My 4 year old damaged neighbours car

[Mummmybear03]

Hi all. My kids were playing on our street yesterday and one of them ran inside saying that my youngest who is 4 years old had thrown a stone and it has marked the neighbours visitors car. I immediately went round and before even seeing the damage I was very apologetic and said I would cover the repair damages. When I looked at the car there is the tiniest chip mark. A few kids were around us at the time and I asked who started throwing the stones, because my son wouldn’t just do that he copies people. It turns out it was said neighbours daughter who is 11. The parents were very off with me saying that it is irrelevant who started it. Clearly it isn’t because a 4 year old boy will copy what he has seen. I can away still saying that I would pay for the damage and apologising. I got my 4 year old who was very upset to apologise too. After coming away I checked cctv recording and it shows the neighbours daughter who’s car was damaged, was sat throwing stones at another boy on his bike and in the street. She has also taken my stones from my garden and thrown them out onto the road.
I am a reasonable person and if my child caused damage I would pay for it. But the fact he has copied their daughter makes me reluctant. And they’re were pretty arsy with me even though all I did was apologise and offer to pay. They said they will get a quote and get back to me. Just to note that it’s such a minor mark on a 9 year old car.
Any advice? Thanks.

My apologies, I thought you were saying why did I say it?

I see now you were asking OP (like I did) why she said it 🤦‍♀️!

Must read twice before answering!

I'm in total shock that you were not aware of what you 4 year old was doing. Honestly it's bizarre to me that you would even consider leaving a child outside alone. That they were playing near cars means they could have been run over and killed at any time and where were you???? Never should a 4 year old be unsupervised EVER.

@Clymene Omg - who knew! I want to marry you and have your babies 😂

Pay up. And maybe supervise your own kid in future.

Pay for the damage (I hope they pick the highest quote!) and don't let a child look after another child? Yes a 15yo is capable but now the blame is on him instead of you. Look after your kids!

I find it bizarre that you think an 11 year old child holds more responsibility than you, the mother!

I agree but facts are it happens

My child did similar when he was three. Picked up a stone and threw it at his friends mothers car door when she came to our house to collect. It was out of his hand before I could stop him. Just a little mark like your photo Like you I offered to pay. She rang a few days later and wanted me to pay for a new door. Be careful Some people take advantage.

Hey , if you can afford to pay for it and you are t putting yourself out I would just pay it as (don't mean to be a tw*t) it was your child that done the damage and their wat cry will be he wasn't supervised. If you can't pay it then you can't pay it nothing more can be done don't stress yourself over it. Whether paying or not I would say to them that their daughter was throwing stones first so both parents need to have a chat with their kids about not doing that. x

You people are so quick to judge

Why? it was a completely reasonable comment for everybody to make. You never mentioned this to begin with.

Can't be real

‘You people are quick to judge!’
eh? You typed out a post, asking people to judge, and now don’t like that? You could have included the pertinent info in your OP that your small child was being ‘supervised’ by you older child who you described as being one of your ‘so badly behaved’ kids on the other post you made.

Still sounds like your 4yr old kid needed actual parenting and supervision then, and going forwards.