Real Life MMD: My son broke boy's glasses - should I pay?

Former_MSE_Lee
Former_MSE_Lee Posts: 343 Forumite
edited 21 June 2011 at 7:50PM in MoneySaving polls
My son broke boy's glasses - should I pay?


I was called into school as my son broke another boy's glasses in a play fight. The school questioned them and they admitted they were being stupid but it wasn't malicious. The next day this boy's older brother started bullying my son saying he'd have to pay for the glasses. Now the school have called saying this boys' parents want us to pay 50% (£25) towards new glasses. The boy admitted his broken glasses were very old and had been broken several times already. Should I have to pay?
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Comments

  • telsco
    telsco Posts: 116 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    I'd would offer to pay 50% towards the repair of the glasses. Offering to pay towards new ones is out of the question.
  • dreamteamgirl
    dreamteamgirl Posts: 229 Forumite
    Arent children's glasses free?
    No, they shouldnt ask, its quite outrageous!
  • POPPYOSCAR
    POPPYOSCAR Posts: 14,897 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Yes you should pay.

    They are only asking for half and they would not have been broken if your son had not been fighting even if it was only play fighting.
  • POPPYOSCAR
    POPPYOSCAR Posts: 14,897 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    telsco wrote: »
    I'd would offer to pay 50% towards the repair of the glasses. Offering to pay towards new ones is out of the question.


    Perhaps they are beyond repair.
  • ironlady2022
    ironlady2022 Posts: 1,544 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Hard to say. Is it affordable? Cheap glasses start from £30 so I would offer half of this. Alternatively, bake some cakes as a gesture of goodwill and stick a sorry note in there? This method would be cheaper!
  • Petaldust
    Petaldust Posts: 49 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    I work for Specsavers. They will replace broken or lost glasses belonging to anyone under 16 for free on the NHS. So I don't know what the parents are trying to demand money for.
  • pennypinchUK
    pennypinchUK Posts: 383 Forumite
    Sounds like a simple negotiation - you tell them the glasses were old and had already broken, and offer to pay £10. If they don't like it they don't get anything.

    Either way, you complain to the school about their son's bullying. Bullying is never acceptable and the school should take the strongest of stands against the boy.
  • sellingmysoul666
    sellingmysoul666 Posts: 990 Forumite
    First Post
    edited 21 June 2011 at 10:28PM
    It sounds like they make a habit of fighting if the glasses have been repaired several times:)

    Dont pay a penny. Children under 16 get free repairs or replacement glasses if they are broken under the nhs, ask any optician for a GOS4 form.
    I work for an organisation in the nhs which processes these forms.
    Children can get free eye tests every year (or 6 months in some circumstances) and glasses if required.
    So glasses should never be very old!!

    Nhs choices website with more info re childrens and adult repairs

    http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1096.aspx?CategoryID=68&SubCategoryID=157
    "what lies behind us & what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us" Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • Greenfly_3
    Greenfly_3 Posts: 33 Forumite
    Children's glasses are, in most cases, free. I know my daughter has broken / lost her's on a few occaisions.

    Politely refuse, explaining the state of the glasses and probably their age, and report the bullying.
  • kevanf1
    kevanf1 Posts: 299 Forumite
    Not a chance. Kids are kids and get into scrapes. Now, the older sibling starting the bullying is totally different. I'd tell the parents to back off or I'd inform the police about their other child and his bullying...
    Kevan - a disabled old so and so who, despite being in pain 24/7 still manages to smile as much as possible :)
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