Would you have replaced it?

We had a Japanese exchange student come and stay with us on Sunday.
Only an hour of her being here miss 3 had got hold of her camera and when miss 16 tried to get it of her she threw it and broke it (lens would go in and out)
So I tried to take it some where to get it fixed but it was going to take them to long to even look at it and they couldn't guarantee being able to fix it.
So I felt very bad because it was my DD that broke it so I replaced it...I hunted around and found a camera almost exactly the same and bought it for her.
I had her Japanese tour coordinator on the phone thanking me for the generous gift and that I didn't need to do that.
So now I have the australian coordinator ringing telling me I didn't need to do that and he was sorry that I did and she should have put the camera somewhere safer.
But I felt like it was my responsibility that it was broken and I couldn't leave her without a camera.
I think I did the right thing...but it seems to have created a little of a kerfuffle.
Isn't it etiquette if you break something you fix it or replace it?
Would you have done the same?

Yep. Regardless of the other issues around whether she should have taken more care around a small child, I would have replaced it. I would have felt extra bad because she is here on exchange so I'm assuming wants to take lots of pics of her experience. Being without a camera when you are away is not fun.

i would have replaced it too

I would have done exactly the same thing. A student isn't necessarily going to understand that you can't leave things within reach of small children either so even if she should have put it somewhere else I think you did the right thing by replacing it.

Yeah I would've replaced it, don't worry hun you did the right thing! :)

Yup i would have replaced it too.

definitely would have replaced it. I think you done the right thing. Also the co-ordinaters weren't there, so they maybe don't understand that it was your DD's fault it got broken?? It could also be a cultural difference, but I'm not sure????

Absolutely I would have. You did the right thing.

yeah i would have done the same. maybe they don't like people to give expensive gifts to the kids but in this case it wasn't really a gift. I wouldn't worry about them making a fuss. If she'd dropped it in your toilet i wouldn't have replaced it but the fact that your child caused the damage, i think, holds you responsible iykwim.

i hope she had a good time with you all :)

I would have done the same!!
I reckon it's a cultural thing they said you didn't have to replace it!

Thank you!
I am glad you all would have done the same thing. :D
To me the the fact I felt much better after replacing it told me I was doing the right thing.
The Australian coordinator is Australian and he was the one apologising for me having to replace it and telling me I shouldn't have....it was her responsibility.

Yep I would have replaced it.
I know she should have put it somewhere safer but when you're not used to having small kids around it doesn't really occur to you til after the fact. I would probably say that to the coordinator!
I think you did the right thing :)

I definitely would have replaced it, and the others are right in saying it's cultural thing.

I did my student exchange in Japan. While on school camp there, I was writing in my diary and I got a little bit of pen ink on a pillowcase. My host sister showed our teacher and I thought I was going to get into a lot of trouble. It was my host sister who got into trouble, as she 'should've' made sure I had the proper writing surface, and the teacher said she had to apologise to me. I was gobsmacked, my host sister knew this was going to happen, and she dobbed herself in for something I'd done!?!?!?! Crazy stuff. But, that's the way it rolls :)

Our etiquette would say it's the right thing to replace it. Her school's etiquette would probably recognise that you've been financially inconvenienced and so see it as their fault :)

Interesting insight into the cultural differences. There seems to be a greater expectations to think of all the possible consequences of things in Japan.

I would have replaced it too. Yes, she should have hidden it better, but maybe she doesn't have experience with young children. Or maybe young Japanese children wouldn't touch it, I dont know. But I would have done what you did.

I would have replaced it too :) GOod on you!

yup, i'm another that would have replaced it! My DD is another that throws things instead of handing them over when she knows it's not for her - drives me insane! so i can see this coming up

cultural differences aside - if you felt responsible for the actions of your child, then you act on it. it's not about what is expected of you by the person - it's what you expect of yourself. well, that's how i feel anyway!

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cultural differences aside - if you felt responsible for the actions of your child, then you act on it. it's not about what is expected of you by the person - it's what you expect of yourself. well, that's how i feel anyway!

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Nice one! I like that call, it's all about being the person you feel you should be!

I think you did the right for sure! If it was reversed you would have been happy for someone to do that for you :)

Yes, I think you've done the right thing. If I was the student and you hadn't replaced it, I would have been very upset - especially as it would mean that she wouldn't have been able to take any photos during her trip.

I'm with all the others, I would have done exactly the same thing.

Yes from our student and the Japanese coordinator I understand that it would be a cultural thing but the coordinator of the program here in Australia is Australian (not Japanese at all) and he was the one who was insisting more that I didn't have to do it, apologising to me and blaming her. I think that is why I was so surprised
Thank you for all your responses they are reassuring :D

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cultural differences aside - if you felt responsible for the actions of your child, then you act on it. it's not about what is expected of you by the person - it's what you expect of yourself. well, that's how i feel anyway!

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Absolutely! Well said and I agree...which is why I did not hesitate to replace it. :D

I would have the same thing and replaced it, if my child broke something its my responsibility to repair or replace.

I too would have done the exact same thing.

i would have replaced it too, if fact i did when my DS did exactly the same thing with my mums camera

DD broke my friends ray bans at the weekend, i will replce them....when i have the funds! i think its the right thing to do!

I would have replaced it too.

I think what you did was definately the right thing. I would have done exactly the same and replaced it.

It is good karma I think....

I would have replaced it as well

Did you ask if she have some kind of insurance that would have covered it - some kind of extra on her travel insurance perhaps? Might sound strange in Australia but we have an insurance that will cover (mostly) anything that DS breaks that belongs to other people. For example, we recently used it because FIL's glasses had fallen to the ground accidently after some rough play (so, really it was FIL's fault but the claim was approved).
It covers us too, so DH used it when he broke a friend's tail light by throwing a snowball.

Anyway, insurance aside, I would have replaced it too. Other people have already said this, but I completely agree with doing what you expect of yourself.

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Yeah I would've replaced it, don't worry hun you did the right thing! :)

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i agree

i would just educate your exchange visitor about keeping valuables out of the reach of young kids, so it doesn't keep happening. but yeh, i would feel the same way as you.

Yep, agree, its the right thing to do, until our little ones are old enough to take responsibility for their actions, we as parents need to :)