How can I convince my parents to let me get a skateboard?

How to convince my parents to let me get my own laptop?

• Hi there. My name is Megan, and I really want to get a laptop for my birthday. I want one because, well, it's difficult as I live two lives sort of. One is with my parents at our house, where we have a laptop. My father bought it and put a password on it, neither my mother or I know the password he selected. It is difficult for me to work on things such as homework assignments at home unless I ask him to turn on the computer and get all in my business. My second life is at my grandparents home. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, my parents both work after I come home from school. My father does not think I'm ready to be kept home alone quite yet, so I go to my grandparents house. They have two computers: One is for my grandfather to download his war games and play them in his free-time. It has no internet. The other is for the whole family to use, and my grandmother uses it very often plus puts all of her personal items and downloads on there such as a parental control for my uses. She chose Net Nanny for me, and it limits my ''gaming''. It blocks even the simplest games, such as ''MovieStarPlanet'' and ''Habbo''. It also does not let me view clothing websites or go to social networking/social websites such as FaceBook. Again, I want a computer for many reasons. I am not irresponsible. I want it mainly for school work. For example, since I switch homes, I could run into homework problems. Say on Wednesday I'm given a report to type. I type it at my home and save my work on that desktop. Then, on Thursday I need to work on it again, as it is due the next day. My parents work Thursday, so I must go to my grandparents home, where I can not complete it, therefore getting an F on my report. I could also use it for research. In my history class, we do projects each year. This year you pick a topic and research it the whole year then present your knowledge. I had to spend hours, sometimes days working on research as my grandparents computer has Net Nanny an blocks things (my report was on something simple, and innocent: cats). I don't like to do things like that at my home, as it takes me a long time to finish my homework in the beginning of the week and I have no time for it. The Net Nanny is no longer needed. Way back, when I was just a wee girl in the 4th grade, I was ''curious''. I searched my curiosity and showed my friends in school as they were also curious. One girl, the girl who hates me because she thinks her best friend enjoys my presence more than hers, begged for me to share my curiousity with her. I showed her the pictures. She told on me. She said she wouldn't tell, but she did. I will never forgive her. I now understand I was wrong to do so, to search that horrible topic at that young age, but I was a child and knew not that it was bad. I learned my lesson when Net Nanny was installed a few years ago. I am older and more mature now. I can handle this laptop. My birthday is September 11th and I want a laptop. How can I convince my parents to let me get one?

• Answer:

  Ask them for one and then agree to terms, like, they can set the security settings, and have full access to your logs. If you are open about what you do on the laptop, they might agree, if you're going to be dishonest, don't bother, they'll just take it away. Also, you can have a rule that says the laptop is only allowed in common areas, like the living room, kitchen, dining room, office, and they have to be present when you use it, just for a little while, few months maybe to prove to them that you are responsible. Make sure that they understand what you want, and ask them what they want. If you want facebook, give them your logon details so they can check up when needed. Same with e-mails and other sites. I don't think they'll have a problem if they can monitor what you do. Also, don't take it personally if your parents check up, you are their child, and they have to protect you. Just act grown up and responsible. Be open. Communication and honesty is your best bet.