Parents demand single mom pay them $800 because her 8th-grade son accidentally broke their son's glasses: 'I find it very difficult to believe that a child requires $800 glasses'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
May 21, 2025 8:00 PM EDT

One of the worst feelings is accidentally breaking someone's possessions. Even if you only do minimal damage to someone's property, you feel awful because there's very little you can do to fix the damage in the moment. You can apologize profusely, offer to buy them a replacement, or give them the money to replace it upfront. Still, you can't undo what has been done, especially to something irreplaceable. To some people, it doesn't matter if someone ruined something as cheap and invaluable as a $5 tank top from Rainbow Clothing; they want the money to replace it. To others, someone could shatter their priceless Faberge egg, and they wouldn't dare ask for the money to replace it, because it's probably insured anyway. If someone's forgiveness for accidental damage to their possessions must be purchased with cold, hard cash, that's their prerogative. However, the amount they're asking for should be within reason. 

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  • If someone breaks your $200 headphones, it's kind of silly to ask them to pay you back $400 for emotional damages. If you break someone's glasses, you wouldn't expect them to be worth $800. The parents in this story are insisting that it is the cost of their son's glasses that his classmate broke by accident. 

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    via Dmitriy Frantsev

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    Son accidentally broke another child’s glasses…

    Hello, my 8th grader accidentally broke another child's glasses today and the parents have asked for $800 dollars to replace. My son has never been in trouble, straight A's all year and very mild mannered. He was apparently
    via u/[deleted]
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    handing the other child an iPad and it ended up hitting his glasses and knocking them on floor. I initially took full responsibility for the situation and offered to pay, but the parents are asking for $800.
    via u/[deleted]
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    via Sergey Sokolov

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    I'm in no way trying to pass off blame but want to add a little context. My son had befriended this boy early in the school year but the teacher reached out to me stating he had behavioral issues and not a lot of parental supervision. She even talked to my son about choosing better friends and he's had a great group of boys he does everything
    via u/[deleted]
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    with ever since that does not include aforementioned child. This child's family also owns multiple companies in the community and drive expensive cars, but claiming they don't have insurance and had to travel to Mexico to get the glasses specially made for him for a reasonable price of $800.
    via u/[deleted]
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    KANDO Lev EL WEST HERNANDO es WEST HERNANDO HERN WEST HERNANDO WEST HERN DO WEST HERNANDO
    via Meadow Marie

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    I'm a single mom, tuition for the private school already stretches my budget each month and I was laid off a good portion of the year so this is extremely stressful, but I want to be reasonable. Love to hear feedback from teachers on this one!
    via u/[deleted]
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    PrincessStephanieR Not a teacher, however this parent needs to provide evidence that the glasses were $800 and proof of the prescription required. I find it very difficult to believe that a child requires $800 glasses but if they can show proof of it, then you can decide what to do from there.
    via u/PrincessStephanieR
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    [deleted] OP They are not willing to provide receipt which is what made me start to question the situation.
    via u/[deleted]
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    PrincessStephanieR No receipt or proof of prescription, then no payment of $800. I'd offer to help pay for new ones and ask to get quotes when the parents provide the prescription.
    via u/PrincessStephanieR
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    Fragrant-Evening8895 im stuck on the teacher telling you a student had behavior issues and not a lot of parental supervision. Totally inappropriate and unprofessional. Imagine if she told the other kids mom, well she's a single mom and can't really afford the tuition. I hear she got fired and didn't work for almost a year.
    via u/Fragrant-Evening8895
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    quartz222 Yes!!! And telling a student NOT to be friends with another student? That's so out of line.
    via u/quartz222
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    KangarooSmart2895 Nope. You can definitely say pick better friends or you're hanging with the wrong crowd
    via u/KangarooSmart2895
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    Jessabelle517 Been there, not quite like your situation worse but I told the parents they could send me the doctor's office they use and I would pay for the replacement. They wanted like $700 and I told them I wouldn't pay them cash it would be through the opticians office or they could take me to court. I gave them my number to have the office call me to pay, I paid $200 for the replacement glasses, no extras.
    via u/Jessabelle517
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    8385694937 Some kid splattered ketchup on my kid's designer sweatshirt a few weeks ago. My child was upset and her teacher said, "Well...you guys are kids. This happens.” And ya know what? She was right. I shouldn't have let my kid wear the designer shirt to school.
    via u/8385694937
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    My daughter has about 6 pairs of $10-30 glasses and we can only ever find one or two of them. If her friend ever broke them, we'd just have to move on. They're kids. It happens. MY glasses are Tiffany & Co. and still probably weren't $800. I think if you're willing to split the cost (with receipt), that's more than generous.
    via u/8385694937
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    southerngirlsrock 100 percent this. It happens. Kids break things. The other family needs to eat the cost. As a mom of 6, and a substitute teacher, I see kids bring in things they shouldn't all the time, expensive stuff. Granted, these are his glasses but what parent spends that much money on kids glasses? I was also an optician, I know for a fact they can head down to their local America's best and get him two pair for $89. even adding on ALL the extras, it wouldn't be near $800
    via u/southerngirlsrock
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    Imaginary_Panic 7300 I agree that the cost seems excessive, but I don't think they should eat the cost because OP's son broke them. It doesn't matter that it was a mistake. Nonetheless, they should prove the cost before expecting repayment.
    via u/Imaginary_Panic7300
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    Tamihera I pay $10 insurance on my kid's glasses in case they get broken on the playground or stepped on at a sleepover. Do not pay $800.
    via u/Tamihera
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    Ragamuffin2022 This my glasses are also Tiffany & Co. And I think they were maybe $600 CDN including lenses.
    via u/Ragamuffin2022
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    Same_Profile_1396 No way would I be paying $800 for his glasses, especially given that your child did not break his glasses due to a malicious action on his part. As a teacher, I wouldn't have even been allowed to provide another parent with your contact info to discuss this with you.
    via u/Same_Profile_1396
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    You could say something like: "I want to take responsibility for the accident, and I deeply regret what happened. However, $800 is a very high cost for me to manage, especially as a single parent already stretched by tuition. I'm happy to contribute $200 toward a replacement, which seems a reasonable and generous amount for a child's glasses."
    via u/Same_Profile_1396
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    "Would you mind sharing a copy of the receipt or invoice for the glasses? I just want to make sure we're being fair about the cost." "Have you checked with your insurance again or considered a similar pair that may be less expensive? I'm certainly willing to help, but I also need to work within my own means."
    via u/Same_Profile_1396
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    karmawongmo Insurance??? If the kid has $800 specs, surely they would be insured.
    via u/karmawongmo

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entitled parents kids mother middle school teenagers entitled parent glasses teacher raising teens expensive Terrible Teacher mom money single mom parents
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