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Original poster

Child Broke Friends Phone

37 replies

Anon451 · 11/11/2025 19:34

I have received a message to say my child has broke her friends mobile and her parents want me to cover the costs.
They are not allowed mobiles phones during school and have a pouch to lock it in until the end of the day. My daughter’s friend has asked for my daughter to try and open the pouch (some children do this successfully by bashing the pouch). She asked several times and I do not know if anybody else has tried but my daughter tried to help her open it unsuccessful however once it was opened has been told the screen was broken.
Am I responsible for the cost of the phone. I feel that the friend should not have been trying to get into her phone and asked her to bash it to get into it and her phone should be her responsibility as my daughter did not maliciously or deliberately break the phone.
WWYD??

OP posts:
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User564523412 · 12/11/2025 07:58

Libellousness · 11/11/2025 20:02

Surely the girl tried to open the pouch herself first before asking for help from a friend? Unless your dd has a reputation at her school for being the one who knows how to get phones out of pouches, I can’t understand why the friend would ask your daughter to do it instead of just doing it herself.

The fact she has aggressive, cheapass parents who will attempt to exhort the price of a new phone from another family already speaks volumes. I'm not surprised at all that she was too scared to admit she broke it herself, or at least complicit in bashing the bag. They sound like parents who would've taken the cost of the phone from her pocket money in installments over the next 3 years.

Hottchoc · 11/11/2025 22:13

I wouldn't be paying a penny. It's her daughter's responsibility to look after.

Laura95167 · 11/11/2025 22:00

Anon451 · 11/11/2025 19:45

Yes my DD (13) did bash it to try and open it. It is quite a thick pouch and this is what I’ve heard some of the children do to try and get it open.
Yes it was also at break time and during the school day in which they are not meant to have access.
I am trying to work out what to reply to the parents.

At best I'd consider half price for a new screen/phone of a similar age and model - DD didnt break it under her own steam, she was asked to do something she knew she shouldnt and did it. She was in the wrong for doing that but her friend was wrong for asking DD to be her accomplice doing the wrong thing.

However if the parents are alleging they new iphone17 let them take that to their home owners insurance

CinnamonBuns67 · 11/11/2025 21:55

I think the cost should be shared as it is both kids fault the phone is broken. I'd also be sitting her down and having a conversation about not doing everything and anything a friend asks and what is a reasonable request and what's not a reasonable request.

CrispySquid · 11/11/2025 21:51

I think half and half would be fair and appropriate. Both girls equally responsible for this nonsense.

HonoriaBulstrode · 11/11/2025 21:33

Is there a version of buyer beware for basher beware.

Caveat percussor?

nomas · 11/11/2025 20:22

Is there a version of buyer beware for basher beware. Someone needs to say that to the phone owner.

YANBU.

Original poster
Anon451 · 11/11/2025 20:10

Thank you! That’s all very helpful.

OP posts:
Kizmet1 · 11/11/2025 20:09

User564523412 · 11/11/2025 19:53

It makes absolutely no sense why the other girl will tell a friend to bash the pouch without trying it herself first. The MOST likely scenario is that both of them tried bashing the bag but she was too scared to tell her parents and blamed it on your daughter.

This was exactly what I thought too!

I'd ask your DD to clarify this and then offer to pay half the screen repair cost, but no way should you absorb the full cost of a new phone when both kids were involved (in whatever capacity) with this plan.

Nearly50omg · 11/11/2025 20:07

SoSoLong · 11/11/2025 19:58

I don't know of any insurance that will pay for wilful damage.

Show quote history

The apple one covers all damage

StewkeyBlue · 11/11/2025 20:03

I would make my Dd pay half the cost of screen replacement.

She knew what she was doing. She bashed the pouch. So what if the friend asked her to do it? She did it! But the friend should be responsible for the other half of the costs.

School rules is one reason she shouldn’t have done it, deliberately risking breaking the phone is another.

I would reply “I am shocked that my Dd assisted yours in trying to break school rules and being so stupid as to bash a pouch. As my Dd bashed the pouch at the request of your Dd I will deduct half the cost of a new screen from her savings / allowance / pocket money. Best wishes..”

Libellousness · 11/11/2025 20:02

Surely the girl tried to open the pouch herself first before asking for help from a friend? Unless your dd has a reputation at her school for being the one who knows how to get phones out of pouches, I can’t understand why the friend would ask your daughter to do it instead of just doing it herself.

outerspacepotato · 11/11/2025 19:59

Pay half.

HangingOver · 11/11/2025 19:59

MrsPrendergast · 11/11/2025 19:48

Why did your child try to open the pouch when she knew it was against school rules?

Have you ever actually been a teenager 😂

SoSoLong · 11/11/2025 19:58

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 11/11/2025 19:56

Half of the insurance excess, at a push.

Show quote history

I don't know of any insurance that will pay for wilful damage.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 11/11/2025 19:58

User564523412 · 11/11/2025 19:53

It makes absolutely no sense why the other girl will tell a friend to bash the pouch without trying it herself first. The MOST likely scenario is that both of them tried bashing the bag but she was too scared to tell her parents and blamed it on your daughter.

Unless she didn't want to risk breaking it herself so got her friend to do it then if it got broken it wasn't her fault? Teenager logic!

StewkeyBlue · 11/11/2025 19:57

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 11/11/2025 19:52

Fuck that. They should have insurance and if not, more fool them.

Why should insurance pay out for someone deliberately bashing the pouch they knew the phone was in?

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 11/11/2025 19:56

SoSoLong · 11/11/2025 19:54

Both kids equally at fault, I'd say you're liable for half the repair cost.

Half of the insurance excess, at a push.

HeddaGarbled · 11/11/2025 19:55

I’d just send a holding message for now: “I’ll look into this and get back to you”. It would be better if you could then deliver your decision face to face or over the phone, otherwise it turns into typing war.

YarraValley · 11/11/2025 19:55

Have the parents given you their side of the story?

Surely your thirteen year old realised bashing a faraday pouch with a phone inside wasn’t a good idea, regardless of the friend telling her to do it.

Christmasisaroundthecorner · 11/11/2025 19:54

If it’s just the screen broken why does she need a new phone. At most I would pay 50% of the cost of a new screen. Did she have a screen protector on it? I’m not v techy but maybe that would have helped??

SoSoLong · 11/11/2025 19:54

Both kids equally at fault, I'd say you're liable for half the repair cost.

User564523412 · 11/11/2025 19:53

It makes absolutely no sense why the other girl will tell a friend to bash the pouch without trying it herself first. The MOST likely scenario is that both of them tried bashing the bag but she was too scared to tell her parents and blamed it on your daughter.

ScaryM0nster · 11/11/2025 19:53

I’d suggest going back and explaining that your understanding is that your understanding is that it was the phone owners idea, and that your daughter just assisted them with their plan. Which was daft on both their counts.

I’d suggest your daughter should probably contribute towards the cost of a screen repair. Not pay for a new phone herself.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 11/11/2025 19:52

Fuck that. They should have insurance and if not, more fool them.

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