I look at it this way it's not my responsability to watch your kids when you come over it's yours... If you fail at your job then you should be held liable. In this case the mother is held liable and should pay. Then you should teach your kids the difference between right and wrong. Put it this way say your kids get to be teenagers and decide to take the shotgun one day and kill a hawk or something. Guess what the state and federal law don't care that they didn't know the bird is protected ignorance of the law is your own fault not the laws. You come to my house and don't watch your kids I'm not going to ruin my afternoon eagle eyeing your kids to make sure they act right, you had them you watch them. In this case the mom should pay up point blank no questions asked maybe if she goes through the trouble of trying to track down a SH to replace then she'll think twice before letting her kids run wild...