Real Life MMD: My son broke boy's glasses - should I pay?
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Reminds me of when I was about 10 and at school.
We all put our lunchboxes on a trolley every morning, presumably so boxes wouldn't be in the way in the classrooms.
This trolley was on the edge of the playground when two of my classmates decided to have a scuffle not so far away.
David pushed James who landed on my plastic lunchbox and broke it! I had looked after that box for 5 years!
Now David's parents refused to have anything to do with it as he said he never actually landed on my lunchbox, and James' parents said that it wasn't his fault that he was pushed in the direction.
The school did nothing (I thought it was partly their fault for having the lunch trolley in a silly place), so I was left with a sellotaped lunchbox for a year or so!
James and David had luxurious detached houses in Gerrard's Cross, whilst my father and I were living in a room in a B&B at the time. (thankfully I never really got bullied for being poor..... at least not until grammar school).
True story, it still surprises me that no-one would take responsibility on such an item so relatively cheap to those concerned.
I almost can't believe ISAmad's post, but I have to say that people on benefits now (in general) have more money than 20 or so years ago. In our B&B days, our only luxury was a second hand 20" colour tv. The other residents had a coin meter set supplied by the landlord.
I interviewed a young woman for a job a couple of months ago. She was solely relying on benefits, but somehow managed to use that taxpayers' money to pay for a Sky Sports subscription (£40 a month?), the latest flatscreen tv and several mobile telephones. Probably various other luxuries that she didn't mention. Sky Sports was a "must have" that she "couldn't live without". She did a day's work (poorly), and then said she was leaving as staying on benefits was less hard work.
I still think that children's glasses should be free ... at least where neither of the parents are higher rate taxpayers.0 -
No i would not pay they should be free anyway or the school should be insured for mishaps. If they were supervising the children then they wouldnt be fighting in the first place. Maybe have your son invite the boy round for tea, kids make up long before adults stop bickering.0
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Tell them no way as children are children and sooner or later the glasses will be broken again. Also surely within the next year, the child will have their eyes tested and if their prescription changes, they'll be getting new ones anyway
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Having had this happen to me with my Son, I would think a token payment of £25.00 is ok...Children get 2 x pairs of glasses within a year free on the NHS...if however they break both pairs then you have to pay for the next pair. Obviously this only applies if their prescription hasnt changed within this time as each time a new prescription is required new glasses are issued free of charge.0
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I think the boys should be made to realise that even though they were play fighting, if something gets broken, it will have to be fixed or replaced, and someone has to pay for that. I would get them together and ask them "Well who do YOU think should pay?" They'd have to admit that as it was their stupidity that caused this problem, they should pay to put things right. So I'd suggest to the other boy's parents that you should split the cost equally, but stop the money out of both boys' pocket money, until it's paid off. If the boys aren't made to pay the penalty, they'll do it again next week, and break the new glasses, and again the next week! You'll teach them a good lesson for life, and they'll think twice in future before doing something reckless, that could result in something more serious than a broken pair of glasses!0
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I think a lot of people here are missing the point, aren't they? The boy's behaviour caused something to be broken, so he should learn he's at least partially responsible for that. If you thought the other parents were ripping you off, you could request sight of the receipt, but I know lots of kids do wear glasses which cost a lot of money, even though free ones are available. If your son broke something in a shop, or a neighbour's window or something, you'd have to pay for that, wouldn't you? I'd pay, then make my son earn the money to pay me back, or take it out of his savings or pocket money. It's more important for him to learn a life lesson that you he is responsible for things he damages than anything else. A lot of the kids I know don't take care of their stuff or anyone else's and look amazed if they get picked up on it. If there's no punishment for your son, he won't think twice about getting in a fight or hitting someone with glasses on again, when surely he ought to learn that it's not a good idea. The bullying by the big brother is a separate issue I would take up with the school.0
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You presumably don't have a child with glasses! If my child's glasses got broken in a fight, I'd hope the other parents would help out with the cost.0
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Very good response; I hadn't read it when I posted mine, otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered!I think the boys should be made to realise that even though they were play fighting, if something gets broken, it will have to be fixed or replaced, and someone has to pay for that. I would get them together and ask them "Well who do YOU think should pay?" They'd have to admit that as it was their stupidity that caused this problem, they should pay to put things right. So I'd suggest to the other boy's parents that you should split the cost equally, but stop the money out of both boys' pocket money, until it's paid off. If the boys aren't made to pay the penalty, they'll do it again next week, and break the new glasses, and again the next week! You'll teach them a good lesson for life, and they'll think twice in future before doing something reckless, that could result in something more serious than a broken pair of glasses!0 -
i'm a teacher...you should not pay; would you expect someone to pay if you child ripped their trouser knee? no i think not....also many children get them replaced etc on nhs for free!! :money:0
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I'm not sure if the rules are still the same but my glasses-wearing elder son went to an independent school and we had to pay for all repairs.
It's tough having a child that wears glasses.
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