You break it, you buy it? Mother refuses to pay $200 for Chanel perfume her child smashed!
If you have young children or grandchildren, you know that accidents are bound to happen. From spilled juice on the carpet to broken plates or vases, little hands can sometimes cause big headaches.
However, when it comes to a child accidentally damaging a high-priced item, should the parents or grandparents be held financially responsible? This is the question that sparked a fiery discussion after a mother refused to pay for the $200 bottle of Chanel perfume her child smashed at a friend's house.
Ella had left her four-year-old daughter in the care of her best friend, Charlotte, while she ran some errands. Despite having some concerns about Charlotte's immaculate house, Ella decided to trust her friend would keep an eye on her child for the few hours she would be gone.
Unfortunately, Ella returned home to a distressed scene—a fuming Charlotte and a sobbing child. Charlotte revealed that Ella's daughter had accidentally shattered the expensive Chanel perfume and demanded reimbursement for the damages.
Ella, however, was puzzled by this unexpected request. She argued that Charlotte should have been supervising her child more closely and realised that her daughter was playing with such a costly item.
'[Charlotte] told me that I needed to pay her back for the perfume, and she said it in a tone that implied it was completely natural to expect me to do this,' the mum told Kidspot.
Upon questioning her child, Ella found out that Charlotte had specifically directed the child to the ensuite bathroom, where the 'pretty bottles' of perfume were displayed. The little girl had innocently picked up the perfume bottle to admire it, only for it to slip out of her hands, hit the vanity and shatter on the floor tiles.
Even though the child confessed to the accident and apologised, Charlotte remained furious and demanded payment. Ella insisted that Charlotte should have been responsible for putting the bottles away and out of the child's reach. As a result, the two friends have not spoken since the incident.
This story ignited quite the debate online, with people passionately arguing for both sides. On Reddit, a similar situation was shared where a child vomited on a friend's $7,500 couch, and the mother declined to pay for the damages.
Many people opined that parents should, indeed, be held accountable for their children's actions. One comment read, 'Parents should pay for their child's mistakes. If you swapped out a kid with a dog, people would unanimously back you.'
Others, however, were more sympathetic to the mother's predicament. 'Life happens, and children make mistakes. It's not that serious,' one commenter noted.
Accidents, especially ones involving young children, typically occur when the person responsible for those that are injured is not paying proper attention and does not have complete control. In this case, Ella expected Charlotte to use her discretion and supervise her daughter.
In many cases, young children are too unaware of the dangers of their actions or lack the necessary skills to foresee an accident. When left in the care of someone else, they rely on that person to ensure their safety. Therefore, it's this person's responsibility to give the child the proper guidance and supervision needed to prevent these types of accidents.
It is also important to keep in mind that when this situation involves costly items or property damage, the responsibility should be shared among those involved. According to Kidspot, the daughter confessed her mistake straight away and apologised, but Charlotte was still furious.
While it is reasonable to expect a reimbursement, an individual's attitude, especially when dealing with young children, changes the game. Above all else, it is important that everyone learns from their mistakes and makes every effort to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
This debate raises an important question: when accidents happen, who should be responsible for covering the damage—the guardians or the owners of the broken items?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
However, when it comes to a child accidentally damaging a high-priced item, should the parents or grandparents be held financially responsible? This is the question that sparked a fiery discussion after a mother refused to pay for the $200 bottle of Chanel perfume her child smashed at a friend's house.
Ella had left her four-year-old daughter in the care of her best friend, Charlotte, while she ran some errands. Despite having some concerns about Charlotte's immaculate house, Ella decided to trust her friend would keep an eye on her child for the few hours she would be gone.
Unfortunately, Ella returned home to a distressed scene—a fuming Charlotte and a sobbing child. Charlotte revealed that Ella's daughter had accidentally shattered the expensive Chanel perfume and demanded reimbursement for the damages.
Ella, however, was puzzled by this unexpected request. She argued that Charlotte should have been supervising her child more closely and realised that her daughter was playing with such a costly item.
'[Charlotte] told me that I needed to pay her back for the perfume, and she said it in a tone that implied it was completely natural to expect me to do this,' the mum told Kidspot.
Upon questioning her child, Ella found out that Charlotte had specifically directed the child to the ensuite bathroom, where the 'pretty bottles' of perfume were displayed. The little girl had innocently picked up the perfume bottle to admire it, only for it to slip out of her hands, hit the vanity and shatter on the floor tiles.
Even though the child confessed to the accident and apologised, Charlotte remained furious and demanded payment. Ella insisted that Charlotte should have been responsible for putting the bottles away and out of the child's reach. As a result, the two friends have not spoken since the incident.
This story ignited quite the debate online, with people passionately arguing for both sides. On Reddit, a similar situation was shared where a child vomited on a friend's $7,500 couch, and the mother declined to pay for the damages.
Many people opined that parents should, indeed, be held accountable for their children's actions. One comment read, 'Parents should pay for their child's mistakes. If you swapped out a kid with a dog, people would unanimously back you.'
Others, however, were more sympathetic to the mother's predicament. 'Life happens, and children make mistakes. It's not that serious,' one commenter noted.
The Importance of Supervision in Preventing Accidents
The divide between those in support of Ella and those that sympathise with Charlotte makes this incident a tricky one. But when it comes down to it, accidents are bound to happen, and the importance of proper supervision should not be forgotten.Accidents, especially ones involving young children, typically occur when the person responsible for those that are injured is not paying proper attention and does not have complete control. In this case, Ella expected Charlotte to use her discretion and supervise her daughter.
In many cases, young children are too unaware of the dangers of their actions or lack the necessary skills to foresee an accident. When left in the care of someone else, they rely on that person to ensure their safety. Therefore, it's this person's responsibility to give the child the proper guidance and supervision needed to prevent these types of accidents.
It is also important to keep in mind that when this situation involves costly items or property damage, the responsibility should be shared among those involved. According to Kidspot, the daughter confessed her mistake straight away and apologised, but Charlotte was still furious.
While it is reasonable to expect a reimbursement, an individual's attitude, especially when dealing with young children, changes the game. Above all else, it is important that everyone learns from their mistakes and makes every effort to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Key Takeaways
- A woman received backlash for refusing to reimburse her friend for a $200 designer perfume that her four-year-old daughter broke.
- The incident sparked a heated debate about whether parents should cover the cost of damages caused by their children.
- Another woman shared a similar story in which her friend's child ruined her $7500 couch and refused to pay for it.
- Some commenters argued that parents should take responsibility for their children's mistakes, while others believed it was unfair to blame young kids for accidental incidents.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.