Real life MMD: Should my son pay for the t-shirt?

Thundercatsarego

I agree with all above - the other lad has learned his lesson the hard way. You don't paint your house wearing your best dress and shoes!

antonia1

Firstly - check that your son was telling the truth. He might not want to admit to you that he tackled another boy who wasn't actually playing the game. In that case, your son would have to pay the cost of fixing / replacing the item, however overpriced it may seem to you.

If the other boy was actually fully involved in a proper (ie not touch) rugby game, then it is his responsibility to ensure he was wearing appropriate clothing.

As an analogy, if I were walking down the street in a £150 pair of Irregular Choice shoes :heartpuls and someone else damaged them by firing a paintball gun at them I would expect the shoes to be replaced and would not be impressed with someone telling me how much I should be spending on shoes.

However, if I had gone paintballing in the same shoes, it would be up to me to replace them because I should be wearing appropriate clothing.

dockterphil

I couldnt believe what I had just read. Both my boys play union and league, dirty and ripped clothes are part of it. Even injuries, broken bones there is no come back on the other party. I tell them straight, you play a contact sport injuries with be part of it, let alone ripped clothes. This country is getting rediculous and no one wants to take responsibilities for their own actions.

Cloudane

Hahahahaha



No.

Trude2000

Absolutely not! As i was reversing out of a friends drive a bumped a kids bike, it belonged to one of the kids in the neighbourhood. The mother telephoned to ask me to pay for her sons bike. I refused as the child shouldn't have left a bike laying behind a car. I've told my own children never to leave their bikes behind cars and if they did they would be without a bike if it was ran over. This is the same principle, children should be taught to be responsible for their belongings and if they don't look after them they are likely to lose them. :T

jewel*queen

No way would I tell my son to stump up for his friends T shirt. If his friend is silly enough to wear something expensive and new to horse around then he must be prepared to accept the consequences. If the friendship is damaged as a result, all I can say is that he wasn't much of a friend to start with, and probably a vain one at that!

burntfingers_2

My kids both had 'playing out clothes' and their 'decent stuff' which they knew that they had to change out of before they went out to play whether it was football/rugby/climibing trees, bike riding etc. I would say that if the t-shirt was ripped in a game of rugby then more fool on the other lad for not putting something else on.

I think its more of a case that the wearers mum has possibly given him an ear bashing and he is looking for someone else to cough up and pay for his own stupidity.

I'm afraid it would be tough! You wore it when you knew you were playing rugby. Now if it was done maliciously, I could understand the request for the cost of a replacement but then I would expect the parent to contact me.

Bf

Augustus_the_Strong

Do the England rugby team ask for compensation any time their shirts get ripped? I doubt it. I should think Little Lord Fauntleroy has lots of other choice outfits in his wardrobe and can do without this t-shirt. Don't let your son be bullied by him.

mr-tom_2

Perhaps suggest to the friend that he might be better off taking up golf, or perhaps tiddlywinks. Full contact sports are not compatible with gentle treatment of clothing. Besides, who the heck spends £25 on a T-Shirt?

Julia4J

If you are looking for a good percentage of responses one way or the other, may I add my tuppence worth? The answer to your question is: "No". Surely this young man knew the risks he was taking, if not he should be have been playing rugby in the first place, he's just trying it on and if he now does not want to be friends with your son any more I would have to question how strong was the relationship in the first place. Your son is better off without friends like this. It's our 'compensation culture' which has gotten completely out of hand. Stick to your guns.