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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To pay or not to pay?

128 replies

Alwayschanging1 · 18/10/2016 08:52

WWYD?
Y11 Boys at school playing football in the playgound. Boy 1 kicks the ball at boy 2 who is holding a phone. Phone is knocked out of boy 2's hand and screen breaks. Should Boy 1 cover the cost of the repair?

OP posts:
atticusclaw2 · 18/10/2016 09:27

If you go to a friends house and she has a beautiful vase which you accidentally knock over would you not offer to pay? Or would you refuse and say she'd put it in a silly place where it was bound to get knocked over?

Original poster
Alwayschanging1 · 18/10/2016 09:28

But a closer analogy is if you park your car in a dangerous illegal spot, you shouldn't be surprised if it is damaged.

OP posts:
Shinyshoes2 · 18/10/2016 09:29

I'd offer to pay half

atticusclaw2 · 18/10/2016 09:30

No, boy 2 was in the playground, not a dangerous illegal spot.

passmethewineplease · 18/10/2016 09:31

If boy 1 was playing then I'd chalk it down to an accident though would still offer something if I could.

However I'd boy 1 was just actually just standing there looking at his phone and the other lads assumed he was laying and just kicked it at him then they should pay.

Surely you look where you're kicking anyway? Wouldn't they of seen him looking down at his phone?

passmethewineplease · 18/10/2016 09:32

Got my numbers mixed up Blush

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 18/10/2016 09:33

I don't understand why children take these expensive phones to school. It's not just a 'safety' thing otherwise they'd have bog standard cheap ones, keeping their prize phones at home.

This was an accident and it should be a lesson for phone-addicted children that if they take the risk, they pay the price.

I wouldn't pay for the phone - whether I was parent of Boy 1 or Boy 2. Utterly ridiculous that phones like this in such is such a 'thing' now.

MrsFarm · 18/10/2016 09:34

Just pay half, It was an accident. nobody's fault really.

Original poster
Alwayschanging1 · 18/10/2016 09:35

But phones and football matches are not a good mix. Just as you wouldn't use your phone on the edge of pool, you might not want to use it in an area where footballs are flying around.
But we are getting diverted - I just want to know what the right thing to expect/do is here.
I'm hearing going halves would be sensible.

OP posts:
Bogeyface · 18/10/2016 09:35

Well if boy 2 was my son I would point out that he shouldnt have had his phone out in school so it was his own fault, same as it was when DS got his phone pinched at school. I registered the theft, but I did tell DS that as his phone should have been checked in at the office, it was down to him that it was there to be stolen.

I dont think that boy 1 should pay, no.

Minniemagoo · 18/10/2016 09:38

Wouldn't pay a thing if parent of boy 1. Boy 2 was playing a game while holding his phone. Also a decent cover like an otter box with a perspex screen cover would have protected the phone. If you have a child who plays games while.using a phone make sure it has a decent cover.

Ilovehamabeads · 18/10/2016 09:39

Tricky because boy 2 should not have been using a phone. However if they are good friends and if it was an accident then I would probably pay towards repair. Probably also depends on how I had been asked to pay too. If it had been demanded of me I might be more inclined to argue the toss.
Friend of ours had their iPad knocked from their hand accidentally in school. (School uses tablets so was meant to be there). They had to pay the screen repair themselves as was accidental damage.

amicissimma · 18/10/2016 09:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fluffsnuts · 18/10/2016 09:39

No. One, it was an accident, no malicious intent. Two, should the child have had the phone on them in school?

Peach9876 · 18/10/2016 09:41

If it was an accident between friends whilst playing a daft game rather than actual football then easy enough to point out to the boys and boy 2's parents (assuming boy 2 was or is normally part of this game) that they need to think things through more.
So I would offer to pay some, even if that means reducing boy 1's pocket money or something. He needs to be more aware that actions have consequences even accidents, after all you are being asked/offering to pay for it and you weren't even there. They aren't little kids any more.

But I would also like to add, this is why schools don't allow phones. If they get damaged they are bloody expensive to replace. Paying for 1/2 the costs to just buy the latest iPhone can be upto £300. Parents shouldn't be letting them take expensive items (including phones) to school, but they all take them anyway. I have no idea what parents of teenagers are supposed to do.

pregnantat50 · 18/10/2016 09:43

maybe they should pay 50/50 as they are equally to blame

Noodoodle · 18/10/2016 09:43

I wouldn't pay. Accident or not I've never known a phone ro be allowed to be used in school time, and when they are allowed in time outside the classroom they are used at owners risk.

School wouldn't pay up if it was lost or broken so neither would I. If it was my child whose phone was broken I'd be pissed, but it would be their fault.

pictish · 18/10/2016 09:46

Honestly? The ball was kicked at the lad deliberately (if not maliciously) and it caused the phone to get smacked out of boy 2's hand and broken.
It was boy 1's fault.
If you kick a ball at someone and break something it's your fault. Of course it is.

pictish · 18/10/2016 09:47

I am assuming your son is boy 1 OP.
Yes...he broke his friend's phone.

alleypalley · 18/10/2016 09:51

The car analogy is not a good example at all. Swinging a golf club around anywhere other than a golf course is a bloody stupid thing to do and could have resulted in far worse damage than a broken window screen.

Playing a ball game in a playground is expected, standing near or in the middle of it with your phone out is stupid and an accident waiting to happen.

I'm assuming though that ball games are allowed in school. If so boy 1 should not have to pay.

TrickyD · 18/10/2016 09:57

Bogeyface is spot on. If I were mum of Boy 2 I would tell him it served him right for being so cavalier with his phone. If Boy1's mum is generous enough to offer a contribution, I would be very grateful, but would not expect it.

pictish · 18/10/2016 09:58

"Playing a ball game in a playground is expected, standing near or in the middle of it with your phone out is stupid and an accident waiting to happen."

But the ball didn't just find it's way over to boy 2 by accident...it wasn't a wayward hit from being too close to the action...it was kicked right at him deliberately.

If you kick a ball right at someone and smash their stuff, it's your fault!

NightWanderer · 18/10/2016 09:59

If it was my son's phone that got broken, then I wouldn't expect the other boy to pay. If if was my son who kicked the ball, then I'd probably offer to pay half. I do think he shouldn't have been playing with his phone in the playground, so really it's his fault.

WhooooAmI24601 · 18/10/2016 10:00

I don't think Boy 2's parents should expect Boy 1's parents to cover the cost of the phone; if you play football with a phone in your hands, this is what happens.

DS1 left his phone in his school bag which was on the cloakroom floor. A mate accidentally trod on the bag and cracked the screen. DS1 was told he'd have to use his savings to replace the screen because he'd not taken good enough care of it. This situation is similar; if they take care of their stuff it won't get broken.

FleurThomas · 18/10/2016 10:01

Accident. No need to pay. Also a useful lesson for Boy 2 about mobile phone use at school.

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