That Was a First!!

[Jack Sprat]

I have a dck who is 17m. He is constantly throwing toys. I am constantly telling him not to throw and showing him how to play with the toys..you get the picture.

Well, today he threw a toy (like a mirror on wheels) at one of the windows in our living room. Guess who has a cracked window? The crack is from one corner down to the other, and now it's spreading in two other directions. I called the local glass guy. Waiting for him to call back.

I was fairly upset. DH said he was surprised it took this long to happen. First, one since I opened (2.5yrs).

I'm not sure what to say to DCM. She allows him to do anything he wants at home as long as he isn't screaming. I know he throws things at home, and I have talked with her about helping me teach him not to throw. Grrr!

[Thriftylady]

I would tell her I am getting an estimate and expect her to pay for the damages caused by her child.

[daycarediva]

I would tell her I am getting an estimate and expect her to pay for the damages caused by her child.

I would send an email before pick up. "Dcm today dcb threw a toy at our window, unfortunately it is now cracked and will need to be replaced. I am getting an estimate on what it will cost and I will update you with that amount. What strategies have you tried at home to curb dcb's behavior?"

[Jack Sprat]

I would tell her I am getting an estimate and expect her to pay for the damages caused by her child.

Really? That isn't a rhetorical question either. Part of me assumed that this was part of the risk of owning my own business. Part of me does feel like they should pay something.

[laundrymom]

I have it in my contract. If a child intentionally breaks something the parent will repair or replace.

[TXhomedaycare]

I am very interested to see how everyone replies to this. My daycare room is the front room in my house with a large bay window and I have been waiting for someone to break the window (not that I want it to happen). Should his mom have to pay for it or does that cost come along with running a daycare? My first response is that she should pay for it because that would guarantee she will work with him on not throwing but I also feel that if I passed back all expenses to parents (broken toy or books, pee on carpet or furniture obviously not just normal wear and tear) I don't know how many parents would stick aound.

[childcaremom]

Really? That isn't a rhetorical question either. Part of me assumed that this was part of the risk of owning my own business. Part of me does feel like they should pay something.

I am on the fence about this, too.

Do your policies say anything about it? I had a child deliberately run at the patio door and break it. I took blame and repair costs but in this case, if you have worked with this child, dcm knows of his behaviours, and now this? I would approach it how daycarediva suggested "update her on the cost" and see if she offers to pay some or all of it.

[Annalee]

As angry as it made me when a kid kicked out my lights that shine on the house at night years ago, I did not ask them to pay...they did know from that point they would hold the child's hand all the way to the car...

[Jack Sprat]

I have it in my contract. If a child intentionally breaks something the parent will repair or replace.

Yes, I have that in my contract as well. I sent her a message letting her know what happened. I explained that I was waiting for the glass guy to call back and come give an estimate. I didn't say anything about them being responsible for the bill. I was hoping she would know that they were. Well, her response was "Geez!"

[Thriftylady]

I have it in my contract. If a child intentionally breaks something the parent will repair or replace.

I have the same thing in my contract. And if the parents didn't pay to replace it, I would term. We are in business to make money. We can't make any money when children are allowed to misbehave and break things. IF (and that is a huge if), I didn't make her pay for it, she would be signing a paper that everything he broke from here on out she would be paying for. I simply won't put up with kids (or adults for that matter) being destructive of my home and property. Something being broken accidentally is one thing, this was no accident.

[Play Care]

As angry as it made me when a kid kicked out my lights that shine on the house at night years ago, I did not ask them to pay...they did know from that point they would hold the child's hand all the way to the car...

They'd have paid for that here.

But I don't know that I'd have the parents pay for the window. If I know that the child is in a throwing stage, it would mean the child only had soft baby toys for play. And I have two now that I have to do that with, so I understand.

[Leigh]

I also expect parents to pay for intentional damages. I don't think I would require that if the child is 17 months, but as they all are individual, it could happen. By the age of 3, though, I consider them all responsible enough to not, for example, throw toys at the window after being asked not to. If the child were over 3, I would definitely expect compensation from the parent. As a parent, I'd expect to pay for my child's damage at any age.

[Jack Sprat]

I have the same thing in my contract. And if the parents didn't pay to replace it, I would term. We are in business to make money. We can't make any money when children are allowed to misbehave and break things. IF (and that is a huge if), I didn't make her pay for it, she would be signing a paper that everything he broke from here on out she would be paying for. I simply won't put up with kids (or adults for that matter) being destructive of my home and property. Something being broken accidentally is one thing, this was no accident.

Very true!! And yes I do agree it was not an accident. Nor normal wear and tear. Her response has me really miffed.

[crunchymama]

I know this isn't what you asked, but we had a similar situation a few years back, the glass guy at our local hardware store said the first thing is to get plastic or a plastic shower curtain liner taped up over the broken window just in case the wind, or something else, causes it to shatter completely.

As for payment, I hope the parent does the right thing and offers to pay. I would expect them to!

[daycarediva]

I have the same thing in my contract. And if the parents didn't pay to replace it, I would term. We are in business to make money. We can't make any money when children are allowed to misbehave and break things. IF (and that is a huge if), I didn't make her pay for it, she would be signing a paper that everything he broke from here on out she would be paying for. I simply won't put up with kids (or adults for that matter) being destructive of my home and property. Something being broken accidentally is one thing, this was no accident.

I agree. If they don't come forward to offer to pay SOMETHING, even HALF, I would be done and probably term. This is the type of child/parent combo that WILL continue to run wild, break and destroy property and Mom will just say "Geeze!"