Ouch! Kids borrow trailer, ruin all jacks

There is clearly a difference in the way some kids are. Some will return items better than they found them. Some will destroy what they borrow and never give it a second thought. Then there are many in between these two extremes. By the time they are adults, the parents should know what type of kids they raised. Mistakes do happen and responsible kids will make it "right". If my kid was constantly careless, I would never let him borrow anything. Of course, he knows that long before he becomes an adult.

:) This is how we learn!!! If we do not learn somewhere I will be rescuing someone from their manual awning again / some guy got his arm caught & he was in great pain......

Our kids have borrowed our camper numerous times / will do it again and again / Either I tow it or if it is at the campground the campground brings it out.... Have had the kids set up the camper by themselves many times ..... leave them with a check list. :E They are both in their 20s....... I have been towing trailers & operating small dump trucks since I was 18...... we all had to start somewhere. So far no issues with the camper they can set it up & take it down as well as I can........ It is all in teaching them how & respect.

awolf wrote:
I have a small utility trailer and every time I let someone borrow it, it comes back with something broken. Whenever I borrow something, I try to return it better that I got it, even if its just giving whatever it is a good cleaning. From what I learned, that's not the case with everyone. I just couldn't imagine letting anyone drive off with my camper.

Ditto here.

This past week I borrowed a 20' cargo trailer to move my daughter to Mesa, AZ. This trailer has been borrowed by several others before me. I found the break away cable broken and the trailer was dirty as hell. I replaced the break away cable and never asked for payment, upon return I scrubbed the trailer exterior, I swept the interior out front to back and put new high pressure valve stems on all four wheels while in Mesa. Likewise my father always taught me to give it back in better shape than when to took it.

I typically help someone with whatever they're doing before I lend them tools, trailer, etc. It's easier than dealing with the grief when they break whatever they just borrowed. They can borrow my tent, but not my RV.

I always return anything I borrow in better shape than I took it in and over the years I've only had one friend do the same it return. I'd have given him anything he needed, but I've learned the hard way he's the rare exception.

Yeah, sounds like a drop in the bucket considering the total cost of raising children.

For heavens sake. They made a mistake. Didn't we all when we were young!

They didn't kill anybody. they didn't hurt anybody, and they didn't get arrested.

I call this a success.

Helimech wrote:

naturist wrote:
Ouch! But a very important lesson was taught. (whether learned or not, the jury is still out)

Don't loan your kids your trailer?

DO NOT loan your RV.....PERIOD.

Ken

I'll let people stay a couple of days in my trailer on my property, but I would never let it out of my sight.

philh wrote:
Eat the children before they turn 13... otherwise deal with 10+ years of expenses and pain... trust me on this one :)

Agreed. ;)

My oldest son has learned not to ask to borrow anything. He always returns things with a dent or scratch.

My youngest son has returned things in the same condition as he borrowed them. The exception being a tent that got caught in the wind. He has been pretty responsible so far. With that said, our 5th wheel is permanently set up on a lot in a campground and he knows better than to ask if he can stay in it.

I've stopped loaning things out, with a few rare exceptions. I'm just too cranky to have to deal with things not being right when I go to use them. The last time I loaned out my sheet rock lift, the guy said he would return it in a few days. Several weeks went by and not even a call. After a month, I called and left him a message, asking him what happened, why had he not returned my tool. He did not call for a few days and then called and asked if I was going to be home, sure I was and he brought it back.. mentioned something about being snowed in.. All he had to do was call and let me know it was taking longer than expected or whatever was going on... Someday I will likely encounter him again wanting to borrow something and it will not be available... My daughter and son-in-law wanted to borrow my flooring nailer and I told them I don't loan tools, but would make an exception, making sure they know the value of the tool in case they had to purchase a replacement.