Do you really think this was the first hint of trouble? I guess he should have warned her yet again, huh?
I think the price of upgrading the laptop was worth the lesson he's teaching his kid. Far better than beating the kid.
As for the computer? It's a PC, old enough to be worth a couple of 6 packs before the upgrade. I doubt the daughter bought it. She apparently begged long enough to get him to upgrade it. Then choose to let everyone know how bad she is treated. It's a very cheap price if it provides improved understanding between the two.
My dad made it very clear as to how we'd handle finding out who is tougher. We could fight. The outcomes were explained in detail. Dad wins, it's over. If I won, it's also over. The minute I win, I move out. He explained that he was the boss in the house. He paid the bills as long as he's the boss. When I win, I would be expected to be out of the house within hours and he hoped I had a job lined up.
He died recently at 89 years old. We never did have that fight. :2cents: