Another thing broken and no offer of replacing..

[sarah32]

The handle on my lindham stairgate has snapped and I know its not my children as they dont shut the gate when the children are not here.

One of my mindees is always swinging of the gate and banging it so I know how its happended and mentioned when mum picked him up but was told how did I know it was him and that was that.

The same child took a bite out of the padding bit on my daughters buggy when they first started with me and I know it was him as I saw him do it but again when told mum no offer of replacement.

The same child got hold of my childs play phone and bit all the keys off it.

Getting a bit fed up with him destroying the toys.

Then my other mum lets her 19 month son climb on my settee and jump on it with her laughing, told her my own children dont jump on my settee, she laughed and got him down.

Im going to start clamping down on this my children have no problems with the minded children playing with there toys but this is getting silly.:angry:

Anyone else have this problem???

[Twinkles]

I think minded children do tend to be rougher on things in my experience.
I buy a lot of toys second hand so I'm not too upset when they get broken.

[LittleAcorns]

it is very annoying, in my small bit of experience, I've found that most parents do apologise and offer to get a new one, I did have a girl, Ive mentioned it in other posts lol, she just to distroy everything, draw on everything, pulled wall paper off, also chewed the rubber bit of the pram, jumped over the back of my sofa, hit me kicked me blah blah blah

keep smiling

like schools, when you loose a book, you pay a nominal fee, not the full amount, for a replacement......I wonder if that would work?? just as insentive for parents to have a word with the kids to look after toys

[sarah707]

What do your policies state regarding parents paying for broken equipment / toys etc? If you say clearly that you will invoice them then that's what you need to start doing.

Some children are tougher on things than others, it's in their nature. I've had ones break toy after toy and tear books but like Twinkles says I try to buy a lot of second hand so they don't matter as much ...

I suppose it's what your 10% wear and tear covers... :(

[katickles]

So far so good in my house - although i've probably just jinxed that :rolleyes:

Saying that though - my mindee also has a habbit of sometimes holding onto the stairgate, & pushing & pulling it, he does get told though so to be fair it doesn't happen often

http://newtickers.bump-and-beyond.com/22/2258/225831.png (http://www.bump-and-beyond.com/)

[Rubybubbles]

What do your policies state regarding parents paying for broken equipment / toys etc? If you say clearly that you will invoice them then that's what you need to start doing.

Some children are tougher on things than others, it's in their nature. I've had ones break toy after toy and tear books but like Twinkles says I try to buy a lot of second hand so they don't matter as much ...

I suppose it's what your 10% wear and tear covers... :(

what I was going to say! I wouldn't ask for a replacement, but then if it were me I would offer ;)

[crazybones]

It does annoy me, especially when its a toy belonging to my 2 year old. He is too young to understand about keeping special things upstairs and just wants to play with his toys. My mega-destructo-boy has gone now though and is on the other side of the world but I do miss him, broken toys or not. :(

[sarah32]

I dont have a policy on toys being broken but will be writing on over the weekend.

An offer would of been nice and I wouldnt off accepted it.

I understand things get broken, my children have broken enough things over time but its that fact she said it wasnt her child but she herself has seen him swinging on my stairgate and Im the one who has had to tell him to get off and if he hasnt Ive had to remove him away from it.

I cant belive lindham dont do spare parts, it only the blue plastic handle on the top but because its snapped it wont release the gate and let the door open. Ill have to go out this weekend and get a replacement as at the bottom of my stairs.

[PixiePetal]

I got a spare wall catch for my wooden extending gate when i fell down the stairs and landed at the gate breaking it (another story!!). Got 2 so I have another in reserve.

Have you rung them to check?

[Alibali]

I would say it's part and parcel of the job that things get broken and wouldn't think of parents having to pay to replace an item unless it was willful destruction.

It's the attitude of the parents that's the problem.

[Heaven Scent]

I have an antique unit in my hall with a glass doot and have replaced the glass recently with safety glass when the safety film was crap but then C 1yr old last may took the childrens sweeping brush from the kitchen and gave the unit a huge wallap with the handle in temper when asked to come back with the brush and smashed the blinking thing. I told mum when she got here but not so she would pay more to let her know how stroppy he is getting lately - dad totally ruins him whenhe has him on Tues and Wed and as they are such a lovely couple I'd hate for LO to become a spoilt B**t of an only child all because dad loves him so much he cant say no. C has got used to getting his own way now and expects it wherever he goes. Mum offered me the money but I wouldn't take it - thats not why I told her. M - my little home wrecker was there at the time and now everytime he goes in the hall he says 'his version of C's name did it' it would be cute if he didn't regularly rip books, jump on toys run off all over the house and garden when dad (and rarely mum) are here. This is why we need proper childminers household insurance so if they break something we are covered I got mine with Leighton Blackman not a bad price either MM were much more expensive. Barclays who I was with would cover me for just £15.00 per year for max of 6 children including my own - no assistant's covered, No Accidental damage so it would have been £15.00 extra for nothing so left them and DH gave that reason when he cancelled the policy.

[Pudding Girl]

Sorry but I would never dream of asking a parent/child to cover the cost of a breakage - the 10% wear and tear and your insurance are to cover things like this happening.

But if you have something expensive/antique etc like Celine above make sure the insurance company have a seperate note of it as it might take you over your allowance.

[Helen Dempster]

I've just had a mindee who kept breaking the toy cars - he somehow got the wheels off...and the wheels are never found again. I think I may have to phone Mulder and Scully....

I do try and keep my son's room 'out of bounds' but I've become hoarse this past week (don't anyone start neighing or ask me if I want a lump of sugar! :rolleyes: ) with telling them!!!

I agree with some of the others, it's going to happen...I don't think I'd charge the parents. I definitely wouldn't have them bouncing/standing on my furniture though, and would tell them so, if their parents are there or not! At the end of the day, it's my home and I'd like it treated with a bit of respect (as much as possible anyway).

Hels xx

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I know this is frustrating but that is what we claim wear and tear for. I also know that I don't put the money away for replacement items but if you add up the cost I am sure there is enough money there.

I wouldn't expect parents to replace items lost/damaged of mine as it is part of our profession.

Maybe clamp down on the children when they do things and if they play up when mum comes, have them ready at the door so they don't have a chance.

Frustrating I know - hope you don't have any more damages

[Bushpig]

I have had crayon on the telly screen (first week we had it!!! eek!), on floors and walls, lots of wheels gone, kiddy microwave broken when repeatedly told not to play with it roughly, things chewed etc.

Mostly is not malicious... but I have noticed two of my kids (brother and sister) have started to act up more since he started nursery, he actually maliciously pulled the wrought iron curtain tailback holder right out the wall last week (it was screwed in!!!!)! Hubby was home and fixed it immed. He did say sorry and I told mum that night, as it was done on purpose, not an accident. I don't mention when things happen accidentally.

They also play up alot when being fetched... get more raucous, jump on the couch (when they KNOW not to do it! And don't do it during the day when mum isn't there...), want to take my toys home and then cry bitterly when they are told they can't, take food (took another kid's baking, takes dried apricots etc.) off the kitchen counter etc. Mum laughs and says 'oh X, don't do that' in this soft and loving voice... which is ineffective. It's really frustrating. She jokingly asks me 'have you fed them today?' Their behaviour is viewed as cute and funny... and laughed off. And it is no laughing matter.:mad:

I am careful with ensuring there is nothing dangerous on the kitchen counters, but now food too???

I have childminder insurance, but was hoping to never have to use it!

[chantelbutterwo]

I say if it broken by accident you just accept it, that is what the 10% wear and tear is for but if it is done of purpose then you bill the parent, the FULL amount!!! and if it is old and can't find the exact item you look for an alternative replacement a bill them for it.
But you do need it written in your policies!

[gemhei]

I never let mindees play with DD or DS personal toys, i always make sure DS puts his things away in his room. My mindees cant go upstairs at all as bathrooms downstairs so its out of bounds. As for other stuff most toys i buy cheap or second hand so it doesnt matter too much, if anything expensive gets damaged ill explain what happened to parents then claim on insurance/10% wear and tear i wouldnt bill parents. Luckily the only thing thats been damaged so far was when a mindee tripped and tooth went into DD arm and she got blood on a jigsaw lol so ive escaped house trashing so far.

[Silverrose]

(Sorry if this as eady been said)
theres a gate in boots that when u leave it open the alarm go's of. it mite shock him. as long as u don't find it funny of coz. hope allworks out for u hun

[RedDragon]

I never let mindees play with DD or DS personal toys, i always make sure DS puts his things away in his room. My mindees cant go upstairs at all as bathrooms downstairs so its out of bounds. As for other stuff most toys i buy cheap or second hand so it doesnt matter too much, if anything expensive gets damaged ill explain what happened to parents then claim on insurance/10% wear and tear i wouldnt bill parents. Luckily the only thing thats been damaged so far was when a mindee tripped and tooth went into DD arm and she got blood on a jigsaw lol so ive escaped house trashing so far.

Same here - all of DS new toys are in their rooms which are out of bounds.
If they jump on my furniture after being asked politely a few times all toys would be put away and they would find they have nothing to do except listen to my voice explaining to them why they shouldn't lol

Regarding the children playing up when parents arrive - 5 minutes before parents arrive I ask the children to put anything of theirs in the hallway - doorbell goes and the child is allowed to open the front door to greet parent and doesn't go back into the living room. That way I get less playing up (you can't play up too much my hallway, parents don't traipse in with their outdoor shoes and they seem to take the hint a bit quicker when I close the living room door, pass the child their coat and shoes and say "See you tomorrow" lol).