Kids, Toys, and Electronics

I'd like to think that the rule that I've established for my kids is a fairly straightforward one and easy to follow. The rhetorical answer to that question is best answered from Jack Nicholson's character in "A Few Good Men." "Don't I feel like the fu**ing a***ole." I have this warped sense of reality that just because my rule appears to be sensible, it will be followed, and items acquired will live in perpetuity. My family has adopted many electronics and gadgets that I somewhat force feed on them initially, but they wind up loving them as much as I do. We have Xbox 360, Ipod, portable DVD players, and more games than time to play them. The problem is that although they are somewhat industrial strength in some respects, scratching a disc or not having the charger or connection cables renders these things useless. It is not like I scimp on the cases or "add ons" that often are part of the purchase. My kids come up with some of the most unique excuses for not putting things away after they mysteriously become "lost." It is never their fault. The conversation usually goes "Dad, I can't find this xxx, and the last time I saw it was when you were doing something to it for me." Needless to say, it is 99.9% of the time a bunch of bunk because I'll find it under the chair they were in the very time they were explaining that it was something that I did that caused its disappearance. Ultimately if the adults don't find them, most of the time they remain in the abyss. I've tried to institute all sorts of ideas or punishments to prevent future loss or destruction. Nothing seems to work.

Hold onto that thought. My phone is ringing and I'm expecting a very important call. The cordless phone charging base is right next to me. Never mind, I can't answer it because the phone isn't there. What a shocker.....

Is there a magical solution to this dilemma, or am I just looking for an electronics utopia that will never materialize?