About DS's cracked phone screen

[redskytonight]

DS (12) dropped his phone while he was running and has cracked the screen. The phone is still usable but you can obviously see the cracks across the screen.

DH and I offered him the following alternatives (on the basis he should have been looking after it).

1. Live with it
   
2. Have the screen fixed, the cost of which will come off the amount to be spent on birthday presents (birthday 8 weeks away)
   
3. Have a new phone as a birthday present.
   

DS has decided to see if he can live with it .

I did wonder if we were being a bit mean and other parents would just have sighed and paid to have it fixed ...

Were we BU?

[IpreferToblerone]

We do the same. They have to take responsibility.

[BishopBrennansArse]

Nope, all fair options imho.

[LizzieMacQueen]

Most 12 year olds will be using phones with cracked screens.... My 17 yo who is very very careful with her iphone now has a tiny crack on it - it was bought in December.

[BitchyComment]

DS has had the same phone with the same cracked screen for nearly four years. The phone works ok and I think he is fond of the cracked screen. He sees it as an anti theft device.

[NameAgeLocation]

Sounds fair enough to me. If I dropped my phone I would first see if I could live with it.

I smashed a screen to bits a while back and put a plastic screen protector over the bits
to hold it together while I chose a new phone (was long overdue). It won't kill him.

[curren]

They would be the options I would give.

Dd has a phone and she is expected to look after it. Running with it in your pocket isn't looking after it although I have done it many times

[DrivingMissLazy1]

Seems fair to me.
Dd cracked her phone within weeks of getting it. The screen is bloody awful but she can still read texts etc. I've refused to pay to get a new screen or get her a new phone. She's lived with it for the last year but has a moan every now and again. That's life

[Roseberrry]

Sounds fair enough.

[Beeziekn33ze]

I cracked my screen. O2 used to sell screen protectors but claimed to have none. A small market stall sold me a packet of two and fitted it better than I could have done.
Sadly your son is probably right that the crack is an anti theft device. One of our teenagers had his phone demanded, handed over unimpressive phone saying 'Do you really want this?' Scroat handed it back.

[Obs2016]

I was cross with ds1, 11 at the time dropping his. But we got it repaired for £25, in an bits and bobs shop in a shopping centre, and that seemed cheap.

[HermioneJeanGranger]

YANBU.

He could have had a new phone/screen but chose not to. His choice, so don't feel bad. Thousands of teenagers have phones with cracked screens, it's normal!

[MatildaTheCat]

I cracked the screen of my new phone after 2 days recently. It's very easily done. Live with it and buy a heavy duty case. Be glad he isn't baying for an iPhone 7 or whatever the latest nonsense is.

You don't mention the value of the phone,mif its newish and expensive have you double checked whether it's insured? After I cracked mine I then lost it - yes really. I discovered we had cover linked to our bank account so it was replaced and so far,so good

[Hulababy]

Had you put something like gorilla glass on it as a screen protector?
Was it a proper accident or due to carelessness?
How much will it cost to repair as a phone repair type shop?

If a proper accident I'd be tempted to just have it repaired for him and then buy a decent screen protector (like gorilla glass, etc) and case for it. Then if he does it again...he pays.

But it does depend on how it was done and if he generally takes care of things, etc.

[noblegiraffe]

It's rare to see a secondary kid with a phone with an intact screen, so clearly not many parents stump up for a new one!

[tinyterrors]

I think you were fair.

Fwiw I always buy a decent shock resistant case and screen protector (gorilla glass ones are brilliant) when I get a new phone, it cost about £30 all in for my (then new) xperia z3 and I've dropped my phone countless times and there's not so much as a scratch on it.

Amazon have gorilla glass screen protectors from about £5 (I don't work for them honest).

[BalthazarImpresario]

My son has a smashed screen, he's never expected anything but to live with it until good upgrade is due.

Not mean at all imo

[NotMeNotYouNotAnyone]

I don't see many kids without cracked screens tbh! And plenty of adults with them too!

Yanbu, you gave him options, he chose one. Presumably he has a little while to change his mind (maybe set a deadline?)

[Tartsamazeballs]

Just buy a new screen kit on eBay for £20, YouTube him a tutorial, and tell him to have at it. I replaced mine in 35 mins, it's really not that much of a technical job.

[Savagebeauty]

I lived with a cracked screen for six months. It actually cracked in the shape of a spurting cock, which amused everyone no end.

[Mousefinkle]

My screens fucked. It's an iPhone 6s as well, I'd only had it four months when I pulled it out of my coat pocket and it slipped right out of my hands . I called a phone shop up which quoted me £170 to repair it , Apple Store costs £106. Just not money I have casually lying around so it's going to have to stay cracked for now...

Fwiw I'm surprised he didn't go for option 3. He must really want whatever else you were planning on getting him. Living with a cracked screen is shit.

[Squiff85]

Mine broke in October and I haven't paid to fix it, my contracts up the summer so just hanging on till then! I don't blame you for not fixing, its expensive!

[AstridPeth]

Both my dd's ( 12 + 13. ) are using phones with cracked screens, it doesn't bother them in the slightest. I think your options were totally reasonable.

[ClopySow]

My son broke his ipad screen for the second time just before his birthday, most of his birthday present was the new screen. He did it again 6 weeks later. I made him use his christmas money to get it fixed.

[gBean]

I think it's a bit mean tbh. First time a screen was cracked - I paid for repair and we chatted about how he needs to look after it more carefully and if it happens again he'll pay. It hasn't been dropped since, 2 years on. My Ds also 12.

[raininginspringtime]

I don't think your options are mean but I do think all this tutting about 'carelessness' from others is.

I have cracked the screen on my phone because I dropped it by accident. Hardly the same as playing basketball with it.