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If a visitors child broke something in your house.
1 something dear to you, expensive and hard to replace.
2 something fairly superficial, but still needing to be replaced.
I experienced this today, as well as a couple of months ago.
Both were complete accidents.
personally i wouldnt expect anything in terms of replacement - accidents happen
however, my DS broke a teapot when he was a baby at a friends place and I couldnt replace it exactly (and she has many) but i did give ger a gift to apologise
for me, something dear to me and expensive i would keep out of reach when a kid is over, or wouild watch v closely
something superficial = no problem
Hi,
The thing dear to me was in my bedroom, down the other end of the house. Vthe toddler wandered in unsupervised.
I'd expect an offer of a replacement which I'd probably refuse but I'd think a lot less of someone who didn't even make the offer or seem apologetic.
Sorry you have had a couple of things broken :hug:
In all honesty I would not expect them to be replaced. Though if my child broke items in someone's house I would do my best to replace them :D
I didn't really expect a replacement, but didn't even really get an apology.
Honestly, i would be utterly horrified if my child broke someone elses property and would immediately offer to fix/replace if possible.
We have had items of ours broken by other peoples children, some were replaced and others i didnt get an apology. One of the toys my DD got for her birthday was broken on her actual birthday by other children. I didn't know until hours after they all left. I don't know whose child it was but i don't think the parents would have known either so i let it go.
I had a friend come over the other week and her son destroyed my DDs room and she didn't say anything, he scratched/dented the walls and no apology. I wasn't happy about that.
I would at least expect an apology. I also think that if my DD broke something in someone else's house I would at least offer to replace it (even if I knew the person would say no). A number of years ago we had just brought a new (black leather) lounge and friends came over and decided they would take their kids to the beach. They put sunscreen on their kids (as you'd expect), but then the kids climbed all over the couch, leaving white hand prints everywhere. We couldn't get them off with anything we had in the house (we were pretty devastated - we thought the couch was ruined). They came back the next day with something to get the marks off :)
im sorry but i would except an attempt at replacement. It just shows that you respect that persons belonging. I saw a funny thing once, my SIL had a window broken by a cousins kid and their aunt and uncle ended up paying to get it fixed. but then that same SIL son broke a window at her deceased mothers house and it ended coming out of the estate without an attempt from her otherwise. it annoys me the double standard more than the monetary value. no respect for others belongings, her or her kids.
i would definitely expect an apology.
and if it was me, i would offer to replace the item as well. if the precious item couldn't be replaced & i knew how important it was to you, i would also at the very least send you a card a week or so later to let you know that i was aware how precious it was to you & how sorry i was that it was broken.
If my child broke something inexpensive and everyday sort of stuff I would certainly apologise (and ask the child to) and offer to replace it.
If they broke something dear to you, I would be absolutely mortified and don't imagine I could apologise enough but TBH depending on what it was I'm not sure an offer to replace would be appropriate. I have a few items that are either very expensive or worth next to nothing in monetary terms, but the sentimental value of them is priceless. If it were just an expensive thing, I would offer to replace it. If it were something sentimental I think I'd just be apologising for the rest of my life.
I would be very disappointed to not have an apology at all. Accidents do happen, but that doesn't mean you just pretend it didn't happen.
I think these days it just shows a disrespect for other peoples belongings. whats going on, i was brought up with you cant be trusted with someone elses stuff if you cant respect your own. I was playing hide and seek with my little bro when i was 13 or so and he hid in a cupboard and broke my parents crystal glasses, my dad made us both have to replace them.
i would expect an apology and an offer to replace said items. I may turn around and say thats not nessary but i would expect the offer at least.
I would expect an apology and that they offer to replace the item. In that situation especially, I would offer to pay/replace.
I'd expect an apology at the minimum.
When little ones visit, I make sure all doors are closed so they can't get into places they shouldn't.
Oh yeah definitely expect an apology! You didn't get one?
if it iwas in your room and they wandered in there then i think that is a different story... a very big apology and an offer to replace/compensate somehow (not knowing what it is i dont know exactly what i would do)
The sentimental item was in my room on a table out of reach. The young child pulled the table. His mum was mortified, but what could she do?! It was shattered.
The other item was a childrens clck. My DS is using it to learn the time. Not the same child as the first age 1 flung it across the room shattering the back so it no longer works. Mum didn't even care! Just said 'oh well. Time for us to g home'. I will have to replace the clock as my DS is using it for school.
Neither offered compensation. I would have said no anyway.
Oh that reminds me. My best friend had a lend of our steam mop and broke it. She replaced it brand new without telling me. Then she arrived to return it with a new mop. I refused to accept it, as my mop was not brand new and may have done the same to me. Instead she gave me $50. (it was a $200 mop). I felt funny even accepting that.
I would always offer to replace. I also wouldn't let my toddler wander off down someone's hall. You never know if there is a laundry door open etc.....
agree with you
i'd be devastated! I bet the mum was horrified though :( I can only imagine how horrified i would be if one of my girls broke something really special.
I would sit by the mantra though that accidents happen, it wasnt intentional. But yeah, it does suck poo bottom :(
I'm trying to think if i would offer compo...i know that i would apologise profusely and help clean it up...but now, yeah i'd have to think about how i as the mum of the kid that broke the special thing, how you would go about offering? Like, is it replaceable? If it is, then i am fairly certain i would (or try to match closely).
All I'd expect is an apology. Accidents do happen and kids, well, they'll be kids. As most of us know, it's hard to watch them every second of the day.
I learned very quickly to shut doors to rooms I didn't want kids going into, and putting anything of value (sentimental or $) well out of reach. In my case, it was a photo of my sister and I at her wedding that a 2yo pulled out of a frame and screwed up. I'd left it on a low-set table, not even thinking a kid would go for it. It was the first time I hosted mothers' group at my house ;)
Sorry it's happened to you, but unfortunately I think it's just "one of those things".
ETA: Just wanted to add, that if a child of mine broke something I too would be horrified and would offer to try and fix or replace it if it was something you could fix/replace.
To not receive an apology is bad etiquette in my books.
DD once lost one of her Best friends toys when we were out. They had done a swap as her friend wanted her Toy story Jesse doll while we were at dinner so DD had her friends teddy bear. Friends DD wanted to keep Jesse for the night so I said that was fine as DD was happy with bear but we lost it. I called the restaurant, went back and searched where we had walked but there was no sign of the Bear. I called the restaurant so many times as this was a special teddy that she had since she was born. I was devestated.
I couldnt replace the sentimental value of the bear but the friends mum knew how much I tried to find it and I ended up buying DD's friend a brand new Jesse doll as she loved DD's so much. Of course my friend said it wasnt necessary but I felt I had to do everything possible to show her how sorry I was.
If something really expensive was broken and I knew we couldnt afford to replace it, I would apologise as much as I could and give them an apology card with some money towards replacing it.
apology and replacement absolutely!
I haven't read any of the other replies, I would expect at the very least an offer to replace both items.
If it were my children that broke something, intentional or otherwise, I would offer to replace or repair (whichever was needed), and a most sincere apology.
My DD has broken/damaged things before. She's just rough, though she's much better now than she was. It was not through lack of supervision either - most times she just grabs and yanks without looking and what that particular necklace type thing was attached to.
I always apologise, profusely, and attempt some sort of replacement.
I would apologise and offer to replace it if I could, if not I would tell them I WANTED to replace it but can't afford to right now.