To pay or not to pay?

[Alwayschanging1]

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?

But kicking a ball at someone holding a phone is also a bloody stupid thing to do! Far, far more stupid than someone checking their phone in a playground, which I would have thought was a fairly normal activity.

Honestly, the way this should go is that parents of boy 1 offer to pay (as boy 1 broke the phone). Boy 2's parents should counter with the fact he had his phone out in the playground which was a bit foolish, and so he should contribute a bit too, to teach him to take more care.

OP says boys are still friends, no bad feeling, so this should be able to be resolved easily.

I just can't understand why people can't understand the basics of if you break something you, you pay to fix it!

As boy 2 wasn't supposed to have the phone at all then I have less sympathy with him. It is quite possible that boy 1 wouldn't have expected him to be holding a phone because it is not allowed. If I was boy 2's parent I would be annoyed with him for breaking the rules about phones and wouldn't expect a contribution. If I was boy 1's parent and I wanted to preserve the friendship between the boys I would offer to go 50:50.

Accident does not negate responsibility to pay for replacement. Why do people keep saying that?

mrsm43s becuase in this instance most people feel boy 2 contributed to the accident by using his phone in the playground - which is banned - probably for this reason.

Sounds like boy 1 thought boy 2 was part of the game if they usually kick the ball 'at' eachother like this.

There is another issue here though. The boys are good friends, and for the sake of teaching each other to do 'the right thing' in these situations I definately think 50/50 would help resolve things & maintain their relationship.

If I was parent of DS1 I would offer to pay half as he was kicking a ball at (and not to) DS2, and if I was parent of DS2 I would expect to pay at least half for the phone to be replaced due to him being reckless with it and using it in an inappropriate setting.

If my child had come home and said his/her phone had been broken while in the playground, I am afraid I would be telling child that they shouldn't have had their phone out in the playground and thus they have to take responsibility. I wouldn't expect the parent of the child who was kicking a ball around a playground, a normal playground activity, to be paying for the damage.

I'd pay half, as a good gesture but to be brutally honest, I would only do so because of the friendship, otherwise no, he shouldn't have had his phone out in the middle of a match he was participating in.

What I am stuck on is the fact that boy 1 kicked the ball at boy 2. It wasn't a random ball flying around, it was a deliberate act. But Boy 1 is actually crap at football so it would be a complete shock to him that actually hit his target.

Boy 2 could have been hurt or something else broken. Or is this being a bit precious? Y11 boys in the playground are not a gentle bunch and I am sure this type of thing is not unusual.

I'd pay half. Both boys were to blame - one shouldn't have had his phone out and the other should have noticed he was holding his phone.

However, if I was rich and the other family was poor, I might pay all of it.

I'd go 50/50 personally. I think that as a friend boy 1 should offer half as he did smash the phone through his own actions.
School rules probably say boy 2 shouldn't have had his phone, but we all know that they all do. We all know that it's normal for kids to have their phones out at break time.

The fairest and most sensible solution is 50/50 each, even if I do think Boy 1 caused the damage.

Boy 1 may not have even seen the phone until it was too late and the ball had been kicked?

Boy 2 could be lying?

If boy 2 used it in an inappropriate place ie by football fields when it's against school rules he has to take personal responsibility and pay.

If for example I left my phone on a chair and someone sat on it I would not expect them to pay as that isn't somewhere you keep phones.

The field/ playground isfor playing. Boy 2 was negligent.

If I was boy2 mum I would take it off his pocket money. If I was boy 1 mum I would want to hear more before I decide what to do.

"What I am stuck on is the fact that boy 1 kicked the ball at boy 2. It wasn't a random ball flying around, it was a deliberate act."

Yup I agree.

If boy 2 was joining in the game at that time but happened to be have his phone out aswell then no, I don't think boy 1 should pay.

If boy 2 wasn't playing the game and the ball was kicked at him with no warning, I wouldn't be surprised if boy 1 was asked to pay/contribute to the repair of the phone regardless of the fact phones aren't allowed as I assume they're not really allowed to kick a ball at each other either.

I think that boy 1 should pay repair costs. He deliberately kicked a ball at a person holding their phone. He didn't mean to cause harm but nonetheless he did cause harm and should put it right.

Some schools do allow kids to have phones in school. Sometimes they are allowed to use them in class for research, so not necessarily fair to say it shouldn't have been in school.

An accident and no onus on boy 1s parents to pay for the phone. It shouldn't have been used in school anyway.

Boy 2 knew the rules, which were there for a good reason, and chose to ignore them.

Aderyn
The OP has said more than once that phones are banned during school hours.

It is fair to say the phone should not have been out in school - that's the rule. My DS has had his phone confiscated because a teacher saw it. It is also true that many of the boys ignore the rule at break. So a boy holding a phone in the playground would not be that unusual.

I think Boy 1 should pay at least half, it doesn't sound to me that boy" was part of the game, he was stood in the play ground checking his phone and someone kicked a ball AT him, not to him.

Yes Boy 2 shouldn't have had his phone out in the playground but that doesn't mean that it is ok for Boy 1 to break it. I would say going halves is the fairest because both were in the wrong but I don't think Boy 1 should just be excused.

Sorry, missed that.
If boy 1 was mine I'd still pay for repair though and give big lecture about not kicking balls at people.

OK - just asked ds1 who is 15 (it's half term here) if phones are banned in the playground at his school and he looked at me as though I was mad. Which is what I thought.
At his school at least, phones are not banned at break time or otherwise.
It is perfectly acceptable for kids to have their phones out at break time.

pictish
School rules probably say boy 2 shouldn't have had his phone, but we all know that they all do. We all know that it's normal for kids to have their phones out at break time.

I think it really depends on the school. One of my DS1's friends is in a school that is relaxed about phones but in DS1's school anyone caught with a phone during school hours has their phone confiscated for 5 days (parents and pupils are specifically informed of this).

So Boy2 is to blame because "he shouldn't have had his phone out on the playground while they're playing football"?
That sounds suspiciously like "it's your fault you got mugged, you shouldn't have been out on your own at that time."

Ideally Boy1's parents offer to pay, Boy2's parents decline. If that's unlikely to happen then Boy1's parents should offer half for the sake of good relations if nothing else.

Imo.

Kids will be Kids, if the phone was that valuable then 1) whats a kid doing with it in the first place and 2) the parent should have gotten insurance...
Unless the damage was malicious then I wouldn't pay.

Chaz - see my previous. I've never heard of phones being out being against the rules, but everyone here is certain that it must be.
Thought I'd ask my son who confirmed that phones are fine. So long as they don't have them out during a lesson, they are free to bring and use them.