Money Moral Dilemma: Who should pay for my daughter's broken phone?

Lovehols_2

At his house he should pay

Chrissybabe

Why don’t the parent’s share the cost of the repair? 

Pollycat

REJP said:

Nobody has asked how the phone got smashed.  How can we answer the question without all the relevant information?

There's no point asking how the phone got smashed.

There's no point asking any questions as they'll not be answered.

Unfortunately the MSE team can't always answer money moral dilemma questions as contributions are often emailed in or suggested in person. They are intended to be a point of debate and discussed at face value.

Morrigan_2020

CapeTown said:

An 11 year old shouldn't have a phone anyway. You are teaching them all about consumerism.

Kids do need them now once they are old enough to go out and about without a parent.  When I was 11 I had to carry change for a payphone, but those are nearly all gone. 

Nettyloulou05

If the phone still works but the screen is broken I'd do nothing, the daughter needs to learn to take care of her possessions. Accidents do happen, but certainly not dad's fault. Buy a decent case to protect it next time mum! 

pollypenny

Nothing to do with the father. The child broke it, so either get the screen repaired or, if not feasible, she has to use a basic one for the foreseeable future. 

Dazler11111

Perhaps at 11 years d she is too young to have a phone. If I had my time again I wouldn't buy my two sons a phone until they were 16. With the latest research evidence showing how addictive phones are manufactured to be etc. I certainly wouldn't expect anyone but your daughter to pay for the phone as at 11 she is old enough to understand the consequence of her actions.

jegs

Parents today, seem to expect their children to treat expensive items  that they have been given, as if they had saved up, selected the item themselves and paid for it themselves.  Had that been the case, I am sure the child would have also made the sensible decision to insure it. 
But the Parents ?  Noooooo...the item was probably so expensive that they did not wish to pay the extra amount for the insurance, albeit probably very small.  I have no doubt that this parent also pays the monthly 'phone charges for the child. 
When unsurprisingly, the child damages the expensive item, it always seems to be someone else's fault.  Children of this age, break 'phone screens, drop 'phones down the toilet and lose their 'phones....
THAT'S WHAT THEY DO AND THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE ALWAYS DONE !! .........and we all know it is going to happen !!  
By getting it repaired immediately, the child will never learn the cost or value of anything or experience the feeling of not having something they rely on.
When will parents take responsibility for their own children, their own decisions and their own failings ? 
We are all human and we all make mistakes, but our mistakes are our and ours alone. 
Deal with it and stop expecting everyone else to sort out your own personal problems and to pay for your mistakes and your damage.

roddydogs

Its not cool to have a case, only old people use them!

nannysquirrel

Perhaps the daughter should save up her pocket money to pay for the repair, a good life lesson for her but if it was broken purely by accident maybe it would be nice if both parents contributed.