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?

[notsosureaboutthatthough]

Am I the only one that would do nothing?!
My kids come home all the time with ink ruined shirts and hokey armpits in jumpers from being yanked while playing , burst zips etc. Although I do but from Asda but still.. it’s kind of expected, kids will be kids and if it’s not deliberate then why would you pay .

And the coat price is hilarious. That alone deserves not being replaced. What if the trrr hard put a hole in it..

[notsosureaboutthatthough]

Tree had *

[HopeDog10]

I think it's very generous of you to even consider the professional mending.

If someone wants their child's jacket to remain in pristine condition, don't sent them out to play with other kids in it.

[notsosureaboutthatthough]

Holey armpits*
Buy from asda* sorry typed in a rush!!

[Welcometotherock]

I'd offer to repair. I accidentally ripped a mates coat when I was 11 and tried to sew it (very badly ) myself.
Her Mum probably wasn't impressed when she saw it but nothing was said even though I know it was an expensive one but my Mum would have offered to repair it had she known .

[Chocolateisfab]

If you feel bullied (stupid) enough to replace it, ask for the old one and have it mended. Send your dc to school wearing it. The dm will be well pd her dc isn't the only one with a posh coat!!

[Aprillygirl]

I shrugged my shoulders, told him to be more careful, and he's still wearing it with a hole in.
Now that's what I call good parenting. Kids should not be put under pressure to keep what they're wearing pristine,they are only clothes at the end of the day. Well done OP

[Welcometotherock]

I would definitely want the receipt for the old one and the new one though. TKMax sell designer coats after all...

[Topseyt]

You haven't even seen the coat? How do you know that this wasn't a pre-existing hole that they have only just seen and are trying to fleece you for because they have been idiotic enough to send a child out to play in a £200 coat?

I'm not sure I would offer them anything if I wasn't 100% certain what had happened. They might just be a bunch of chancers.

If you are going to do anything then your offer of a professional repair is perfectly adequate here.

None of my own decent coats has ever cost £200, and the only designer gear my children have ever had has been stuff that my mother or I got from a charity shop for just a few quid. Are you sure they aren't trying to pull a fast one on you here?

[Impartialerror]

Happyrain if it was me and I decided to replace the £200 coat, I would make sure I got the torn coat in Return, I can see them getting the old coat repaired and selling it to make Money.

[Collaborate]

I wouldn't offer anything.

Your son is not liable in law (he's too young).

Anyway their son was playing the same game, so is equally to blame.

They are reckless sending him to school in such an expensive coat.

Even were they to have grounds to sue, they would have to sue the adults responsible for supervision (ie the school), and satisfy a judge they did not take reasonable care. Even then they would get the lower of the cost of a professional repair or the second hand value of the coat.

[HJWT]

Happyrain if it was me and I decided to replace the £200 coat, I would make sure I got the torn coat in Return, I can see them getting the old coat repaired and selling it to make Money.

I second this... I would ask for advice from the school, a receipt for the coat so you know the price and tell them you will buy the coat if they refuse a repair, so need size and old coat.

[thenightsky]

Its probably not a £200 coat. I'd want to see the coat and inspect the label etc before shelling out any money. Even a £50 repair might not be worth it if it turns out to be a £20 off the market coat.

[Topseyt]

They could have bought a barely worn designer coat in a charity shop for very little and be chancing their arm now?

[Drum2018]

Just ignore further requests. You've offered a repair. Let them sod off if they don't want to accept that.

[PeppermintPatty10]

Jesus Christ!! I can’t believe the parents would even ask you to repair it, let alone REPLACE it! As past posters have said, surely all clothes worn to school are to be played in?! Are these parents totally mad??

[derxa]

Were they not supervised at school ? Stick play is not on the curriculum Exactly. !

[Whoopsies]

Totally ridiculous, the offer you made was completely fine. Ds (5) had the pocket on my coat ripped during play last week. The mum of the other boy apologised the next day, but I said it totally didn't matter. It was £2.25 from a charity shop and had lasted all winter!! (And I have sewed it up and he will still be wearing it!!)

[M3lon]

That's nuts.

Paying for a repair is more than enough if kids were playing normally and the damage is accidental.

[roundturnandtwohalfhitches]

I wouldn't. DS apparently put a wee rip his friends coat seam when they were playing tig in playground. Ds also came home with a hole in his new school trousers because he'd fallen over when someone grabbed him in the same game. No one asked anyone to pay for clothing because its school and accidents happen. They are taking the piss.

[Threefaries]

Tell them that you will get the boy a nice new coat from Asda.

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

The other mum isn't doing her child any favours by demanding the money. Nobody wants to be paying out for other kid's designer clothing, so once word gets around I imagine quite a few kids will be given instructions to keep their distance from this child during activity games or messy artwork.

[Kidssendingmenuts]

Who the hell sends their kids to school in a £200 coat!! X

[Youshallnotpass]

This is way too complex, you just say "no" and then ignore them.

A) The child shouldn't be wearing a £200 coat to do wood activities
B) They are bloody cheeky to want a complete replacement
C) I wouldn't even offer a repair, tbh - things happen with kids playing.

[SleepingSloth]

Who the hell sends their kids to school in a £200 coat!!

I really don't understand why so many posters are commenting on this. Parents can send their children to school in whatever coat they want, that's not the problem. The problem is that when it gets damaged they expect someone else to pay for it. I wouldn't expect a parent to replace a £200 designer coat or a £15 Asda coat.