up sleeping until about twenty minutes ago! Talk about an opportunity missed! Anyways, I talked to my dad and we're postponing it until tonight, since I'm going to be out-of-town for the day for a regional youth group meeting of sorts.

Keep posting tips if you've got them; I'll check back later tonight before we talk so that I can encorporate any useful things you guys might say.

Thanks!

 

[ieani]

(I don't want a car, they're wastes of money for teenagers in my opinion, so I just drive their cars when I can)

Wow you are the first person ive found that shares this opinion. My parents wanted me to buy a car but I convinced them just how much of a money-pit it would be for me. Especially, when I have to pay for college.

 

[asherman13]

Wow you are the first person ive found that shares this opinion. My parents wanted me to buy a car but I convinced them just how much of a money-pit it would be for me. Especially, when I have to pay for college.

My point exactly; they're such wastes of money.

Anybody else have anything to add for tonight?

 

[prostuff1]

My point exactly; they're such wastes of money.

Anybody else have anything to add for tonight?

Well, some might agree with you and some won't. I for one could not imagine going without a vehicle until almost 18. I have been working since i was about 14 and my mom and dad took me back and forth to work until i got my lisence. After i had the lisence i was able to drive myself around, my sister, and do things my parents would have had to do.

I bought my car for about 3000 and i paid for it the first summer i worked. I would say that the car was not a waste of money and it helped me get more things done

 

[ieani]

Well, some might agree with you and some won't. I for one could not imagine going without a vehicle until almost 18. I have been working since i was about 14 and my mom and dad took me back and forth to work until i got my lisence. After i had the lisence i was able to drive myself around, my sister, and do things my parents would have had to do.

I bought my car for about 3000 and i paid for it the first summer i worked. I would say that the car was not a waste of money and it helped me get more things done

Its not necessarily the intial cost of the car but the cost of gas, insurance, repairs, and regular maintence like oil and fluids.

 

[prostuff1]

Its not necessarily the intial cost of the car but the cost of gas, insurance, repairs, and regular maintence like oil and fluids.

Yeah, i see your point. The biggest thing that i like and my parents was the fact that i was able to drive my sister around. For my mom and dad that in itself was worth me getting a car right bafter i turned 16.

Your probably right though. When it comes right down to it i am fairly sure that my car has been a money pit, especially since i just ended up putting a new tranny in it (actually dad did cause he is the one driving it around now). I have his old Crown Vic which is running just fine.

Oh well, i guess it just depends on the person and family

 

[azzurri000]

It might be too late already, but I think you should focus on how frustrating the Dell is to use in your arguments. You could explain how it is counterproductive.

You have an iMac, but you have to share it with your family, so it is also probably not enough, as researching essays etc. can take up a lot of time.

Like others have said, you might be doing yourself a disfavour in wanting the macbook sooner rather than later, as your parents might have planned it as a gift or you would get a special discount in the summer for apple's back-to-school initiatives.

Obviously it would be nice to have it on your birthday, but there are only a few months remaining of the school year, so if you could wait until the summer, that would probably be the best way to go about it. You would be happy because you have the macbook, and your parents would have the peace of mind that you will not be distracted from your studies and you would have gotten good grades for college.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

I kind of feel that nothing exciting has really been going on in my life, except for getting into Cal Poly (I got an acceptance letter, so the Edu. Discount is valid).

Right on, San Luis Obispo is a great town. I am from Atascadero, just up the 101 from SLO. Get ready for some fine ass women there. Of course currently I have moved to the UK, but I'll be back there someday.

Oh and as for the MBP, suck it up and wait for graduation. I got a Mac after graduation, and a good chance you will too.

 

[itsbetteronamac]

Yeah man, Just buy it yourself with your own money. Then you don't own nobody notin'. Also, then your parents or w/e can't be like." Oh, were gonna take such and such away." I did that, and I don't regret it for a second. It nice when stuff is really yours. And, do you really need the mac book now? Would it really kill you to wait a little longer? What if the Mac book wasn't comming out until may, could you wait then? Just some things to thing about.

 

[Sean Gadoury]

I agree with the guy that said you should wait until just before school. They will surely have newer models out that will suit your main needs and at a better value. Not to mention, the back to school promotions.

At that time, the argument will be quite a bit more convincing.

Though, these computers ARE a HUGE distraction.

 

[adk]

I bought my PB a week before the free ipod deal came out last summer. Take my advice and wait.

 

[asherman13]

It's not too late to contribute more ideas; my parents wanted to wait until tonight at 9:15pm.

On the subject of waiting, yes, I really do think that I shouldn't have to wait any longer. If they still say no, with all of these reasons/conditions that I'm going to lay out tonight, I'm either then going ask if I can get the HDD repaired on my iBook, to which they'll probably say yes. I think that repairing the HDD would be a waste because 1) I'm going to buy the MacBook Pro anyways, and the repair would cost me around $300 and only yield a resale value of around $50, 2) I have a flash drive that plays music, and I don't WANT an iPod nano anyways, so I don't really care about the summer promotion, and 3) I think that a 15"-or-so-sized MacBook Pro isn't going to be released before September at the earliest, and I leave to go abroad at the beginning of Sept./end of Aug.

My parents will support me getting a new computer for college, and basically it's going to be whatever one I want. They know that my current setup will suck for college, and they've said that I should definately get a new computer for college, especially a working portable setup.

Anybody else have input?

 

[designed]

3) I think that a 15"-or-so-sized MacBook Pro isn't going to be released before September at the earliest, and I leave to go abroad at the beginning of Sept./end of Aug.

Umm, either I'm missing something or you miswrote the model since the current MBP is '15"-or-so-sized'. Did you mean ~15" Intel iBook?

 

[asherman13]

Umm, either I'm missing something or you miswrote the model since the current MBP is '15"-or-so-sized'. Did you mean ~15" Intel iBook?

I meant to say that I don't think that Apple will release an updated MacBook Pro that is of approximate size to the current one before Sept. or Oct. They will probably release a 17" and a 12" or 13", however, I feel that this MacBook Pro is the model for me, more so than an Intel-based version of the iBook, no matter what the screen size is.

Anybody else have tips?

 

[esaleris]

There's a better way to go about this.

Show your parents you've done your due diligence. Go to school without a laptop. When you call home the first time, they'll be so glad to hear about your experiences and how you are settling. DO NOT TALK ABOUT A COMPUTER. Let 2-3 weeks of classes roll by. Bite your lip and keep waiting.

The second time you talk to your parents, say that you've done your research, and it would behoove you to get a machine, that isn't just a toy. And you will find out what you need. It's likely not much different than what is around now, but at the very least, you would be able to get a MBP from amazon.com and not pay tax or something. Or Apple would have a bundled-iPod deal.

That's easier. It sounds like you have straight-up parents. Mine made me pay everything most everything I earned right back to them for 3 years, since I went to a private university, so you're lucky. Good luck, in any case.

 

[Bubbasteve]

I would wait until late summer when Apple typically has great back-to-school deals. But, you're not me, so go for it.

I agree... last year they have the free ipod mini special. Who knows, they might have similar deal with the nanos.

I would definitely hold out until the Macbooks are released (everyone is assuming March/April)

 

[asherman13]

We talked...

...and I think it went pretty well. I presented all my points, and they nodded, etc. and brought up some decent rebuttals, which I think I refuted quite well. We agreed to talk again tomorrow night, so hopefully I'll have an answer by then!

On a side note, I agreed to some conditions, or rather I said I'd be willing to agree to them (waiting longer before grade verification, etc.) if my parents see that they'd need to be put in place.

Anyways, I'm optimistic, and we'll see how things go.

 

[powerbook911]

Glad you had the first talk.

I must say this is an incredibly interesting and entertaining thread. It is one of the threads I look forward to, in order to see what your parents said! ha-ha.

 

[iEdd]

Formal family meatings? No offense, but your 'rents seem so strict. I spose they just don't want distractions from the topic.

 

[Chundles]

Formal family meatings? No offense, but your 'rents seem so strict. I spose they just don't want distractions from the topic.

That's what I reckon too. I don't think they sound strict, if they were strict they would've just said "No, go and get stuffed" but they're open to the suggestion so I don't think they're strict. I just find a formal family meeting followed by careful deliberation somewhat bizzare - as though the family is being run like a corporation.

Just different to how things were done when I was still under the thumb. I'd ask for something, they'd either say "sure" or "No, go and get stuffed." Depending on how much I wanted whatever it was I'd either just deal with it and get on with things or follow it up with not-so-subtle hints and the occasional round of "please please please" when I was even younger, to which they'd say "sure" or "NO! Go and get stuffed." If they told me to get stuffed a second time I'd just have to cop the decision.

 

[annk]

I think it's great you're putting so much energy into communicating with your folks, and putting yourself in their place as far as working out your arguments. Not all kids would be so interested in doing this in a way that preserves a good relationship and respect.

I hope they'll see that you're serious, and agree to the terms you work out together.

But - and this is coming from the mother of a 14-year-old - if I were you, if they DO say no, I would actually go ahead and do as I wished on my 18th birthday. Even though you still live under their roof, if it's your money, I think you've earned the right to spend it as you choose - especially after working so hard to come to an agreement with them.

Now I just have to wait and see what kind of money issues arise with my son the next few years, to see if I'll be eating my words! My son is great with money so far, his reasoning is a lot like what you present in your thread (well thought-out etc), so I hope I'll still be willing to meet him half way when he's your age!

 

[designed]

But - and this is coming from the mother of a 14-year-old - if I were you, if they DO say no, I would actually go ahead and do as I wished on my 18th birthday. Even though you still live under their roof, if it's your money, I think you've earned the right to spend it as you choose - especially after working so hard to come to an agreement with them.

My thoughts exactly, especially when you will need a new anyway computer by September or so when your college starts, so a little headstart isn't that bad. One new thing less when you move away for college, there'll be plenty of changes and distractions even without the MBP.

 

[esaleris]

f I were you, if they DO say no, I would actually go ahead and do as I wished on my 18th birthday.

He is going to college, and it sounds like on his parent's bill... Besides tuition, there's room, then board, textbooks, groceries, general living items, clothing, etc. They're being really nice as is; my parents applied every single cent of what I earned as a computer tech back right to them - despite my objections.

And as far as the notebook it concerned, a MBP isn't absolutely necessary; anybody in college knows that there are kids who don't have a personal computer and use the computer labs all the time. There are very few schools that make requirements for computers for their students; and if they do, they are usually much more aggressive than what is necessary. Most Java that you would do at the college level can be programmed on anything faster than a PIII. Sure, it isn't optimal, nor is it fun, but $2000 is an awful lot for a fun toy to make your life "convenient."

But I've graduated now, and am less bitter. I'm glad you have the opportunity to get something good. After all, you would rather spend your time studying, than trying to waste time fixing a crappy Dell now, wouldn't you?