Guests question - esp guests w/kids

Have you ever had guests over that damaged something in your house? Like broke a serving plate, or a child that dropped fruit punch on your carpet, or something worse?

Do you just chalk it up to the cost of having people in your home and forget about it? Does it really bother you or your DH? Has someone ever done something so bad that they paid for it?

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

One NYE one of DH's friends fought with his girlfriend and smashed one of our dining room chairs in half in anger! They are pretty good chairs too..Heavy wood. He offered to pay, but we just sucked it up, though it was a few hundred dollars to replace.

i'd be less upset if it was an accident--i would never allow anyone to pay for an accident--but he smashed our chair with the intent to break it in anger.

we never invited him back.

Message edited 11/15/2006 8:48:55 AM.

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

When we have our friends kids over something almost always gets broken or damaged. What can you do? They are kids.... It's an accident and you cant get upset about it unless the parents are just letting them run wild and not disciplining them at all (which has never been the case for us).

If an adult broke something on accident, i would not get upset, but if they were drunk or being reckless and broke something important to me, I would probably be a little upset and not want to invite them back into my home. Luckily, this has never happened to us.

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

If it were my child that broke or damaged something in someones house I would fix it or replace whatever was broken. Yes, kids can be kids but parents have the responsibilty to make it right with the host.

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

I always worry about this...
good thing my valuables are hidden
however id be very upset if something broke.

i woundt ask them to pay for it but i would expect them to offer.

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

The worst that has ever happened is wine glasses broken or something spilled on the carpet. I don't worry about it too much as the wine glasses are replaceable (while they are expensive - I have the Orrefors glasses that are like $60 a glass!) and the carpet, I just have cleaned.

I like to entertain in my house and I also have a liveable house that I don't treat like a museum.

If someone, however, broke something on purpose, I would have an issue with that and would expect it to be replaced.

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

One of DH friend child broke a McCoy vase that was given to me by one of my client because they failed to restrain their 8yr old child from running wild around the house. However, we did not ask them to repay us since they did not even have the courtesy of volunteering to pay for it. Now whenever kids are at our house we allow them to run wild in the den but no running or playing are allowed in any other parts of the house.

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

DH and I were joking that this is where a basement comes in handy. Pad the walls, get the kids down there, and lock the door.

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

We just chalk it up to having company. But we have been lucky that nothing really valuable got ruined by a guest.

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

I wouldn't mind or expect anyone to pay for anything if a child broke something or spilled something accidentally - they're kids accidents happen

however, if the children are completely ill-behaved and not being reprimanded , that is a different story

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

I broke a wine glass at nrthshgrl's house once and offered to pay for it. She wouldn't accept it, of course, but I still feel guilty about it! Although, my brother certainly had a field day with it all night, telling me I wasn't allowed to touch anything. Older brothers

Other than that, I've never broken anything. People have broken a couple of my plates, maybe a bowl here or there, but nothing major.

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

I would never have the nerve to ask someone for $$$ bc I feel bad doing that but I would NEVER walk into anyone elses house break something and not expect to pay for it. SO basically, I would be completedly ****** if something broke and someone didnt offer to replace it. I am just too embaressed to ask for the $$.

Re: Guests question - esp guests w/kids

I would be absolutely mortified if my kids broke something. At least to my knowledge it never happened.

As for letting kids run wild in your house, I would tell them to tone it down. If the parents aren't controlling their kids, I would say it's your house so you can explain your house rules to them.

As for someone breaking something, my SIL broke something - an heirloom wineglass. She was mortified & offered to pay for it --- but really somethings are irreplaceable. Since then, we hide all of our valuable crystal & give her the crappy ones.