Smashed iPhone 12 back glass and camera lenses

beckstar1975

14yo DS smashed his phone in a meltdown at the weekend (ASD diagnosis ongoing) - and the back glass and rear camera is smashed. the glass is still in situ - ismash says it wouldn't be cost effective to repair but I am wondering whether with a good case (he has a mous one anyway) I could use gorilla tape to hold the back glass in place and then just pay £80 to replace the camera array - is there a flaw in my plan? I know it won't be waterproof but I'll cross that when I come to it.

He was hoping to trade his phone in at the end of the year and use birthday and christmas money to put towards an upgrade - obv he'll get barely no money for it in it's current state.

Other option is to get a midrange Samsung A53 5G or similar as I get a 20% discount via work, (or an M one but think they have a shorter updates cycle).

Is there anything else to consider? I no normally you'd make them live with what they've done but he was in floods afterwards - he just erupted and it's been a while coming TBH - but he genuinely can't help himself when it happens.

Wonka_2

As someone recently diagnosed I'm genuinely sensitive to the situation but the driving factor is how deep are your pockets to continue to fund this ?

In days gone by it might've been a book, or a plate or a games controller but now it seems that a multi-hundred pound device is the go-to thing to destroy - probably because it's always to hand

For me - irrespective of diagnosis/reason then actions have consequences - if I destroy my mobile I have to compromise until I can afford to (or justify) replacing it and for that reason I still operate on an iPhone 8 - if I invested in better I'd have to insure/protect it and be confident whatever the circumstances that I'd found something else to take my anger out on.

In this case where do you want to draw the line and what's important to him ?  

beckstar1975

thanks - I'll pay up to £100 towards repair costs - he has savings he can use too. I just don't know whether it's best to patch it up for the year and then he can work out how to get an upgrade when his birthday and christmas comes around - or just accept that it's throwing money away and spend £200 odd (I'd have given him £100 towards it irrespective of also giving money as a gift) now to buy a new phone - he doesn't want a Samsung but i'm not sure whether the £200 is better off in the longer term propping up his iPhone or being spent on a new phone.

I don't think he'll do it again, he is absolutely distraught - and these are the first things he's really trashed other than his bed. 

[Deleted User]

Can't really answer your question as such but I understand, my oldest son has been through more phones than anybody I know, the average lifespan of about 6 months but sometime as little as 2 months and usually in a total state before then. All iPhones, I've spent thousands.

I ended up getting one of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DOOGEE-Android-Smartphone-Extension-Waterproof-S41-Pro-Orange/dp/B0BM9R92BW/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Rugged+Smartphone&qid=1675708685&sr=8-4

But somehow that fell apart!

So after about 6 years of replacing phones, I didn't replace the above and he just got himself a cast-off iPhone 7 from one of his siblings that doesn't last battery wise barely works speaker wise but he knows I'm never going to buy another and somehow that has lasted over a year.

Tough one, up to you what to do in the end but might end up like I did where I kept thinking it isn't his fault and just replaced it constantly.

matelodave

Why would anyone buy a detructive child an iPhone in the first place and then keep replacing or repairing it.

Personally I'd get him one of these until he learns how to treat his phone with respect -  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nokia-1-77-Inch-Feature-Phone-Single-Black/dp/B081DDS4HK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WIYZ01S31RUO&keywords=nokia+105&qid=1675718492&sprefix=inokia+105,aps,69&sr=8-1

Just my opinion you understand but a lesson has to be learned and it never will be whilst the offence/bad behaviour is being rewarded either with a repair or replacement. Perhaps a fair amount of time without a phone would help concentrate the mind

beckstar1975

Err @matelodave your contents are really unhelpful and show little understanding of ASD. He has had iPhones for several years and this is the first time he’s damaged one, normally the damage is to himself.

 For now I’m going to gorilla tape the glass back to hold it together and we will share the cost of replacing the camera. He has taken himself to bed early with a migraine and has yet another bout of lurgy, he’s not good at recognising and articulating when he’s ill so this may have something to do with it. 

And penalising an ASD meltdown would be like getting cross at his brother for having an allergic reaction, neither are within their own control.

matelodave

As I said, its my opinion, but I can't see why anyone would buy a child or even a teenager an expensive iPhone or even any phone that costs £300+  that's liable to be either lost, stolen or damaged, but in the end its up to you.

RumRat

beckstar1975 said:

Err @matelodave your contents are really unhelpful and show little understanding of ASD. He has had iPhones for several years and this is the first time he’s damaged one, normally the damage is to himself.

 For now I’m going to gorilla tape the glass back to hold it together and we will share the cost of replacing the camera. He has taken himself to bed early with a migraine and has yet another bout of lurgy, he’s not good at recognising and articulating when he’s ill so this may have something to do with it. 

And penalising an ASD meltdown would be like getting cross at his brother for having an allergic reaction, neither are within their own control.

No doubt you've found others that are ignorant of the situation or just plain ignorant. I wouldn't worry about the lack of any understanding of some on the forums.
The amount of things my nephew has destroyed would make you give up in a normal situation, he went through 4 TV's last year amongst other things.  Any sanctions would have been a complete waste of time and depriving him of TV would have just been cruel.
Depending on your financial situation you could find an insurance that was specific to your case. Failing that a refurbished older iPhone would be better than trying to repair the old one with tape etc, IMO.
Good luck with whatever path you choose to take.

beckstar1975

Thank you @RumRat, he ‘needs’ screens to calm down and can get quite violent to himself when he’s wound up. Sorry to hear about your nephews though, that’s really tough, and expensive.

 Am just going to give it a few days and wait for him to suggest something and hope that if he helps come up with the solution it may help him going forward

marcia_

matelodave said:

Why would anyone buy a detructive child an iPhone in the first place and then keep replacing or repairing it.

Personally I'd get him one of these until he learns how to treat his phone with respect -  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nokia-1-77-Inch-Feature-Phone-Single-Black/dp/B081DDS4HK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WIYZ01S31RUO&keywords=nokia+105&qid=1675718492&sprefix=inokia+105,aps,69&sr=8-1

Just my opinion you understand but a lesson has to be learned and it never will be whilst the offence/bad behaviour is being rewarded either with a repair or replacement. Perhaps a fair amount of time without a phone would help concentrate the mind

 Autism and associated behaviours are not bad behaviour but a symptom of their disability 

IvanOpinion

I would be surprised if they would even attempt a repair to the camera if the phone was taped together, they would leave themselves open to be accused of further damage.  If you are looking for a really good mid-range phone look at the Google Pixel 6a.  The price is currently back up to £399, but can often be found at under £300.

I would also suggest buying a silicon case and gorilla glass screen protector