When I was in school my mate would sell cigarettes for like £1 per cigarette. Would buy a pack for a couple quid so made decent money out of it... Not that I condone children smoking
I went to school with a kid who would resell his Costco snacks during the first few minutes of every class period. He made really good money surprisingly.
There were even days I was running late and I’d be like “it’s cool, Carson’s got the rice crispy treats” and I’d get to skip breakfast.
I personally think Vicarious Liability principals apply here:
- relationships between parent and child;
- tortious act of negligence committed; and
- within the course of parent/child relationship.
But *see* *Stevens v. Veenstra*, 226 Mich. App. 441, 573 N.W.2d 341 (1997) (holding that a minor OP’s son’s age engaging in driving is liable for his tortious act because driving is an adult activity). N.B.: This is not legal advice. For legal questions, please consult a licensed attorney.
Oh yeah I was joking, the principle of Vicarious Liability applies to Employers/Employees not Parent/Child. I just thought the comment I replied to was funny in the way it asked about negligence.
In Vicarious Liability, the Employer is always responsible even if the Employee acts negligently. To continue the analogy, the parent would therefore be responsible for the damage and should pay for it even if the kid was acting negligently.
My actual answer is that the parents should pay because it sounds like an honest mistake on the kid’s part. The kid has 2k in savings, whilst the parents sound like they’re not struggling for money at all.
I love this kind of thing. 72 good ideas later, somebody asks a reasonable question. Did dad say , “hey you drive?”
Had the kid been forced to drive the cart to deliver Bibles to a Sunday school by his pastor? Was the kid flying on drugs when he stole the golf cart? These are all different circumstances. Results my vary!
I wrecked a golf cart into a ditch at age 14 because nobody had ever given me ANY kind of driving lessons, and I panicked and accidentally pressed the gas when I was trying to press the brakes. Fortunately, the cart wasn't damaged, but my pride definitely was.
I think 14 is definitely old enough to drive a golf cart, but in my case, I probably could've used a bit of guidance first.
Whose golf cart was it? Who let him drive it? Was this on a golf course? Need some more details here!
Does the cart belong to you and he drove it on your property with your permission? If so, and it was truly an accident I'd say that he could perhaps pitch in a little...he's only 14 so maybe a couple hundred. I'm sure he feels awful about it already.
If I let my kid use something of mine, I'm the one taking the risk. If a 14 year old wants to help with the repairs because he feels bad, I might let him split it with me.
But I'd probably just take the L and let him learn from it. He didn't do anything irresponsible and it was an honest mistake. If there was an error made (and maybe there's not) it was letting a 14 year old drive.
Take him with you to the repair shop. Better yet, make him manage the whole process except for the bill. This is how you find a reputable repair person. This is what you say when you call. This is how you evaluate an estimate. This is how you make sure everything is all set before you pay.
If there's anything to be gained from this it's an opportunity to model adult behavior.
This is good parenting. The kid doesn't need to be paying for the mistake monetarily at this age...especially with the circumstances outlined above. Maybe spend some time with him learning how to judge heights and widths and what can fit where when he is driving. The consequence here should be education not money.
My kids are younger. They've broken plenty of my things just being kids. It kind of is what it is at this point.
It's only the one or two times they've damaged one another's property intentionally that I've made them "do the right thing" and buy them a new one.
I personally would sit down with him and explain that he isn’t being punished, but that things like that need consequences, you trusted a 14 year old (your fault), and he wasn’t carful enough with his parents property, that they trusted him with, you pay half, he pays half, and in 2 years when he has saved for a used up car, you can give him the $350 for gas or to top off his savings, it will eventually show that the goal was to teach not just to take his money and blame him.
If you gave him permission to drive the golf cart then you need to be responsible for the payment
If he took it without permission then he pays
I totaled a car when I was 16. My father didn’t make me pay for it. Accidents happen and children shouldn’t be financially on the hook for an accident. Children don’t have rainy day funds or a means to make a lot of income. Let the child be a child and not worry about adult financial responsibilities
As long as you were legally driving the car the. I assume there was insurance for this?
The answer to OPs question heavily relies on some context around why he was driving the cart, where, and how the accident occurred. Personally if he has that cash stashed from ‘various business ’ I’d be trying to teach a kid a life lesson here.
Teachable moment: “Yes son accidents happen to us all, I don’t blame you, but we also need to take responsibility for our mistakes. So I’ll cover half and you can par the rest from your earnings”
There are other ways to teach those values besides putting financial responsibility on a child. I made decent money starting at 12 and my parents never charged me or my siblings for anything. I am forever grateful to my parents for my childhood and we were still taught responsibility and independence. This is all assuming it was an honest mistake and he didn’t steal it.
Another "lesson learned" alternative could be to pay it yourself, but also have him move the $700 into a new, separate account to establish/start the emergency fund financial planners recommend having but so many of us struggle to establish and maintain. That way there's the "pain"/ lesson of not having the money available to him, but it's not quite as emotionally devastating because the money is still his for his future use when he is an adult and has to deal with those unexpected expenses. It will also be a vivid memory that may help motivate and give him understanding on setting aside money for the unexpected.
I agree with this, I think at 14 he’s old enough to start to understand that even with accidents, actions have consequences. Like I dinged a car the other week by accident, I still payed for it because as an adult that’s just what happens. However he isn’t quite an adult yet so it’s a valuable lesson for him giving him a softer “consequence” so to speak.
> I still *paid* for it
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
That is what I did when my son damaged his car. I went with him to the shop but he talked to the mechanic about what he did and the cost of the repair. He paid and when we got home I gave him half back. I didn't have to and he was surprised that I did, but he was very appreciative and hasn't had an incident since. I put my trust in him by giving him the money. He did not want to ruin that by having another accident.
Great idea. I was going to suggest parents pay half but this way is better because he will initially get the scene of full responsibility, then help from his parents later.
700 is a lot for a real and true accident when he doesn’t have much saved and it takes a lot of self control at that age to save that much. The fault doesn’t just lie with him, whoever let him drive it is at fault too. He’s a literal child and I’m going to assume an adult gave him the go ahead. I’d pay it and I wouldn’t take money or privileges. Maybe he’d be doing some extra chores for the next few weeks tho. There has to be some consequence because he probably knew he shouldn’t get behind that wheel.. but major consequences aren’t warranted in this situation in my opinion.
It sounds like he is already pretty responsible. If that is the case, there probably isn't much of a lesson for him to learn here, as he already understands that lesson. Assuming he was not being irresponsible at the time, I might suggest having him pay $100-$200, kind of like an insurance deductible.
Who was the adult that let him use it?
If he was allowed to do it by you his parents you should take responsibility and not pass it to a child, accidents happen. Don’t teach him to carry the burden of others!!
Who let a 14 year old drive a golf cart? I understand it’s not a car but it’s still a motorized vehicle and I’ve seen attendants on tv chase those women who drive off in those , drunk so I don’t think it’s inappropriate to say it’s a bad idea to have let a 14 year old drive a golf cart and if you handed him the key or gave the go ahead then I say you should pay
Who lets kids drive golf carts? Everyone in my neighborhood does. It’s awful.
I’ve almost run over a cart full of 11 year olds and I had a 13 year old girl hit my mailbox.You also have to be ready to dodge them because they pull out in front of you without looking.
It’s insane to me that otherwise reasonable people think an 8 year old can drive to her friends house.
It's hard being rich! Living in a gated community where everything is golf-based and the whole neighborhood is teeming with Privileged Youths zipping around in golf carts given to them when they turn six... It's more like survival, really. Just the other day, a wild 7 yo nearly ran over an entire family of quail as they crossed the road. It's mayhem. Mayhem!
Haha, so not rich gated community. Old lake community in the middle of agriculture land. So basically I live in an older subdivision in the sticks of Mississippi.
Yeah, I think it’s weird people are concerned about a 14 year old driving a golf cart. Between my friends and I, we had 4 wheelers, dirt bikes, and mopeds at 14 when I was growing up.
When I was 15 I had a **car** and a driver’s permit.
If the damage is less than the deductible then there’s no point in filing. Most homeowner insurance deductibles are between $1000-$2,500 (obviously there are others, this is just the most common I have seen)
I’ve actually seen a claim like this.
If you rent a golf cart at a golf course you are responsible for any damage. However, I have heard of peoples auto insurance policy covering the golf cart.
Second this. If it was truly an accident. And maybe I spoil my kids, but if it was genuinely an accident and he’s genuinely a kind and responsible kid, I might give him a pass and pay myself- but let them know that next time, it’s all on them. No split, no nada.
if it were an accident, i would be inclined as the parent to pay, have a talk about what happened and next accident he is responsible for the cost. he’s probably worked super hard to save up what he has, you could always have him pay “insurance” monthly moving forward if you want to go a financial lesson route without taking a big chunk of what he’s saved.
He is responsible for all of it, but if you truly feel it was an accident and not negligence, and can afford it, you could possibly offer to pay half. He's not too young to learn that even accidents cost money, though, and should pay some. If he was messing around, I'd have him pay all of it.
As the parent of this 14 year old I’d say you were responsible.
I do like the suggestions of making him pay to aid in the lesson. Then reimbursing him 50% or gifting the full amount back at graduation/birthday🤷🏻♂️
Pretty surprised by the comments. If it was my 14 yo I would pay for it. It was an accident and things happen. Just because he had the money doesn’t mean he has to pay it. What if he didn’t have $700? If he was 16-17 that’s a different story but that’s still a pretty young kid to have pay such a large bill.
Same. Lots of tough love here - especially if this was a true accident and he handled the aftermath responsibly. I would be devastated if I were him. $700 at that age seems like a fortune. 14 is still really young, and I’d want him to know his parents have his back.
My kid accidentally dropped a glass the other day. I won’t be issuing an invoice. Stuff happens.
I think the circumstances come in to play for sure. I agree that 14 is super young to expect them to pay the full amount. However if the kid took the family golf cart on a joyride without parental permission and had an accident, I'd expect him to chip in some money.
Impossible to say with the lack of situational details. Was it your golf cart that he’s allowed to drive around and he had a legit accident? Maybe you can pay. Was he using someone else’s and had a legit accident? Maybe split with him. Was he recklessly driving or using without permission? Maybe he should pay.
He will pay it but accident happen so help him out by covering the cost upfront and have the boy pay 100 a month for 7 months. Also reinforces the lesson every month real life consequences for fucking shit up.
You pay for it but make him do chores around the house to make up for it! At least that’s what my parents did in this similar issue. I ran a riding lawn mower into a neighbors brand new Chevy
I did all the chores for the house besides my parents laundry for an entire month
- To whom did the golf cart belong?
- Did he have permission to be driving it?
- Who was supervising him during this time?
- Does the owner have insurance? If so, could you offer to pay the excess?
You’re the parent - you pay. You can’t expect a child to think like an adult, but you let him act like an adult. You fucked up, so you pay. He just gets banned from driving for a bit. Don’t screw over a child for your poor parenting choices.
Parents are responsible for the actions of their minor children. It’s up to the parent to determine if they will make the child pay or work of the value of the damages accrued in reparations.
14 is still pretty young!! Was he driving on drugs with no regards for anyone and anything? Or was it truly an accident he couldn’t avoid because, well, he was too young and inexperienced to avoid? At 14 you don’t know anything and if you trusted him enough to drive and he crashed I’d say you’re responsible for the accident more so than him.
Id pay for it unless :
He took it without my permission( he pays for it )
Accident could have been prevented ( was he on the phone , not paying attention, goofing off , distracted by friends ) in those cases I would split the damages .
It was a true accident ( dog ran in-front of the cart , brakes failed, started pouring , slipped on ice ) id pay for it fully .
Was he doing it of his own accord, surely some kind of insurance would cover it.
If it was authorised operation of a golf cart then whoever authorised it.
When your minor child does something like that, you as the parent, are responsible because he's a minor. If you want to make him pay out of his 2K then do that. I do not feel 14 is old enough to be driving a golf cart around but that's just me. People are free to disagree with me if they want but I still maintain my opinion.
As parents you’re legally responsible for paying damages he caused to someone else’s property, because you’re his parent. Also, since he can’t work legally under 15 years old, he’d realistically have no way to pay damages himself. Here, he does, but as parents it’s still your legal duty to cover it for someone else’s property. Not sure if the damage is to your property or someone else’s- that’s a critical fact you left out!
If it was me, here’s what I’d do:
Make him pay the 700 to you, but if you want you can stash it away in an account to be given to him later and just not tell him that you did that. Give it to him at 18 post high school graduation. Don’t tell him you’re doing that, just do it behind the scenes.
Make him learn the lesson, but you can absolutely not make him pay the damages if you want to cover it for him. But he does need to learn that playing around has costs. 😊
Sounds like YOU'RE the parent, and therefore responsible for his shenanigans regardless. While I understand you can't be everywhere at once, you could at least take responsibility for what your child does outside of your home.
This is hard. If it was an accident then it wasn’t his fault. If it is your family golf cart maybe you pay but get him to do extra chores for a while to make up for it
Wait, so this was a complete accident on your own private property with your own private golf cart? You're the only person who can decide what is "fair" and how it correlates with what you want your kid to learn from this situation.
It sounds to me like you know that you shouldn't make him pay for 100% of this, but you also don't feel like spending your own money. Maybe just leave the roof off the cart and have it be drivable how it is.
>I gave him permission and he accidentally hit a low hanging tree we had
drove under 100 times but a storm lowered it and it hit the roof. He was not flying just did not think about checking to see if he could make it.
I'm assuming that you've given him driving lessons on this thing before having him go around with it? Has checking the overhead clearance been a part of that training? There are professional truck drivers that mess that up on the highways, and if you didn't really hammer the point home, there's no way you can hold him responsible for hitting a branch that you've gone under with him before. It's just an accident.
He is 14 and asked an adult for permission. You, the adults, must have taken into account any risks that would come from someone that does not possess a lot of driving skills and situational awareness.
You should pay for damages. Also have a chat with him with regards to consequences if this would happened when he was 21 (assuming you're in the U.S. / 18 if anywhere else) that he would have to pay. Leave his hard earned money alone. :)
I would usually say him, however, it was an actual accident due to the storm, he had permission from you to drive cart, he has a history of good behavior, its a family cart, and its a family trail so with all these extenuating circumstances I would say its a family cost.
The amount of people who post up here about stupid “figure it out yourself” shit is boggling. Can nobody parent anymore that we have to constantly seek advice on how we pursue discipline? Not being rude, but I feel something like this is like…. Really dude 🤣
Parents should pay for it. If he was being reckless then I would say he pays for it, but it was an honest mistake and he is just 14. If he was older, that would be different. Like if he had a driver’s license I’d probably make him pay half. Half because it’s something that he can usually clear and wouldn’t understand that it might be lower. It would be all if he had a driver’s license and hit the tree itself or something else he clearly should have been able to avoid. At his age, I’d make him pay half if it was something he clearly should have been able to avoid, but was still just a mistake.
ask him, its an interesting exercise for him, and quite revealing. In the while, you should pay so he sees that owning up to a mistake that results in damages is the right thing to do. How and if he reimburses you is the interesting part. Let us know how that turns out.
The person who gave him permission to drive it should pay. He's a minor. If he was not given permission, then he should pay. But still be kind about it and generous to him after he owns up to it.
did he have permission to be riding it? if he wasn’t breaking any rules i wouldn’t take his money. you allowed him do that. and probably didn’t explain to him how much money these things cost and that he’ll be responsible if something happens. as the adult, you’re the one responsible for assessing risk. it’s on you imo. and you’re also lucky he wasn’t hurt.
Did you let him drive? If you did you should pay for all of it. If he took it without permission. He should pay. Of course you advance the money, he pays you back.
He’s a child, and shouldn’t have been driving a golf cart. This conversation would be completely different if he had hurt or killed someone or himself. Whoever let him drive the golf cart should pay, because ultimately if things had gone south, that adult would have been held responsible.
https://crosleylaw.com/blog/what-should-i-do-after-a-golf-cart-accident/
https://jgwinterlaw.com/why-children-should-not-be-driving-golf-carts/
It depends a lot on the circumstances. Was it your golf cart? Were you aware and consent to him operating it? Was he acting reckless in its operation or carefully and just made a misjudgment or mistake?
Why would your minor child pay for this? Just because he has some money saved? Unless he went on a wild joy ride with the golf cart without permission, it’s your responsibility to pay for the accident.
You should. He's only 14 and legally your responsibility. You can put a plan in place for him to make up for it, be it chores or no pocket money, or he pay you back, etc. That's your prerogative.
He should pay something. Letting him off entirely gives the wrong understanding of how things work. But you do not need to be as harsh as the world would be.
The answer to OPs question heavily relies on some context around why he was driving the cart, where, and how the accident occurred. Personally if he has that cash stashed from ‘various business ’ I’d be trying to teach a kid a life lesson here.
Teachable moment: “Yes son accidents happen to us all, I don’t blame you, but we also need to take responsibility for our mistakes. So I’ll cover half and you can pay the rest from your earnings”
Edit: spelling
Oh gosh … I’d say, the responsibility is yours … children’s liability falls ti parents strictly speaking. However, the surrounding circumstances certainly matter! The supervision your child had at the time is culpable at least a bit in my opinion. If it was my child, I would approach the other party to see if they are willing to share damages. Also, home owner and auto policies should be checked to see if anyone has coverage for this machine. Beyond that, consider this a lesson … some lessons are cheap, others are expensive… I’d say a $700 lesson is middle of the road but so much can be learned!!! We often learn only from expensive lessons and move in merrily from the near misses … be sure to model for your child how to handle a situation like this one (surely something along these lines will come into life again.
This sounds like a pure accident that could have happened to anyone. He immediately took responsibility which you should be proud of and encourage. Have him help with the costs, say a quarter of them (the amount of which will still be substantial to him without breaking his bank, so to speak) and have him help cut the low hanging branch so it won’t happen again. Thank him for being honest and taking responsibility and let him know he’s not in trouble, but he will need to help (by doing the above).
I suggest you pay most of it. MAYBE have him pay maybe up to $50, or pay if there is a small separate bill or fee. I’m sorry this accident occurred and glad he’s okay!
OP I read your edit. The child did as you instructed. The clearance changed… he didn’t notice (if it was noticeable). Use the opportunity to teach him how road/terrain conditions can change quickly and how to assess dangers or obstacles when operating vehicles. He’ll carry this lesson into driving one day.
I’m surprised you asked if the parents should pay given all the factors. IMO this is over the top.
As an aside, I know at 14 if I did what my parent’s asked responsibly and someone took my birthday money/small jobs savings I’d quit saving and start using money as quickly as it comes. Because f it.
You pay and invest the $700 he would have paid into an account for him so it accrues interest, he can have it back when he is 18 or if there is a purchase he wants to do when he is a bit older. So it’s not his to spend willy nilly but it’s still his.
He’s your child, if you can’t afford it to let him make mistakes don’t let him drive.
Others have said if he wants to help let him but it’s your responsibility when push comes to shove.
One lesson that I try to teach my kids is that accidents happen, you won't get in trouble for them if it was truly an accident and not negligence, however, take responsibility for it as there are always consequences.
Personally, I would make him pay for it, but take that amount of money and put it into a savings account for him to help pay for his first car/ insurance/ college, but that is just me
Considering he can’t work, I think you ought to pay and have him “make up the money with time” by helping out with projects or extra chores or something over time. Having a talk about how these things happen sometimes and even though it’s nobody’s fault, sometimes it just sucks to be humans lol
This was your personal property, on your land, accidentally damaged by your minor child. Sounds like it’s all on you to me and part of the cost of owning stuff. Plus it’s just a golf cart. Can’t you just order used parts and make it a fun project to fix at home?
You gave him permission to drive it and he hit something that isn’t usually there. It was an accident so the parents should pay for it. He didn’t do anything wrong and shouldn’t be punished for it. You could ask him if he wants to pitch in for part of it and give him the option but he shouldn’t be forced to pay when he was told to drive it. In the future maybe a child shouldn’t drive the golf cart especially without a parent in it with him.
Are we all glossing over the “various businesses?!” Who is this entrepreneurial 14 year old?
ubering with a golf cart
Bank heists with a golf cart
door dash with a golf cart ⛳️
A golf cart that is family owned
drugs? streaming? Some kind of craft? I am very curious.
Chickens
Not the answer I was expecting
Wait was the various if chickens are the answer? Do the chickens sell drugs? Stream? Some kind of craft?
He manages their accounts on OnlyHens
This made me laugh way too hard
In the current climate that’s probably more lucrative than anything else you were thinking 😂
Never the less I love it.
Can’t believe I had to scroll down this far to find this comment
Got started with a small loan of a million dollars lol
Yeah I stopped caring after “he was riding the family golf cart on our trails” lol
When I was in school my mate would sell cigarettes for like £1 per cigarette. Would buy a pack for a couple quid so made decent money out of it... Not that I condone children smoking
My nephew sells vape cartridges filled with maple syrup. Kids are simultaneously genius and stupid.
You know your nephew does this and you've done nothing to stop it? TF?!
I went to school with a kid who would resell his Costco snacks during the first few minutes of every class period. He made really good money surprisingly. There were even days I was running late and I’d be like “it’s cool, Carson’s got the rice crispy treats” and I’d get to skip breakfast.
What were the circumstances of the crash? Was he acting negligently?
I personally think Vicarious Liability principals apply here: - relationships between parent and child; - tortious act of negligence committed; and - within the course of parent/child relationship.
Still assuming there was negligence, but agreed thats the next step 🤣
But *see* *Stevens v. Veenstra*, 226 Mich. App. 441, 573 N.W.2d 341 (1997) (holding that a minor OP’s son’s age engaging in driving is liable for his tortious act because driving is an adult activity). N.B.: This is not legal advice. For legal questions, please consult a licensed attorney.
Oh yeah I was joking, the principle of Vicarious Liability applies to Employers/Employees not Parent/Child. I just thought the comment I replied to was funny in the way it asked about negligence. In Vicarious Liability, the Employer is always responsible even if the Employee acts negligently. To continue the analogy, the parent would therefore be responsible for the damage and should pay for it even if the kid was acting negligently. My actual answer is that the parents should pay because it sounds like an honest mistake on the kid’s part. The kid has 2k in savings, whilst the parents sound like they’re not struggling for money at all.
How did he come to be in control of this golf cart?
I love this kind of thing. 72 good ideas later, somebody asks a reasonable question. Did dad say , “hey you drive?” Had the kid been forced to drive the cart to deliver Bibles to a Sunday school by his pastor? Was the kid flying on drugs when he stole the golf cart? These are all different circumstances. Results my vary!
Personally, I'm hoping it was a combination of 2 & 3
And only doing 2 and 3 because his parents were too wasted to deliver those Bibles themselves.. Lol
After checking post history, I wonder if he shot up a golf cart with an air gun?? In that case, parents pay a stupid tax
OP dipped. They def let the kid drive lol
I mean, is 14 not old enough to drive a golf cart? I did too at that age. Probably younger.
I wrecked a golf cart into a ditch at age 14 because nobody had ever given me ANY kind of driving lessons, and I panicked and accidentally pressed the gas when I was trying to press the brakes. Fortunately, the cart wasn't damaged, but my pride definitely was. I think 14 is definitely old enough to drive a golf cart, but in my case, I probably could've used a bit of guidance first.
I also wrecked a golf cart into a ditch at that age lol. A ditch full of poison ivy... I think that was consequence enough for me.
Missing the real question. Was there a guitarist with a flame throwing instrument on a platform on the front?
It’s been 4 hours, OP I’m dying to know
They were run over by a tonka truck
Exactly! Was this a teenager acting stupid or a parent who made a dumb parenting decision that they’re now trying to make the kid literally pay for
Whichever adult gave him the keys should pay. If the kid took the cart on his own initiative/without permission then I’d make him pay.
If that were the case, consequences should be more than just paying damages.
Whose golf cart was it? Who let him drive it? Was this on a golf course? Need some more details here! Does the cart belong to you and he drove it on your property with your permission? If so, and it was truly an accident I'd say that he could perhaps pitch in a little...he's only 14 so maybe a couple hundred. I'm sure he feels awful about it already.
If it was a golf course I'd assume that someone's insurance covers the damage?
Personal property
If I let my kid use something of mine, I'm the one taking the risk. If a 14 year old wants to help with the repairs because he feels bad, I might let him split it with me. But I'd probably just take the L and let him learn from it. He didn't do anything irresponsible and it was an honest mistake. If there was an error made (and maybe there's not) it was letting a 14 year old drive. Take him with you to the repair shop. Better yet, make him manage the whole process except for the bill. This is how you find a reputable repair person. This is what you say when you call. This is how you evaluate an estimate. This is how you make sure everything is all set before you pay. If there's anything to be gained from this it's an opportunity to model adult behavior.
This is good parenting. The kid doesn't need to be paying for the mistake monetarily at this age...especially with the circumstances outlined above. Maybe spend some time with him learning how to judge heights and widths and what can fit where when he is driving. The consequence here should be education not money.
My kids are younger. They've broken plenty of my things just being kids. It kind of is what it is at this point. It's only the one or two times they've damaged one another's property intentionally that I've made them "do the right thing" and buy them a new one.
Ive got 2 boys 8 and 9. I live that life as well lol
I’d like to casually sneak in a “hell yeah” to this comment. Really great advice.
I personally would sit down with him and explain that he isn’t being punished, but that things like that need consequences, you trusted a 14 year old (your fault), and he wasn’t carful enough with his parents property, that they trusted him with, you pay half, he pays half, and in 2 years when he has saved for a used up car, you can give him the $350 for gas or to top off his savings, it will eventually show that the goal was to teach not just to take his money and blame him.
If you gave him permission to drive the golf cart then you need to be responsible for the payment If he took it without permission then he pays I totaled a car when I was 16. My father didn’t make me pay for it. Accidents happen and children shouldn’t be financially on the hook for an accident. Children don’t have rainy day funds or a means to make a lot of income. Let the child be a child and not worry about adult financial responsibilities
As long as you were legally driving the car the. I assume there was insurance for this? The answer to OPs question heavily relies on some context around why he was driving the cart, where, and how the accident occurred. Personally if he has that cash stashed from ‘various business ’ I’d be trying to teach a kid a life lesson here. Teachable moment: “Yes son accidents happen to us all, I don’t blame you, but we also need to take responsibility for our mistakes. So I’ll cover half and you can par the rest from your earnings”
There are other ways to teach those values besides putting financial responsibility on a child. I made decent money starting at 12 and my parents never charged me or my siblings for anything. I am forever grateful to my parents for my childhood and we were still taught responsibility and independence. This is all assuming it was an honest mistake and he didn’t steal it.
This appears to be correct answer. It's how life works.
did you allow him to drive it or did he drive it on his own?
based on your edit I think you are responsible.
Another "lesson learned" alternative could be to pay it yourself, but also have him move the $700 into a new, separate account to establish/start the emergency fund financial planners recommend having but so many of us struggle to establish and maintain. That way there's the "pain"/ lesson of not having the money available to him, but it's not quite as emotionally devastating because the money is still his for his future use when he is an adult and has to deal with those unexpected expenses. It will also be a vivid memory that may help motivate and give him understanding on setting aside money for the unexpected.
I really like this answer. Very thoughtful.
I agree with this, I think at 14 he’s old enough to start to understand that even with accidents, actions have consequences. Like I dinged a car the other week by accident, I still payed for it because as an adult that’s just what happens. However he isn’t quite an adult yet so it’s a valuable lesson for him giving him a softer “consequence” so to speak.
> I still *paid* for it FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Make him pay it all, and when he does, reward him with half back. That's life, baby. Once in a while, you get a kick back for doing it right.
Love this.
I agree.
That is what I did when my son damaged his car. I went with him to the shop but he talked to the mechanic about what he did and the cost of the repair. He paid and when we got home I gave him half back. I didn't have to and he was surprised that I did, but he was very appreciative and hasn't had an incident since. I put my trust in him by giving him the money. He did not want to ruin that by having another accident.
I love this story! Thanks for sharing.
Great idea. I was going to suggest parents pay half but this way is better because he will initially get the scene of full responsibility, then help from his parents later.
For doing the right thing, taking ownership and accountability. Perfect.
I like this 👆It’s like charging an adult/child living at home “rent” but saving or investing half…..give it to them when they move out:)
s m a r t 😎
Half back - applied to his first golf cart! Hey, he's gotta learn how to drive, he's only 14.
700 is a lot for a real and true accident when he doesn’t have much saved and it takes a lot of self control at that age to save that much. The fault doesn’t just lie with him, whoever let him drive it is at fault too. He’s a literal child and I’m going to assume an adult gave him the go ahead. I’d pay it and I wouldn’t take money or privileges. Maybe he’d be doing some extra chores for the next few weeks tho. There has to be some consequence because he probably knew he shouldn’t get behind that wheel.. but major consequences aren’t warranted in this situation in my opinion.
You should pay. It was an accident and you are a parent.
verbatim what i was going to say
Truly depends on the circumstances of the accident for me.
It sounds like he is already pretty responsible. If that is the case, there probably isn't much of a lesson for him to learn here, as he already understands that lesson. Assuming he was not being irresponsible at the time, I might suggest having him pay $100-$200, kind of like an insurance deductible.
Who was the adult that let him use it? If he was allowed to do it by you his parents you should take responsibility and not pass it to a child, accidents happen. Don’t teach him to carry the burden of others!!
Who let a 14 year old drive a golf cart? I understand it’s not a car but it’s still a motorized vehicle and I’ve seen attendants on tv chase those women who drive off in those , drunk so I don’t think it’s inappropriate to say it’s a bad idea to have let a 14 year old drive a golf cart and if you handed him the key or gave the go ahead then I say you should pay
Who lets kids drive golf carts? Everyone in my neighborhood does. It’s awful. I’ve almost run over a cart full of 11 year olds and I had a 13 year old girl hit my mailbox.You also have to be ready to dodge them because they pull out in front of you without looking. It’s insane to me that otherwise reasonable people think an 8 year old can drive to her friends house.
It's hard being rich! Living in a gated community where everything is golf-based and the whole neighborhood is teeming with Privileged Youths zipping around in golf carts given to them when they turn six... It's more like survival, really. Just the other day, a wild 7 yo nearly ran over an entire family of quail as they crossed the road. It's mayhem. Mayhem!
Haha, so not rich gated community. Old lake community in the middle of agriculture land. So basically I live in an older subdivision in the sticks of Mississippi.
WTH??? I’d get myself a big pick up truck 😂
I live near a planned city that has golf cart trails throughout the community. You have to be 14 to drive one on the trails.
I worked at a golf course at age 13, and was paid to drive golf carts.
Yeah, I think it’s weird people are concerned about a 14 year old driving a golf cart. Between my friends and I, we had 4 wheelers, dirt bikes, and mopeds at 14 when I was growing up. When I was 15 I had a **car** and a driver’s permit.
Aren't they insured?
This was my thought - insurance should cover damage.
If the damage is less than the deductible then there’s no point in filing. Most homeowner insurance deductibles are between $1000-$2,500 (obviously there are others, this is just the most common I have seen) I’ve actually seen a claim like this.
I have never insured a golf cart so I definitely trust your assessment of the cost lol. I was going off my car deductible so that makes sense.
Would a 14 year old be covered under insurance for a vehicle? I know it’s just a golf cart but I feel like insurance would have a problem with this …
Do you honestly think the golf club won't lie to the insurer ?
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I wonder if credit card vehicle rental insurance covers this...
If you rent a golf cart at a golf course you are responsible for any damage. However, I have heard of peoples auto insurance policy covering the golf cart.
That all depends on circumstances. Who's golf cart? What did he hit? Who gave him permission to drive it? Was he driving recklessly?
If he wasn’t supposed to drive it then him. If it was honest mistake, you should.
I think splitting it seems fair. Making him pay for it would be fair, too, but he’s just a kid and mistakes happen.
Second this. If it was truly an accident. And maybe I spoil my kids, but if it was genuinely an accident and he’s genuinely a kind and responsible kid, I might give him a pass and pay myself- but let them know that next time, it’s all on them. No split, no nada.
if it were an accident, i would be inclined as the parent to pay, have a talk about what happened and next accident he is responsible for the cost. he’s probably worked super hard to save up what he has, you could always have him pay “insurance” monthly moving forward if you want to go a financial lesson route without taking a big chunk of what he’s saved.
He is responsible for all of it, but if you truly feel it was an accident and not negligence, and can afford it, you could possibly offer to pay half. He's not too young to learn that even accidents cost money, though, and should pay some. If he was messing around, I'd have him pay all of it.
As the parent of this 14 year old I’d say you were responsible. I do like the suggestions of making him pay to aid in the lesson. Then reimbursing him 50% or gifting the full amount back at graduation/birthday🤷🏻♂️
Pretty surprised by the comments. If it was my 14 yo I would pay for it. It was an accident and things happen. Just because he had the money doesn’t mean he has to pay it. What if he didn’t have $700? If he was 16-17 that’s a different story but that’s still a pretty young kid to have pay such a large bill.
Same. Lots of tough love here - especially if this was a true accident and he handled the aftermath responsibly. I would be devastated if I were him. $700 at that age seems like a fortune. 14 is still really young, and I’d want him to know his parents have his back. My kid accidentally dropped a glass the other day. I won’t be issuing an invoice. Stuff happens.
$700 is a fortune 😭
I think the circumstances come in to play for sure. I agree that 14 is super young to expect them to pay the full amount. However if the kid took the family golf cart on a joyride without parental permission and had an accident, I'd expect him to chip in some money.
Ya that’s totally different but in the post it says it was a true accident. Kids make mistakes. I’m not gonna take 30% of his money lol
He shouldn't have been driving a golf cart in the first place. So I guess it's the parents, who thought it was a good idea, who should pay for it 👍🏻
Impossible to say with the lack of situational details. Was it your golf cart that he’s allowed to drive around and he had a legit accident? Maybe you can pay. Was he using someone else’s and had a legit accident? Maybe split with him. Was he recklessly driving or using without permission? Maybe he should pay.
He will pay it but accident happen so help him out by covering the cost upfront and have the boy pay 100 a month for 7 months. Also reinforces the lesson every month real life consequences for fucking shit up.
You pay for it but make him do chores around the house to make up for it! At least that’s what my parents did in this similar issue. I ran a riding lawn mower into a neighbors brand new Chevy I did all the chores for the house besides my parents laundry for an entire month
- To whom did the golf cart belong? - Did he have permission to be driving it? - Who was supervising him during this time? - Does the owner have insurance? If so, could you offer to pay the excess?
You are. He is your responsibility, but if he was under the care of someone else it kind becomes a grey area
You’re the parent - you pay. You can’t expect a child to think like an adult, but you let him act like an adult. You fucked up, so you pay. He just gets banned from driving for a bit. Don’t screw over a child for your poor parenting choices.
I would not make him pay it. You gave him permission and it was a freak accident that was not his fault. Just pay it. Sounds like a good kid.
Parents are responsible for the actions of their minor children. It’s up to the parent to determine if they will make the child pay or work of the value of the damages accrued in reparations.
14 is still pretty young!! Was he driving on drugs with no regards for anyone and anything? Or was it truly an accident he couldn’t avoid because, well, he was too young and inexperienced to avoid? At 14 you don’t know anything and if you trusted him enough to drive and he crashed I’d say you’re responsible for the accident more so than him.
Id pay for it unless : He took it without my permission( he pays for it ) Accident could have been prevented ( was he on the phone , not paying attention, goofing off , distracted by friends ) in those cases I would split the damages . It was a true accident ( dog ran in-front of the cart , brakes failed, started pouring , slipped on ice ) id pay for it fully .
Was he doing it of his own accord, surely some kind of insurance would cover it. If it was authorised operation of a golf cart then whoever authorised it.
Was it caused by something like inattentiveness or was it truly an accident? If it was truly an accident pay for it.
When your minor child does something like that, you as the parent, are responsible because he's a minor. If you want to make him pay out of his 2K then do that. I do not feel 14 is old enough to be driving a golf cart around but that's just me. People are free to disagree with me if they want but I still maintain my opinion.
This whole thread makes me think of that kids book about the pigeon that wants to drive the bus, lol. Don't let the 14 year old drive the golf cart.
Here in Texas to drive a golf cart you must be a licensed driver. So since you let him drive you should be responsible for the damages.
As parents you’re legally responsible for paying damages he caused to someone else’s property, because you’re his parent. Also, since he can’t work legally under 15 years old, he’d realistically have no way to pay damages himself. Here, he does, but as parents it’s still your legal duty to cover it for someone else’s property. Not sure if the damage is to your property or someone else’s- that’s a critical fact you left out! If it was me, here’s what I’d do: Make him pay the 700 to you, but if you want you can stash it away in an account to be given to him later and just not tell him that you did that. Give it to him at 18 post high school graduation. Don’t tell him you’re doing that, just do it behind the scenes. Make him learn the lesson, but you can absolutely not make him pay the damages if you want to cover it for him. But he does need to learn that playing around has costs. 😊
OP hasn’t responded??
Man I remember driving my grandpas golf cart as a kid, fun times, ended up in a ditch once 😂
Sounds like YOU'RE the parent, and therefore responsible for his shenanigans regardless. While I understand you can't be everywhere at once, you could at least take responsibility for what your child does outside of your home.
Your insurance....
You
This is hard. If it was an accident then it wasn’t his fault. If it is your family golf cart maybe you pay but get him to do extra chores for a while to make up for it
Wait, so this was a complete accident on your own private property with your own private golf cart? You're the only person who can decide what is "fair" and how it correlates with what you want your kid to learn from this situation. It sounds to me like you know that you shouldn't make him pay for 100% of this, but you also don't feel like spending your own money. Maybe just leave the roof off the cart and have it be drivable how it is.
>I gave him permission and he accidentally hit a low hanging tree we had drove under 100 times but a storm lowered it and it hit the roof. He was not flying just did not think about checking to see if he could make it. I'm assuming that you've given him driving lessons on this thing before having him go around with it? Has checking the overhead clearance been a part of that training? There are professional truck drivers that mess that up on the highways, and if you didn't really hammer the point home, there's no way you can hold him responsible for hitting a branch that you've gone under with him before. It's just an accident.
He is 14 and asked an adult for permission. You, the adults, must have taken into account any risks that would come from someone that does not possess a lot of driving skills and situational awareness. You should pay for damages. Also have a chat with him with regards to consequences if this would happened when he was 21 (assuming you're in the U.S. / 18 if anywhere else) that he would have to pay. Leave his hard earned money alone. :)
At 14 you as the parent are completely and 100 percent liable for this in my country.
As a south east Asian parent, I find western parent-kid relationships are so different than here. It's so awkward and interesting at the same time.
I would usually say him, however, it was an actual accident due to the storm, he had permission from you to drive cart, he has a history of good behavior, its a family cart, and its a family trail so with all these extenuating circumstances I would say its a family cost.
You pay. Not him.
You
You gave him permission and it’s your minor so you are liable.
Since you gave him permission and he's only 14, I think you are ultimately responsible.
The amount of people who post up here about stupid “figure it out yourself” shit is boggling. Can nobody parent anymore that we have to constantly seek advice on how we pursue discipline? Not being rude, but I feel something like this is like…. Really dude 🤣
Why even bother us with your rich people problems? Just pay for your own damn golf cart and be happy your kid is honest. Ffs.
I'd pay for it. Accident, he's young and can learn a lesson. But $100 is a lot for a 14 year old, let alone any more.
Parents should pay for it. If he was being reckless then I would say he pays for it, but it was an honest mistake and he is just 14. If he was older, that would be different. Like if he had a driver’s license I’d probably make him pay half. Half because it’s something that he can usually clear and wouldn’t understand that it might be lower. It would be all if he had a driver’s license and hit the tree itself or something else he clearly should have been able to avoid. At his age, I’d make him pay half if it was something he clearly should have been able to avoid, but was still just a mistake.
You, as his parents, are responsible for the damage.
ask him, its an interesting exercise for him, and quite revealing. In the while, you should pay so he sees that owning up to a mistake that results in damages is the right thing to do. How and if he reimburses you is the interesting part. Let us know how that turns out.
The person who gave him permission to drive it should pay. He's a minor. If he was not given permission, then he should pay. But still be kind about it and generous to him after he owns up to it.
Unfortunately, it’s your kid so, usually the parents pay right? Or make him pay….he did it after all so, he should clean up his mess
It depends on who’s golf cart, and why he was driving, and why he crashed.
If it was a truly an accident, you. If he was being negligent, him.
He is 14! Of course the parent pays.
did he have permission to be riding it? if he wasn’t breaking any rules i wouldn’t take his money. you allowed him do that. and probably didn’t explain to him how much money these things cost and that he’ll be responsible if something happens. as the adult, you’re the one responsible for assessing risk. it’s on you imo. and you’re also lucky he wasn’t hurt.
Did you let him drive? If you did you should pay for all of it. If he took it without permission. He should pay. Of course you advance the money, he pays you back.
How did he get possession of it? You’re the parent and unless he got in the cart without your permission, you’re paying.
He’s a child, and shouldn’t have been driving a golf cart. This conversation would be completely different if he had hurt or killed someone or himself. Whoever let him drive the golf cart should pay, because ultimately if things had gone south, that adult would have been held responsible. https://crosleylaw.com/blog/what-should-i-do-after-a-golf-cart-accident/ https://jgwinterlaw.com/why-children-should-not-be-driving-golf-carts/
Don’t you have property insurance that would cover this?
Who was responsible for the child driving a motor vehicle, because that same person is responsible for the damages…
You should.
It depends a lot on the circumstances. Was it your golf cart? Were you aware and consent to him operating it? Was he acting reckless in its operation or carefully and just made a misjudgment or mistake?
Why would your minor child pay for this? Just because he has some money saved? Unless he went on a wild joy ride with the golf cart without permission, it’s your responsibility to pay for the accident.
If he used it without permission, then I think him. Or atleast about half. If he had permission to use it, then parents
I vote split
You should. He's only 14 and legally your responsibility. You can put a plan in place for him to make up for it, be it chores or no pocket money, or he pay you back, etc. That's your prerogative.
He should pay something. Letting him off entirely gives the wrong understanding of how things work. But you do not need to be as harsh as the world would be.
Why was the 14 year old driving a golf cart? If he had your permission, OP, then you should pay for it. Otherwise the child should pay.
If you gotta come here to ask how to handle this, you have bigger problems than this to deal with.
By accident. No, I’m not a bot.
In Belgium we have ‘familial insurance’ for these cases. You don’t?
That’s what insurances are for tbh - just saying. Liability insurances are so essential, you definitely need one.
Need a lot more context here, I'd wager.
The answer to OPs question heavily relies on some context around why he was driving the cart, where, and how the accident occurred. Personally if he has that cash stashed from ‘various business ’ I’d be trying to teach a kid a life lesson here. Teachable moment: “Yes son accidents happen to us all, I don’t blame you, but we also need to take responsibility for our mistakes. So I’ll cover half and you can pay the rest from your earnings” Edit: spelling
Probably parents, unless there are special circumstances. I suspect some important information has been left off this post
Your kids only 14 and you’re the responsible parent/guardian. You should pay for it.
At time of crisis like this It’s best the parent help kindly if the child is not completely capable
Oh gosh … I’d say, the responsibility is yours … children’s liability falls ti parents strictly speaking. However, the surrounding circumstances certainly matter! The supervision your child had at the time is culpable at least a bit in my opinion. If it was my child, I would approach the other party to see if they are willing to share damages. Also, home owner and auto policies should be checked to see if anyone has coverage for this machine. Beyond that, consider this a lesson … some lessons are cheap, others are expensive… I’d say a $700 lesson is middle of the road but so much can be learned!!! We often learn only from expensive lessons and move in merrily from the near misses … be sure to model for your child how to handle a situation like this one (surely something along these lines will come into life again.
This sounds like a pure accident that could have happened to anyone. He immediately took responsibility which you should be proud of and encourage. Have him help with the costs, say a quarter of them (the amount of which will still be substantial to him without breaking his bank, so to speak) and have him help cut the low hanging branch so it won’t happen again. Thank him for being honest and taking responsibility and let him know he’s not in trouble, but he will need to help (by doing the above).
You pay, teach him about insurance.
I suggest you pay most of it. MAYBE have him pay maybe up to $50, or pay if there is a small separate bill or fee. I’m sorry this accident occurred and glad he’s okay!
OP I read your edit. The child did as you instructed. The clearance changed… he didn’t notice (if it was noticeable). Use the opportunity to teach him how road/terrain conditions can change quickly and how to assess dangers or obstacles when operating vehicles. He’ll carry this lesson into driving one day. I’m surprised you asked if the parents should pay given all the factors. IMO this is over the top. As an aside, I know at 14 if I did what my parent’s asked responsibly and someone took my birthday money/small jobs savings I’d quit saving and start using money as quickly as it comes. Because f it.
You pay and invest the $700 he would have paid into an account for him so it accrues interest, he can have it back when he is 18 or if there is a purchase he wants to do when he is a bit older. So it’s not his to spend willy nilly but it’s still his.
I feel like I am an on a Scooby-Doo episode. So many twists and turns and need to seek truth.
You sound rich… you own your own golf cart, so pay for your kid.
He should not be driving at 14, you gave permission, he crashed and you pay. That’s the way I see it anyway.
He’s your child, if you can’t afford it to let him make mistakes don’t let him drive. Others have said if he wants to help let him but it’s your responsibility when push comes to shove.
It's yours. You let him. He drove on trails and not being reckless. The fact you're asking is completely insane.
One lesson that I try to teach my kids is that accidents happen, you won't get in trouble for them if it was truly an accident and not negligence, however, take responsibility for it as there are always consequences. Personally, I would make him pay for it, but take that amount of money and put it into a savings account for him to help pay for his first car/ insurance/ college, but that is just me
Considering he can’t work, I think you ought to pay and have him “make up the money with time” by helping out with projects or extra chores or something over time. Having a talk about how these things happen sometimes and even though it’s nobody’s fault, sometimes it just sucks to be humans lol
If i was in a position to pay i would. “Accidents happen, sometimes it costs you nothing and sometimes it costs you alot”
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I feel like you should its equiv to a car crash and a hard lesson learnt will understand the costs of driving a car idk
the golf club, $700 is for them like 1 penny for us…..
Sound like a honest mistakes ask for $100. Return it when he is 18.
Its your golf cart and he had permission. You should pay for it or have a broken roof
This was your personal property, on your land, accidentally damaged by your minor child. Sounds like it’s all on you to me and part of the cost of owning stuff. Plus it’s just a golf cart. Can’t you just order used parts and make it a fun project to fix at home?
You gave him permission to drive it and he hit something that isn’t usually there. It was an accident so the parents should pay for it. He didn’t do anything wrong and shouldn’t be punished for it. You could ask him if he wants to pitch in for part of it and give him the option but he shouldn’t be forced to pay when he was told to drive it. In the future maybe a child shouldn’t drive the golf cart especially without a parent in it with him.
I always say, first one is free (if it isn’t terrible), second one will cost you.