How to Persuade Your Parents to Get You an iPad

Last Updated: January 29, 2023 Approved

iPads are an exciting piece of technology that allows you to browse the internet, play games, and watch videos. They can be expensive though and many parents would only trust their kids with an iPad if they know that they are mature enough to handle the responsibility. If you want to persuade your parents to get you an iPad, you should act responsible and well behaved. Ask your parents in a polite and gracious way and accept their answer maturely.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Impressing Your Parents

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Work hard in school and get good grades. Your parents will be more likely to say yes to you if you show them that you are trying in school. Study for your tests, do your homework and pay attention to your teachers. This will show your parents that you are responsible and that you can handle an iPad.^{[1]
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Do your chores. Complete the chores that your parents already give you and complete extra chores to show that you are responsible and want to help them. Doing chores for your parents shows that you know how hard they work and that you want to help make their lives easier. They will appreciate this and it might persuade them to give you an iPad.^{[2]
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3
Be well behaved. When you are in public or around their adult friends, be extra polite. Be nice and social to their friends and answer their questions about your life. Behave when you are at home too. Eat what they make for dinner and try not to get upset with them or whine.^{[3]
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4
Be mature. Offer to take on more responsibilities around the house, such as offering to make dinner or help take care of the garden. If you get upset about something, handle it in a mature way. When your brother starts pushing your buttons or your sister wears your favorite shirt, be the bigger person and don’t let it bother you. If you show you are mature in life, it might help your parents see you are mature enough for an iPad.^{[4]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Asking for the iPad

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Find a good time to ask them. You don’t want to ask your parents if they are in a bad mood or angry. If your mom or dad is really rushed, it is probably not the best time to ask for something.^{[5]
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- Asking around a holiday or birthday might improve your chances of getting the iPad.
- Let your parents know that you want to talk about something that's important to you.
2
Have good reasons for getting the iPad. Your parents might not want to give you the iPad because they will see it as just another toy or game console. Mention features of the iPad they might like for you to help convince them to get you one.
- Talk to your parents about the educational and how-to apps you can download to help you in school or to learn new things. You can say something like, “I can use the math apps on the iPad to help me get better at algebra.”
- Explain the technology skills you will learn if you have an iPad that will stick with you in life as technology continues to grow.
- Mention the access you will have to thousands of books on an iPad and how that will get you reading more.^{[6]
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- Bring up the locations services on iPads. In an example, “You won’t have to worry about me getting lost because you can use the iPad location services to find me.”
3
Ask with gratitude and be appreciative. Your parents will likely tell you no if you act like your parents owe you the iPad. Do not behave like you deserve it and are obligated to have it. Be polite and appreciative when you ask your parents for the iPad.
- Remind them how thankful you are for everything they have given you before you ask.
- Say something like: “Dad, I know you work hard for everything that you have given me and I want you to know I am very thankful for that. I know it is a lot to ask, but I was wondering if I can have an iPad.”^{[7]
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4
Offer to help pay or work in exchange. When you ask for the iPad, offer to pay for some of it with any money you have or to give your parents payments. You can also offer to work off the iPad by doing extra chores around the house.
- In example, “Mom, I really want an iPad, but I don’t have enough money. If I pay for part of it with my leftover birthday money and do extra chores around the house, can you buy it for me?”^{[8]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Accepting the Outcome

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Give your parents time to think. Don’t pressure your parents to give you an answer right away. Instead, tell them to think about it. Otherwise, they will be more likely to say that you can't have it.
- Tell your parents to think about it and then give them space to decide.
- Say something like, “Mom, you don’t have to answer right away. Take time to think about it.”^{[9]
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2
Figure out why they said no. In a mature way, figure out why they said no and it might turn their answer around to a yes. When they explain why they don’t want you to have an iPad, ask what you can do to change.
- In a calm manner say something like, “Okay. That is completely fine. What is the reason you don’t want me to have an iPad?”
- Do what they want you to do before you ask again. In an example, if they say you need to get better grades first, then work on your grades and ask them again when your grades improve.^{[10]
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- Try to listen to their response with and open mind (and without getting defensive).
3
Suggest alternative options. If the reason your parents don’t want to get you an iPad is because of money, suggest similar options. There are other tablet brands that are less expensive than iPads that you can suggest instead. There are also used iPads that are less expensive than new iPads.
4
Keep your temper under control. Don’t whine, cry, or get upset if they say no. If you show your parents that you can handle it when they say no, they will be impressed. Be mature and stay calm. An iPad is expensive and a big responsibility. If they don’t think you are ready to handle it, then you need to respect that.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I stay calm when my parents say I can't get an iPad?

Community Answer

Understand that screaming, crying or sulking will just confirm for your parents that you're not ready for owning a piece of equipment that is worth a lot of money and needs good care to be taken of it. It might help you to read How to Be Calm for ways on self calming in the heat of the moment and beyond.
Question

Can I convince them in one day?

Community Answer

You might be able to convince them in one day, but it is not as likely. You will probably have better luck getting them to say yes if you give it time. Spend awhile before you even ask, being responsible by doing chores and homework. Then once you ask, give them space and time to decide.
Question

What do I do if they still do not want to get me an iPad?

Community Answer

Your only option is to understand where they are coming from. iPads are very expensive and your parents work very hard to give you the things that they do. In order to handle something so expensive, you need to be mature and responsible. If they don't think you are ready, you need to accept that.

Warnings

Do not beg or whine because it will only show that you are not mature enough.

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Do not press this if your family is having money issues.

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