Big Repairs Due to Daycare...

[daycarediva]

What have you had to fix/replace that was a larger than expected expense?

Prior to today, I had a SA child attempt to flush an unwanted snack (PLUM) down the toilet. When it backed up, she didn't say anything and the water leaked through the bathroom floor. It was a GIGANTIC mess. Dh ended up ripping up the subfloor in the bathroom, and the ceiling in the basement had to be replaced. Dcm did offer to pay for any and all repairs, and we ended up charging her for materials only.

Today I had a dck go to the kitchen returning his lunch plate. They are supposed to place them on the counter as they are excused. I scrape them into the garbage disposal, rinse them and load the dishwasher.

Well he ran past the counter and toward the trash can, he tripped on my open dishwasher and broke the door OFF. The hinges are in pieces. Dh is LIVID. My homeowners would cover it, but with a $500 deductible, what's the point? RIP dishwasher.

[daycare]

ugh..... I have had the toilet fix too at the cost of $800

Broken brand new double pain window at $500

I think this is one of those things that just come with part of our business..............one of the parts I really dislike.

[Josiegirl]

Oh wow, nothing that extensive!
I've had a hole punched in the living room wall. Twice.
And I currently have a hole in the kitchen wall made by someone.
I've had the baby gate broken off so many times, to the point of giving up and not using right now. I had the cupboard door broken off my tv cabinet.
But as I said, all those things are minor compared to yours. Oh and I have preached to my 6 yo dck about NO JUMPING on the couch cause she has caused one of the 2 pillows to come torn 3/4s of the way off the back.
I also had a toddler break a handmade pottery dish my sister had given me for Christmas.
Part of the job. Unfortunately.

[crazydaycarelady]

Sprinkler heads every freaking year! Our cars that they have ran into. Toilet that dcb flushed baby wipes down.

[Josiegirl]

Oh yeh, forgot about 2 windows broken by dcks.

[midaycare]

We will have to have our carpet replaced with flooring. That will be $8000-$12,000. Dck's have wrecked the carpet. The daycare isn't upstairs, but the kitchen table is. Smashed berries...are the worst!

[finsup]

Child took a PLASTIC hammered and shattered a large upstairs window. Cost a couple hundred to replace (thankfully my husband could do the install himself). Luckily no one was hurt and we have a much safer, new window but still. I had no idea te glass was that weak!

[DaveA]

One $450 dollar window repair. Aside from that it's been stuff I can handle myself: drywall dents/holes, screen door screen replacement, new mailbox after DCP ran over it pulling into driveway......

[e.j.]

One dcb ruined a kitchen table by sticking his fork into it each time he sat down for a meal and another child ripped a hole in my brand new screen door. Other than that, I've been pretty lucky.

[AuntTami]

HOLY COW!!!!' Apparently I've had good luck! The only thing we've had to repair/replace so far is the screen to our front screen door. I had the window in it open and someone stuck their hand right through the screen.

Other than that?!.......... *knocks on wood*

[Controlled Chaos]

I just had a dcb4 break my little tikes slide/teeter totter toy. I am sorta pissed because he broke one handle off the teeter totter a few months ago (he kicked it hard on purpose ), it took him a month to earn back privileges outside, I had to order a new piece from the company and replace it then yesterday he broke the same piece again :confused:. I just got a letter that my outdoor space will be inspected in the next 2 weeks and I had a broken major toy. I put a garbage bag over the seat, while I figure out whether they will send me a replacement piece or if I need to replace the whole play structure...I will be super pissed if it is counted as an infraction

Other than that - the nice thing about having a separate daycare space is for the most part they can't access large things to break. Your toilet stories make me nervous though!

[Blackcat31]

I can't even answer this question as I own an entire house just for daycare and the maintain and upkeep on it can sometimes be a full time job for my hubby.

I've had a few minor things need replacing but I think the biggest intentional thing I've had to replace was our air conditioner. One of my older SA kids ruined the back of it by shoving sticks and rocks inside.

It was a whole house air conditioner that cost $500-$700 to replace.

It was one of a dozen or more things he intentionally ruined and one the reasons I no longer accept school aged kids anymore.

DaycareDiva....I am sorry to hear about your dishwasher.
I think the DCK that broke it should be on dishes duty for the next few weeks and do all the dished by hand.

[Play Care]

I'm sure at one point we will have to rip out our half bath and build again because of all the potty training and BOYS I've had in day care

(side note, if I hear "but my penis is too big to hold!" one more time... )

I don't mind normal wear and tear, but am getting tired of things being broken by deliberate disobedience, especially by the older kids. And frankly, I'm getting really tired of taking it on the chin, when you know darn well if they behaved that way at school and broke something, the school would be holding the parents responsible - even if it didn't happen under the parents watch.

Hugs Diva, feeling your pain.

[spud912]

Wow these are all horrible and make me anxious! I would say the worst things I've had go wrong are:

1. My dd rubbed a metal fork into our new dining table (during daycare) and made huge, very noticeable, scratches.
2. All of the upholstery on our new (at the time) dining room chairs have been ripped to shreds.
3. A lot of dings on the walls we have had to patch up.
4. Our last house (a rental) had wood flooring that was in terrible condition when we moved in. It was made worse with daycare (lots of scratches, actual chipped pieces from putting "roads" down with masking tape, etc). The landlord acknowledged it was bad beforehand so we luckily did not get charged for any damages.

All of the above was not necessarily on purpose (except for what my dd did). I've had a ton of toys that were broken due to misuse by the daycare kids. Ugh...this thread makes me feel like it's only a matter of time!

Did any of you require the families to pay for the damages?

[Blackcat31]

Did any of you require the families to pay for the damages?

I did not. I felt it fell under "my watch, my issue"

However, there are circumstances in which I do feel a provider should be allowed to charge parents... I can't think of any specific instances off hand but I know I've heard a few where it was simply down right deliberate and would have happened with or without someone right there.