Child Broke Friends Phone

[Anon451]

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??

I don't think that you are responsible tbh 🤔

Did your dd bash it to open it, how old are they.

I would not pay. She could try her insurance.

At what point in the day did this happen OP? If during the time that they're not supposed to have access, then I think both kids were in the wrong, as they shouldn't have been trying to open the pouch in the first place. If at the end of the school day the child couldn't get it open, then she should have gone to the teacher. I really don't think the parents can expect you to pay for a new one, if the child requested your child's help. You ask WWYD - I would tell her parents that if their daughter wanted her phone urgently, she should have gone to a teacher, and not your DD, and therefore you don't believe it's your responsibility.

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.

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

Well her friend asked your daughter so she's responsable as well. I would say they should share the blame/cost to buy another used phone. They are old enough to know better. She can get a new phone for 100£ so let your daughter pay off 50£.

Your daughter’s friend is not entirely innocent in this, so I would not be prepared to cover the whole cost. I’d perhaps offer to pay half and your daughter contribute towards that half.

Tough one as your DD knew she was doing the wrong thing so in a way does have some responsibility but I think in your shoes I would be reluctant to cover the cost. If I was feeling generous I would offer something but they also have to take the hit from their own DD trying to break the rules.

Have they confirmed the same story of how it broke?

They're both responsible - both knew they shouldn't have been trying to get it out. Can you split the premium with them?

Did the other girl also try to open the pouch? If so, how does she know she wasn't the one to break it?!

She was trying to help her friend as her friend asked her. I have already had the conversation with her about school rules and she knows this will not happen again.

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

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.

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.

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

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??

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.

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.

Half of the insurance excess, at a push.

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

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!

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

Have you ever actually been a teenager 😂

Pay half.