15-year-old keeps breaking dollar store phone chargers, mom flips and refuses to buy her any more: 'She asked how she's gonna call me at school when she needs me'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Apr 12, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

No matter what you may think of the humble smartphone and our increasing dependence on screens in general, there is no denying that it is difficult to live a normal life these days without reliable access to some kind of internet-connected communication device. 

As a parent, it is also yet another thing that you have to be cognizant of as your child gets older. It's more than likely that they are going to need a phone, and it's more than likely that until they're a responsible adult, you will have to play a role in the management of that.

It's no surprise that many moms and dads can find this tiring as their kids become preteens and teens. Not only can there be a worry about what children use their devices for, but there is also the expense of phone plans and often repairs when kids manage to break things. It can become a point of contention in the child/parent relationship.


 

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  • 01

    AITA for not buying my daughter a new phone charger?

    For context I (38F) have a 15 year old daughter who has a habit of either accidentally losing something or breaking it, and lately I've been having to buy her new phone chargers like crazy because she keeps breaking them. And last time I bought her a new one I warned her that it would be my last time buying her a charger so she better take care of this one.
    via Abby_82391
  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10493064960
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • One mom was filled with frustration after her daughter seemed to keep on breaking the phone chargers that she bought for her. After the last incident of her child finding that her charger was not working, she refused to buy her any more, claiming it was a waste of money. Her daughter obviously protested, and she wanted to know if she was taking things too far.

  • 03
    Cheezburger Image 10493065216
    via Planet Volumes (Unsplash+)
  • 04

    "She's been doing good until 3 days ago"

    And she's been doing good taking care of it until 3 days ago. I heard her arguing with her sister so I went to their room and asked what was going on and her sister told me that she's mad she won't let her use her charger because she's using it. And I asked what happened to hers and I saw a look on her face and instantly I knew she broke it again. And when I asked her if she did, she said yes but it was an accident and I told her that I'm not getting her a new one because I'm tired of wasting my
    via Abby_82391
  • 05
    And then she asked how is she gonna charge her phone and how she's gonna call me at school when she needs me and do things without her phone, and I said shes I said she's not unless her sister let's her borrow her charger. But then she asked but what about the times her sister says no and I just said she's gonna have to find someway to get her own money to buy the charger on her own and if at school she needs me she can either use the phone at the front office or email me on her laptop. And then
    via Abby_82391
  • 06

    "She got mad at me and said I was being mean"

    And when I talked to my mom about it not too long ago she got mad at me and said I was "being mean" and I should buy her a new charger and she even offered to buy it but I said no. But AITA?
    via Abby_82391
  • 07

    Many commenters felt like there were preferable ways to handle the situation, even if her daughter was being irresponsible.

    Undercover booklover How does she keep breaking them? I'm curious
    via Undercover_booklover
  • 08
    username_checkdoubt Buying cheap sh
    via username_checkdoubt
  • 09
    Undercover booklover Must be because I have never used more like 3 chargers for a phone, and I use mine for 2+ years before a new one
    via Undercover_booklover
  • 10
    Similar-Eggplant-929 yta mostly because i saw in your comments you're buying them from the dollar store. Shouldnt be surprised those are breaking, they're cr p.
    via Similar-Eggplant-929
  • 11
    RaineMist ΝΤΑ But how are the chargers breaking so much? How does she handle her chargers? It's weird that she breaking them that many times. Have you asked how they're breaking?
    via RaineMist
  • 12
    cynicl12000 Have you considered things she could do around the house to earn a new charger? It seems like the root of the issue here is that you feel that she doesn't value them enough, and assumes a new one will just appear for her. If she has to work for them, you are equipping her with a sense of worth for things. This will better equip her for adulthood, and perhaps make you feel a little less like you're "wasting" money because you're both getting more help around the house and paying a nom
    via cynicl12000
  • 13
    NotACalligrapher-49 This is the way. OP needs to give their daughter the means to earn enough to get her own charger(s) of whatever quality she (the daughter) decides to invest in. The daughter will then simultaneously have the chance to have a charger that won't break, and feel more responsible for making sure the charger isn't abused. It's an easy fix! A chores list, a part-time job, a babysitting gig lots of options here.
    via NotACalligrapher-49
  • 14
    serialdoodler98 yta. ur buying cheap chargers that aren't meant to last long. plus at that age im sure she's carrying around her charger everywhere, to school, out with friends, grandma's house, whatever. that doesn't help when the charger is on its last leg before u even get it home from the dollar store.
    via serialdoodler98
  • 15
    Powerful-Bake-6336 NTA she's at the age where learning "actions have consequences" is more important than ever. If you buy her a new one it will only re- enforce that someone's going to bail her out on her mistakes. If anything you should make sure her sister does not let her borrow her charger.
    via Powerful-Bake-6336
  • 16
    jubangyeonghon ones from a cheap OP kinda is the AH. She keeps buying shop which as a whooooole lot of other people can agree to, break extremely easily as they are literally not mean to last. Whole issue could probably be avoided if they bought a decent cord that lasts and doesn't just randomly break. Also, if it's the 'phone port' that keeps breaking, is it maybe an issue with the phone? My old phone had issues with the port after owning it and using it frequently for 4 years and kept claiming
    via jubangyeonghon
  • 17
    pumpkinspicenation NTA. is she doing to her phone chargers??? Chewing them?
    via pumpkinspicenation
  • 18
    foxbones It's incredible the ways kids find to destroy things. I had to buy a new phone for my kid because they used the wrong charger for a different type of phone at a friend's house and thought if they just pushed it in hard enough it would eventually work because "metal conducts electricity".
    via foxbones
  • 19
    lolococo29 YTA. Stop buying crappy chargers from the dollar store. If you actually bought quality chargers, this might not happen. Have you considered having a family charging station, like in the kitchen or living room? Chargers don't leave that area, they have to charge the phones right there. It might allow you to better monitor the situation.
    via lolococo29
  • 20
    Calm_Initial I mean I get what you want to teach her BuT No way I'd be sending my kid to school without a charged phone to contact me.
    via Calm_Initial
  • 21
    prodigalnun ESH, but if your daughter doesn't have a job don't be surprised to find out she resorted to stealing one. Why not buy a charger that you control, keep it in the kitchen or something. She can go a couple hours without it while it's charging.
    via pr0digalnun
  • 22
    Individual_Money8404 ESH - she needs to learn to take better care of them, but what did you expect if you buy them at dollar tree, which is inexpensive yes, but cheap also. If I bought a car from Fisher Price, I wouldn't expect the red plastic pedals to get me very far
    via Individual_Money8404
  • 23
    Maleficent_Tone_4013 YTA in my opinion. I buy phone cords in bulk because they break so easily. I keep extras in my desk at home and every child/young adult in our family gets at least one plus a charging stand in their stocking at Christmas. Buy better cords. Buy in bulk to get a better deal. Give the kid a cord. Make her earn it with extra chores if you want but get her a new cord regardless.
    via Maleficent_Tone_4013
  • 24
    tatertot01998 YTA while teaching kids to take care of their things is important, you are simply being a bu y. Plus you've admitted to buying dollar store chargers for her so obviously they're going to break. Teenagers tend to plug in and unplug chargers a lot. If you haven't say down and taught her the dos and donts of using a charger then you're double TA. be an adult and a parent not a boss/mamager
    via tatertot01998
  • 25
    RugbyKats How long did she have the latest charger. You said she was "doing good" until 3 days ago. If she's really gotten better, you might try one more, but I agree with the other commenters. If it continues, she'll need to earn the next one.
    via RugbyKats

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charger phone charger family aita teenagers parenting punishment reddit thread daughter Reddit mom
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