Should I replace child's designer coat?

[happyrain]

DS punctured a hole in the arm of a classmate's coat while playing with a stick during breaktime this week. The children play in a wooded area so stick play is not unusual there, although I have of course had stern words with DS about stick games and being careful and so on.

Parents of coat-child naturally aren't happy. I have offered to have the hole professionally repaired but no, they want us to replace the coat. I'm guessing the coat is some sort of designer one as they want the best part of £200 from us.

Whilst I completely accept my DS's responsibility for the damage I am not sure that £200 for a small puncture hole is entirely reasonable.

Any thoughts?

[Stormyumbrella]

I wouldn’t.

I’d offer however much a professional repair would have been and they can pay the rest.

[MyKingdomForBrie]

My god no you don't have to pay that!! If they send him to school in it then they have to accept it might get damaged in play. If it was deliberate it might be different.

[QueenEhlana]

Seriously? Not a chance. Anyone who is foolish enough to send their child into nursery/school in a designer coat deserves to have it ruined.

[Justmuddlingalong]

Bummer. Can you claim it on your home insurance?

[CloserIAm2Fine]

I think you’ve offered a reasonable compromise by saying you’ll pay for professional mending. Who sends their small child to school in a £200 coat?! DS was being silly but it was an accident, not malicious damage, these things happen when you have lots of children playing.

[anangalou]

I'd want a receipt and proof of how much it actually cost

[PlainSpeakingStraightTalking]

I wouldnt. This is part of the rough and tumble of school life. If they are stupid enough to put a 200 quid coat on a child who will be playing in the woods, then they need to have their noodles probed.

[TeddyIsaHe]

No way! Surely if you send your kids to school in (ridiculously) pricey clothes you know they’re going to get ruined?

Tell them to get to fuck and maybe they’ll think about more appropriate clothing.

[EmeraldShamrock]

Wow WTF is the child wearing such an expensive coat to school.
My neices BF ripped his pals canada goose jacket, had a professional repair, his pal didn't notice.
I would insist they let me try to get it repaired.

[Weebitawks]

I usually go on the side of you should replace stuff you/your child has damaged. How old are the boys? I do think sending the boy in a coat that expensive is insane. Also if the boy was actively participating in the game then I'd say it was just as Much his fault.

[Bigfathairyones]

Nope - you've been entirely reasonable offering to have it properly mended. I think you need to say very clearly that you're not going to replace the coat. You will either have it mended or give the same amount (as a cheque, not cash) towards the cost of a replacement. It's April now and it's likely they'd have to buy a new one for next year anyway.

[Biscusting]

£200!? A coat used for playing in the woods!?
I would apologise that it’s not affordable for you, but offer the money for the repair to put towards replacement. I think that would be more than generous enough.

[PlainSpeakingStraightTalking]

I am assuming this is nursery or infants and not Y11 BTW !

[PennyMordauntsLadyBrain]

I’d continue to offer to pay for the repair or offer £50ish to replace it with a decent quality coat, but I wouldn’t be coughing up the full amount to cover their foolishness.

What idiot sends their kid to school wearing expensive clobber that will inevitably see a lot of wear and tear?

[kalinkafoxtrot45]

A repair is fair enough. If they are daft enough to send their child out to play in a 200 quid coat then they need to give their heads a wobble.

[Picklypickles]

Tell them to fuck right off, if they're idiotic enough to send their kid out to play in the woods in designer gear they're what do they expect?!

It might have made a difference if your ds had deliberately damaged the coat, but this was clearly not the case. This is why sensible people don't send their children out to play unattended in designer clothes

[TheWomanin12B]

I wouldn't pay. Sending your child into school in such an expensive coat is so stupid. You've offered to pay for repairs. Paying £200 is unreasonable.

[MRex]

How old is DS? If he's 14+ then he needs to take accountability but I'd want to see receipts, plus he keeps the damaged one when you buy a new one. If we're talking about 5 year olds then that's just bonkers and no.

[adaline]

YANBU.

If you let your small child (assuming small due to the playing with sticks) go to school in a designer coat costing £200, then, frankly you're a bit of an idiot!

[Drum2018]

No way would I pay that. If they are foolish enough to pay such an obscene amount for a child's coat then tough. He could just as easily have ripped it on a branch in the woods. That's the nature of kids playing. I'd refuse to pay that, offer to pay repair again and give directions to the local Primark for future clothes shopping.

[cfmagnet]

Nope, nope, nope. Your offer to have it repaired is generous, no way should you have to shell out for a replacement. It's their business if they want to spend an excessive amount of money on an item of children's clothing but they have to accept that if they are then silly enough to send that item to school, there is a risk of it being damaged. The damage wasn't caused deliberately or maliciously, it was through normal play. Not your problem.

[NotMyUsualTopBilling]

How old are the kids?

Pressumably they're young primary aged children which means that they will be running, climbing and playing with stuff as they should be doing. Unless you're DS intentionally damaged the boys coat I'd be apologising and leave it at that.

Kids play, they have accidents. If they can't accept that then they shouldn't be sending in clothes that they don't want ruined.

[Purpletigers]

No I wouldn’t pay that . I’d replace with a new coat from next or m and s if the original one is beyond repair. They’d be waiting for hell to freeze before I’d part with 200 quid for a child’s coat .

[happyrain]

I don't know about home insurance but we have a pretty hefty excess anyway so probably not much point.

Urgh, I hate situations like this!

I'm as certain as I can be that it wasn't deliberate, just an ill advised game with sticks 🙄