DD lost her friend's Gift Card

[AprilShowers]

Tell me what you would have done in this situation.

It's a long story, I'll try to keep it short. Early summer, DD and some friends went to the coffee shop, and her friend asked her to hold her gift card. It was made of paper and had $16 left on it.

DD put it in her pocket. Friend never asked for it back, and DD forgot about it as well. Well......it went through the wash. Shredded, ruined. I had no idea. The friend asked DD for it a couple weeks later, and DD never told her what really happened to it. DD also never told me what happened to it, or asked me what we should do about it. If she had, I would have called the mom, told her it went through the wash and asked her to split the difference, since both girls should have been more responsible.

So now, months later, the friend calls DD and asks for the card back. Now, DD says Mom! what should I do? it went throught the wash? I told DD she had to pay friend back all of the money since she didn't tell friend right away what happened. I made DD pay her own $$ too.

DH says both girls should have been responsible for the money since her friend should have been responsible to ask for her gift card back. After all it is the same as cash right?
What would you have done?

 

[pearlieq]

I think your take on the situation is right. If she had told her friend immediately, I think splitting it would have been fair. Since she sat on it for months, I think the responsibility was hers and she should use her own money to pay it back.

And let both girls learn a lesson--your DD to saying no when asked to guard valuable things and your her friend to be responsible for her own property.

 

[MareQ]

I would have made DD offer half of the money back. It shouldn't have been DD's responsibility to kep track oif her friends' stuff.

 

[MrsPete]

I would've just stayed out of it and let the girls work it out. If they're old enough to visit coffee shops alone, they're old enough to work these things out.

 

[poohandwendy]

I would have made her pay all of the money back. She took on the responsibility by putting it in her pocket.

 

[horseshowmom]

I think your take on the situation is right. If she had told her friend immediately, I think splitting it would have been fair. Since she sat on it for months, I think the responsibility was hers and she should use her own money to pay it back.

And let both girls learn a lesson--your DD to saying no when asked to guard valuable things and your her friend to be responsible for her own property.

This would be my position too.

 

[Hannathy]

I think she should have paid all of it back whether it was the next day or 2 mos later. I don't understand why she ever should have just paid 1/2 .

 

[RadioNate]

I would have made her pay all of the money back. She took on the responsibility by putting it in her pocket.

I agree.

 

[taximomfor4]

I have made it clear to my kids NOT to hold onto anyone else's posessions unless they want to be fully responsible for it. My oldest is famous for "guarding" other kids' violins (EEEKKKKK!) Therefore, I would have made dd pay back the full amount out of her own money. Ya did good, mom!

 

[sha_lyn]

I would have made her pay all of the money back. She took on the responsibility by putting it in her pocket.

ITA. Once the OPs DD took on the responsibility of holding onto the card she had to take care of it.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

It's neither here nor there now, but why didn't the friend just hold onto the gift card to begin with all those months ago? Or stick it in her own pocket or purse? Seems like something she shouldn't have had your DD keep track of. I can see a larger item if she had her hands full, but a gift card she could have put with her money. And since she did, she should have gotten it back that night.

Anyway, she did have your DD hold it and your DD agreed to do so. I would have your DD tell her the truth and offer to pay the full amount. Maybe the friend accept some responsibility and will offer to split the difference. What did your DD tell her when she first asked for it back after a couple weeks?

 

[dg39]

I'd also have my dd give her back the $16.00 for it. Regardless of whose right or wrong in this situation, for that amount of money its not worth the aggrivation to me...

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I would have made her pay all of the money back. She took on the responsibility by putting it in her pocket.

 

[Disney4Drew]

I would have her pay the friend back 16.00. It's a tough lesson to learn, but luckily it's a minimal amount of money involved.

 

[RUDisney]

I would have made her pay all of the money back. She took on the responsibility by putting it in her pocket.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I think she should have paid all of it back whether it was the next day or 2 mos later. I don't understand why she ever should have just paid 1/2 .

I agree. I know I would have.

 

[AprilShowers]

DD was afraid her friend would be mad at her so she didn't tell her friend right away. I made DD pay the whole amount because she waited so long to tell her.

The only reason we thought they should split the cost is because friend should be responsible for her OWN money, and should have asked for it back when they parted ways. I guess she didn't have any pockets that night or something.
BUT DD should have been responsible enought to fess up that it went through the wash. That's why I made her pay up and give the friend the money.

BTW, when she told the friend, there was no fighting. Friend just laughed, took the $ and everything's fine. I just wondered if I handled it right.

 

[Tiffer]

I think she should have paid all of it back whether it was the next day or 2 mos later. I don't understand why she ever should have just paid 1/2 .

Agree. She will certainly learn not to be responsible for other people's belongings again. Or irresponsible in this case. After all the lessons is the point. It's valuable lesson and I think she got out cheap at $16. This is a life lesson that could have cost alot more if it were a friends car or big ticket item or even cash.

 

[Tiffer]

DD was afraid her friend would be mad at her so she didn't tell her friend right away. I made DD pay the whole amount because she waited so long to tell her.

The only reason we thought they should split the cost is because friend should be responsible for her OWN money, and should have asked for it back when they parted ways. I guess she didn't have any pockets that night or something.
BUT DD should have been responsible enought to fess up that it went through the wash. That's why I made her pay up and give the friend the money.

BTW, when she told the friend, there was no fighting. Friend just laughed, took the $ and everything's fine. I just wondered if I handled it right.

She should have paid the whole amount regardless of how long she took to tell her. After all, she put it in her clothes and put it in her hamper or wash. The friend didn't ask her to do that?

 

[palmtreegirl]

I think she should have paid all of it back whether it was the next day or 2 mos later. I don't understand why she ever should have just paid 1/2 .

I would've made her pay the whole amount too.