Do not blame your son - Cistern handles are sometimes poorly made and unable to withstand vigourous flushing.
Go to your H/W store (B&Q in UK for instance) and buy a new handle assembly - go for the plain rather than the fancy - it's the fancy ones that break - I bet yours is cast alloy with a ceramic handle and the cheap metal has just snapped - Bathstore?
Replacement is easy with minimum of tools and effort.
If you have any other similar handles in the house might as well buy a replacement for them too as they will surely snap before long!
Peccavi
October 2008