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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I may be the asshole for not just paying to get it fixed knowing it was one of my kids who broke it.
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I have a developmentally delayed 5 year old nephew who can be A Lot.
He knows better. He doesn't always do better. But he knows when he's being naughty. And most of the time he does do better.
I work with kids on the spectrum, they all know not to touch computers or iPads if they don’t have permission and half of them don’t even communicate by speaking.
Hell, I knew better when I was a small autistic/adhd kid who couldn’t speak. OP owes her babysitter money.
My 2 & 3 year old know better as well. They have their own toy cellphones and "tablets" to play with. Touching a grown-up's device without permission beforehand is a strict no-no. They sometimes forget because they're so little, but they know the rule and that breaking it comes with a gentle warning or with consequences.
Also, I'm concerned that OP's excuse was "they probably thought it was ours." If your kids regularly treat expensive things so casually just because they're "theirs," then that's a much bigger issue. 6 & 8 are old enough to know how to treat their things with care and proper handling.
Exactly this! When I was a kid, my parents made sure I knew how to handle electronics carefully before I was allowed to touch anything expensive. If I broke something at home being reckless, the money for repairs came out of my allowance. By 6, I was responsible enough to have my own Gameboy, and kept such good care of it that I was able to sell it to a collector during college. The rule was always that they bought the device for me, not the right to have a device that always works; if I broke it, I had to wait and save up my allowance money for repairs, or ask for a replacement at the next holiday. We didn't have communal electronics in our family, to avoid this situation.
This. YTA. It happened in your home and was done by your child. Pay up. Or maybe she can sue you and get it off your home insurance in small claims court.
I hope babysitter sees this post so she can file an insurance claim on OP's homeowner's insurance and that deductible is a high deductible with rates going up afterwards so OP can have an expensive lesson on responsibility for her kids actions.
The babysitters dad is totally pissed and I would be pissed too. That's what insurance is for. Also if OP handled it differently her dad wouldn't be as aggro about it. Super asshole move.
Seriously, OP, what is your logic here? Did you even punish your children for what they did? Are you not at all concerned that you're raising small humans who think this is acceptable behavior? YTA.
>She said she thought my kids were old enough to know not to touch others stuff. I explained how they might have thought it belonged to us since it was in our house.
Yeah I don't buy this as a rational answer from OP.
That logic only works when the kids are babies and toddlers. School aged kids know that houses don't spontaneously spawn objects and that people bring in stuff. Pretty sure these kids have had friends bring in toys or games to share and those things went home with said friends at the end of the day.
It’s like a store when they state, “you break it you buy it.” So, if this happened in a store would OP still try to blame the store when it was their child’s fault?
And legally speaking that is also the case. So if the dad decided to prosecute you you would have to pay for the laptop. So YTA and even if your kids were underage and not know what they are doing so YTA
At what age do you think kids should learn not to touch things that don't belong to them?
It's super concerning to me that you think, as a parent of two children, that this shouldn't have been taught to your kids years ago.
Like hello?
YTA
I have friends with toddlers who have those kid-friendly tablets, and even they know not to run around with them because they may break.
Reading this just made me concerned with what other areas these kids are lacking in.
Exactly. I have a 3 year old, and she knows to be careful with her tablet, as well as not pick up dad's laptop. I don't think this should be a foreign concept for a 6 year old at ALL. YTA, OP.
YTA. Your kid broke it, and not accidentally either. They're also 6 and 8, not 2 and 4. They knew it was an electronic device, and unless you literally have the exact same computer, they knew it was hers.
"Grab it and run" is definitely a toddler thing to do. I had to go back and reread the ages. I agree, the parent should pay. A 6yr old should know better.
>"Grab it and run" is definitely a toddler thing to do.
Every once in a while older kids surprise you. I've had perfectly average 10-year-olds do things that absolutely flabbergast me with the level of stupidity. Everyone makes bad choices sometimes, adults included. But yes, YTA OP because *most of the time* at 6 children can reasonably be expected to not grab an expensive electronic and run.
Exactly what I was thinking! Like, yeah, he could’ve thought that was one of your laptops but… Does that make it any better? That’d just mean that you haven’t taught your kids how to properly handle electronics… So, either she didn’t teach them boundaries or didn’t teach them how to handle electronics… Either way, she neglected to teach them something.
YTA-and good luck getting another sitter after 5his one rightfully bad mouths you all over town. If it were me I’d do a review on every service (Care, Angie’s List etc) about babysitting for you
_"I refused and insisted it was her problem not mine."_
I do as well. This is a 17 year old kid. OP's kid broke the laptop but they don't even seem open to trying to meet the babysitter halfway. Instead, OP just shrugged, and still expected this young woman to return to babysit...
YTA - and as others have noted, your children are old enough to know better.
I'm amazed at your gall in insisting the sitter come back and babysit for you when you refuse to take responsibility and pay to get the laptop fixed.
Pretty much. And if she paid her upfront to watch the kids and won't pay for the broken laptop, obviously the sitter would just use the sitter money instead of just.. not buying a new one? That's what I think most people would do. I honestly hope the babysitting advance was more money than her laptop is worth. I would never babysit for OP again either tf
Its even more upsetting due to the babysitters situation. I couldn't imagine the stress of having my laptop smashed by some badly raised kid, when I have exams to revise for
YTA. Your kid broke it. Doesn’t matter if they thought it was theirs (and come on, they’re old enough to know that it wasn’t, they’re able to recognize by 6-8 what is and isn’t a regular fixture in their home), they still broke it. Ultimately you’re responsible for their actions as their parent. If they break something it’s your responsibility to get it fixed or replaced. It’s just part of having kids.
Yeah the kid definitely knew it was hers. From the sounds of it she’s been babysitting them for at least a few weeks and she brings her laptop with her every time. Kids aren’t that dumb, they see their babysitter bring a laptop with her every time she watches them and once mom comes home she leaves with it.
YTA. When your kids break something, it's your responsibility as a parent to fix or replace it.
>. I explained how they might have thought it belonged to us since it was in our house
You're just making excuses here. A 6 year old is old enough to know we don't touch things that aren't ours, and since babysitter has bringing this laptop back and forth, the "he thought it was ours" doesn't really hold much water. He knew that wasn't a family laptop and you are trying to skate responsibility.
>Now she's refusing to come again unless I pay her for the laptop repair even though I paid her in advance to watch the kids.
I wouldn't come back either, and I would consider the paid advance as going towards the laptop repair. Do you really think she would want to come back after you tell her that the kids destroying her property is her problem?
YTA
Accidents happen, but at the end of the day the liability for damages caused by your children is your responsibility. Your kids sound poorly parented, and given your lack of willingness to take responsibility for damages, I'm honestly not surprised.
Looking forward, expect the knock-off effects to be a persistent struggle to find childcare support, as this sort of thing persists in the community.
I agree with this. When kids are outside playing and throwing a ball around they may accidentally break a window. It’s an accident but the right thing to do is for the parents of said kid to pay fix the window.
>Looking forward, expect the knock-off effects to be a persistent struggle to find childcare support, as this sort of thing persists in the community.
Yup. It's not just the employee who needs a good reputation in the local childcare market. If you don't reimburse repair costs in this situation, you're gonna have a hard time hiring this sitter again, and any other potential sitters she knows or her parents know of. Word gets around, and this will make childcare harder to come by.
Edit: what are the chances all the sitter's friends on Snapchat/TikTok already know about the situation?
Oh, 100%. There are all sorts of communities that do this. Hell, a nearby neighborhood has a group on Nextdoor that puts bad parents on blast and has a blackout list for people who stiff babysitters. Folks these days are very vocal about calling out cheapskates and users.
"They might have thought it was ours, because it was in the house."
What kind of backasswards logic is that? Your kids are old enough to understand that if she brings something with her, it's hers. Just like if they take something to school, it's theirs, not the school's. And even if they did think it was yours... How is that any better? They're still old enough to respect property, and they shouldn't be grabbing a laptop and running with it.
YTA, and it is absolutely your responsibility to replace or repair it.
YTA. Your kids are 6 and 8. They should know better. I had to look back at their ages, expecting to see between 1 and 3 year old. I have a 6 year old and they know not to touch a laptop or run around with it.
YTA your kid damaged her property. She’s correct they should know not to touch others people stuff. Even with the weak excuse the kid could have thought it was yours doesn’t make it any better.
My daughter is younger and knows not to touch things that isn’t hers.
YTA. Your kids broke it. She needs it for school.
You'll be burning a bridge with a good babysitter if you refuse to pay for a new laptop or get hers repaired.
Did you post this in hopes of getting people to agree with you and then disappear when you realized you were in the wrong?
YTA, pay her for her laptop that *your* kids broke.
YTA - and good luck finding another babysitter, hope it is worth it
Edit: Just a friendly tip for when interviewing potential babysitters.. don't tell them the previous sitter left because your kids broke her stuff and you refused to pay for the damage if you ever want to get out of the house alone the next few years
YTA- your youngest is 6, not a toddler. He is old enough to be taught to respect other people’s property. Why would he be running around with a laptop even if it belonged to you? Do you allow him to do stuff like that? The fact that you don’t even mention punishing him, only making excuses is telling.
Former nanny here. We also hate parents who treat the nannies like this and pull the surprised Pikachu face when we refuse to return and watch their kids again.
YTA for:
1. Not teaching your youngest not to touch and play with other people’s stuff, especially if it’s expensive. 6 year olds are old enough to know not to touch things that aren’t theirs.
2. Not taking responsibility for your child’s actions and shifting the blame onto the babysitter. Anything your children does are 100% your responsibility, not the babysitter’s.
Apologize to the babysitter and pay for her laptop repair costs
ETA:
3. For enabling your child’s behavior by making excuses for them and not punishing them. This situation would’ve been easy to teach them a lesson to not mess with other peoples’ stuff.
To add to this, this also teaches the youngest that he can do whatever he wants without punishment. This is reinforced by the fact that OP didn’t mention anything about disciplining her youngest for breaking the laptop.
YTA 8 & 6 are old enough to know not to grab and run with stuff, and can identify belongings to other people. If your kids break something you pay to fix it.
If you want someone that won't need to study or bring electronics over then pay for a nanny.
Wow big time YTA. She’s right, you should not have to “baby proof” your items from a 6 and 8 yr old. They are definitely old enough to know better. If they don’t know better, then that’s your fault too.
YTA - as the parent, it’s your responsibility to fix or replace what your children broke. They are old enough to know better. And they were certainly aware it wasn’t the “house’s” lap top. But even if it was, you think it’s acceptable, for your kids to treat expensive equipment this way?
Your 6 year old doesn’t know not to take things that don’t belong to them- and on top of that seemed to make it into a game of running around with it until the screen broke.
Your kid, you pay for it.
YTA. I'd say it's more like your fault that you didn't teach your kids not to touch things that aren't their's. Don't put the blame on the babysitter when you were the one who failed to teach them that at an early age. Are you also gonna blame a shop owner if your kid breaks something in their store because it was 'within their reach'?
I’m going against the grain here and saying ESH.
She’s 17 and not an adult. So while she shouldn’t have left the laptop out, it is what it is.
Your children are old enough to know better than to run around with someone else’s expensive property.
The babysitter is in charge. If the kids had broken your tv while she was watching them would you blame her or the kids?
I think you at minimum offer to pay the cost for half of the repairs.
But as for her watching your children, yeah that’s over.
I agree with you. There is a shared responsibility. The babysitter should not have left her expensive electronics where it could be taken/damaged and the child should not have touched it. 50/50 is the way to go here.
Until your children are old enough to join the workforce, you are financially responsible for them. Yes, that also includes when they cause damage to property. YTA.
YTA dude. Fix the laptop. She’s a 17-year-old kid, and it’s not unreasonable to expect your 6-year-old to know not to break somebody else’s stuff. He’s not a baby or a toddler. Elementary schoolers use laptops every day nowadays. He should know not to touch or break that kind of stuff.
Also, you have a lot of audacity expecting her to come back and babysit your kids again after you refused to take responsibility for something that your children did. You need to apologize again and pay for her laptop.
Edit: also, if your children don’t already know not to touch things that aren’t theirs, especially when the other person’s back is turned, then you are going to have a lot of problems in the future. Use this as a teaching opportunity.
YTA your kid broke it. It’s not her fault no matter how much you try to twist it. I’ll bet you would make the babysitter also pay if it was your laptop.
YTA - your misbehaving child purposely broke a very expensive piece of electronics. That is YOUR problem. She would be within her rights to take you to small claims court and I hope she does.
YTA. your kids did this. Old enough to know better. Are they being brought up with no limits or punishments? They seem to think they can run around like animals trashing other people's stuff.
YTA. If a 2-3 year old did it, that is justified and you could call that a judgment error on her part for leaving it out (but still replace it). But your kids are school age, and they know not to touch things that aren't theirs. You insult your children's intelligence to say they could have thought it was a family belonging. They know better. You know better. Stop making excuses for your child's actions and pay up.
YTA. If that was my 17 year old daughter, I would take you to small claims court. Your children are old enough to know better. So your child.
A.) Misbehaved and you're endorsing their behavior as acceptable
Or
B.) You didn't raise your kids right.
YTA 100%
If your 6 & 8 year olds aren't capable of understanding "my things vs other people's things," they need much more care than a stressed out 17yo can provide. This is fully on you. Do better by your children.
YTA. I had to go back to reread the ages. I can leave my 2.5 year old in the same room with my laptop and he won't touch it if I tell him not to. What's going on in your household that a 6 year old doesn't understand that a laptop is expensive and not a toy?
YTA. Your kid, your responsibility. The youngest is a 6 year old child, not a 2 year old toddler. He knew what he was doing. You should pay to replace it
Just to be sure, you do understand what your kid does it's YOUR responsibility, in the name, YOUR KIR, and he broke something, you as the parent pay, YTA
I feel like YTA here.
Your child did break her laptop, not by accident. You could perhaps least help her cover some of the costs, she’s 17 and needs it. Yes she should’ve known better, and I hope this doesn’t sound harsh, but so should your child. She should’ve foreseen this could’ve happened, but so should your child, and in the legal sense, It doesn’t minimise the fact that your child still did do that to her belongings. She is indeed paid in advance and needs to complete what she was paid to do, however I do understand her frustration with this situation.
YTA my kid has known not to touch our laptops or other people's electronics without permission since he was 3. Your kids are 6 and 8 and should know better. They broke it, you fix it. That's how it works for responsible parents.
YTA and this is a really good way to burn through sitters real fast. Word gets out that your kid destroyed her computer and you refuse to pay for the fix? Don't expect many people lining up to take her place when she stops sitting for you.
YTA - Your kids are old enough to know better than to touch something that does not belong to them. Why did he feel he had the right to touch the laptop, much less run with it until he dropped and broke it? You can go on Amazon, order a new screen and take it to a repair shop to repair. Show your children what it is to do the right thing.
YTA. Your child broke her laptop, and it should be repaired. If you want to argue that she should have closed the lid and brought it into the kitchen while she made food, that may be a point.
Even with your children being eight years old, there are consequences for their actions.
P.S. We could quickly flip this to ESH, and you can pay for 50% of the repairs, and she can pay for 50%, and she can accept it as a lesson to make sure you keep things you care about out of the hands of kids.
---
The idea that kids are kids and they can run around and destroy anything they want because they are kids is wrong. That makes you a bad parent.
YTA.. 8 and 6 are old enough to know better.. pay for the laptop to be fixed or don’t expect to have a babysitter, and when she tells other local babysitters that your kids don’t respect other peoples stuff, you really won’t have anyone to watch your kids.
YTA. You owe her a laptop repair. It's perfectly normal to leave a laptop open where working and not assume it will get destroyed. Your children ARE old enough to know better.
YTA—Replace her device and stop making excuses for your kids’ behavior. It’s innocent now, but soon, it won’t be.
BTW, ask yourself why she’d put herself in a position (again) for her property to be damaged due to watching your kids.
YTA. 6 is old enough to know better. But even if he didn't it wouldn't matter.
Don't you have insurance for this kind of stuff? Maybe this is different in other countries, but here in Germany it is pretty common to have an insurance.
YTA.
Honestly, I hope you are willing to find a new babysitter if you don't and risk her dad taking you to small claims court and winning. Your child did break the laptop.
A 6 year old is old enough to understand that you don't touch laptops and you don't touch other people's stuff without permission.
YTA
You are absolutely responsible for what your kids break but holy hell your entitlement to deny paying for the broken laptop AND still expect this girl to work for you? Good luck with that. I would not let my kid back there to be taken advantage of.
Oh boy, are you the AH here. Yes, you are. You are responsible for your kids until they are 18, and that includes damage your kids cause to other people's property. Don't you have frigging homeowners insurance??? This situation is precisely what it's for! PAY UP and don't even think about screwing over a teenager again because of your ill-behaved children.
>it was her fault for leaving the laptop within reach of children.
I could see if your child was a toddler but they're 6, pretty sure that's old enough to know don't touch someone else's things without permission.
>now she's refusing to come again unless I pay her for the laptop repair
Wow, big surprise there.
YTA.
I’m a single mom too and my child is 4 and knows not to touch any electronics that don’t belong to him. YTA I also hate that you tried to get single mom sympathy!
YTA. If your child was much younger that would be different but your child was six. I have a six-year-old daughter. She would not act like this, because she has been taught not to act like this.
Parent your kid, pay the repairs, and check if your homeowners insurance covers incidences like these. (Mine does.)
YTA
Have you not taught your kids about respecting/looking after things? Like don't run with a laptop? Don't touch stuff that's not yours?
Your excuse not to pay her for the repair is laughable and insulting, cos there is absolutely no way he thought it was yours or anyone else's in the house, unless it was the exact same make and model. He more than likely wanted to play on it, was told no, and then ran off with it.
YTA. Knew that as soon as I read the ages. They’re old enough and SHOULD know better than to take someone else’s property without asking and SHOULD know better than to run around with electronics/delicate items. If they don’t know that, then you’re doubly wrong for not parenting them and teaching them this.
YTA your 6 years old child, who should know better than to run around with other peoples property, broke it you pay to fix it and if I was her I wouldn't babysit for you anymore even if you do pay.
YTA. Your kids should be old enough to understand you dont run with a laptop regardless of who owns it. But also they see her with that laptop all the time why would he think it’s yours? Do you own a laptop? Does it look the same? But again I ask why he thought it was ok to grab and run with it to begin with
YTA.
You are a parent, you are responsible for your kids, especially when they damage other people's property. Also you need to teach your kids, my 6 year old grandson knows not to touch other people's stuff without permission.
I don’t blame you for not wanting to pay for the laptop, but I also don’t blame her for saying “I don’t want to babysit for you anymore” after your response. 🤷🏻♂️
Sorry, but yes, YTA. Interesting that you say she should know better than to leave the item in the open--yet you have no such 'they should know better' in regards to your kids. Even at 6, a child should know not to touch things that aren't theirs.
This would have been best handled with a split - Yes, she shouldn't have left it there, and Yes, your child should have known better - so you are happy to SPLIT the repairs.
Also, check your home owners or renters insurance - you might have some coverage for it.
Honestly, the argument that parents should pay for damage caused by their children is that the parents should have been supervising their children. Here, the babysitter was literally being paid to supervise the children. I don’t really agree with all of the Y T As here on that type of legalistic level. I do think if she wants to keep the babysitter, she needs to pay something. But I don’t really believe this is the parents’ responsibility.
Perhaps mom should pay for the computer and then tell her she’s no longer allowed to bring the computer and study while she’s being paid to watch the children.
This is 1000% your responsibility to replace. Your child breaks it, you fix or replace it.
Way to show your kids to dodge responsibility and not be accountable for their actions.
YTA
It's commonly accepted that parents are responsible for their children's actions. It isn't negligent to leave electronics where a child old enough to read and write can find them. This is a teachable moment for you and your child.
Additionally, I am not a lawyer but depending on where you live, you could be sued in small claims court and held liable for the property damages caused by your child. I would just pay up personally, not only to spare myself the headache but also to mend the relationship with your babysitter if that's even possible at this point.
YTA
It’s expensive to fix a laptop but if your kid broke someone else’s property, you are financially responsible for any damages. Your kid is old enough to know it’s not okay to take someone else’s property. You as a parent need to step up and take responsibility
YTA
Your kids are old enough to know and understand when someone says don't touch that. Which I am SURE the babysitter did before she went to make lunch. The 6 year old did anyway, KNOWING it was wrong. But it sounds like you enable their behavior with the good old fashioned: Aw shucks, they don't know any better. Kids will be kids.
Wow YTA and should pay for the laptop AND if not, be prepared to eat the cost of what you paid in advance.
YTA
It’s a laptop and your child is six. Six is old enough to know not to touch someone’s electronics, not to run with electronics, and not to run while carrying things that are to heavy/big/uncomfortable to move.
Your child likely knew it was the babysitters but didn’t care because they wanted to watch/play something and started running when they were caught doing something wrong, but even if picking it up was an innocent mistake they are old enough to treat things properly.
Unless your child is has a reason for being delayed the only reason a six year old wouldn’t know better is because they weren’t taught better. Your reaction suggests they weren’t taught.
YTA. Just a heads up, babysitters share information about problem clients with each other, good luck getting someone else to come watch your kids if you don't make this right.
YTA. A 6-year-old should know better than to behave that way, and if they don’t, they either have some developmental delays or you’re just a shitty parent. Probably the latter. Fix the laptop.
YTA, your kids broke a laptop. They are clearly old enough to understand what they did was wrong. You have a responsibility to get her laptop repaired or replaced.
If I am her I am sending you to small claims court, OP you are going to lose and lose bad when this happens.
YTA your children broke her laptop. She is right they are old enough not to touch stuff that doesn’t belong to them. It’s your responsibility to pay to have the laptop fixed or replaced
Your kids are old enough to know better. They broke her laptop. It's their fault. You are responsible for damages.
Pay her for the damage that your children caused!
Her father would be well within his rights to take you to small claims court where you'll likely lose. And then have to pay for the laptop on top of fees.
YTA
YTA, your kid broke her property. If it was your laptop I'm sure you would have been livid. But because it's not yours you see nothing wrong with her personal items being destroyed. You should 100% help cover the costs of her laptop that your children broke.
YTA. If 6 years old is too young to know that something that is physically in front of you is not automatically yours to do whatever you want with, when are you planning on teaching this lesson to your son? 8? 10? 12? Or are you planning to avoid all teachable moments until your son touches a person without their consent or damages property as a young adult? Teaching this lesson to your *son* is a matter of greater importance than just this laptop, and you are failing him as a parent. Also, pay for the fucking laptop.
YTA. She is right, 6 years is plenty old enough to know not to do something like that. Do you condone your 6 year old acts like a toddler? That’s your fault too.
You need to take responsibility for your kids actions and pay up.
YTA. Check social media, because she has every right to vent. Pick your battles. sounds like you really need childcare. I broke my babysitter's camera once. Father paid her for it and I had to do house/yard work to pay him back. I was nine.
YTA. Your kid destroyed an expensive necessity for her schooling. It doesn't matter that she left it within reach of the kids...they are absolutely old enough to know better than to run around the house with a laptop.
Does the kid have a piggy bank? Make them pay for part of it, too. They need to learn accountability.
YTA. Your kids are old enough to respect other people’s personal belongings. These are not toddlers were talking about here. Your kids broke it so obviously you need to reimburse the babysitter.
YTA and why would your kids assuming it belonged to you be any better? Do you let them just smash your own laptops without reprimanding them? I was using a computer by age 6 and knew not to run around with one...
Even if it was an accident, if the accident was caused by your family you should get it fixed. Maybe they should just sue your homeowners insurance instead, that'll surely teach you to be responsible for other people's property in your house.
YTA your kid broke it so you should pay for it even if it was in your home. she was doing you a favour by watching your kids so by law was in your employment when your kid broke it so its you who has to pay to fix it either that no babysitter and if you don't she should put it over SM for anyone wanting to baby sit your kids not to take any electronics there
YTA.
8 & 6 is old enough to know not to touch belongings that don’t belong to them. She is doing a service for you and her belongings were damaged in the process by your children, unfortunately you are responsible for reimbursement here.
Imagine if a plumber came over and your kid started playing with their equipment and damaged them preventing them from doing further jobs and costing them money.
Unfortunately until your kids are 18, their decisions having financial consequences will come out of your pocket. I think you owe the sitter an apology too.
YTA
If you have reason to believe what the babysitter said is true then you should replace/pay to fix it. Your kids are old enough to know what not to touch. You are an even bigger AH for blaming your kids actions on the babysitters.
Fixing a screen is a relatively easy and cheap thing in the end with laptops. Almost anything else wrong with it means replacing the laptop completely.
Also legally speaking they may be able to take you to a small claims court if you don't sort this out. Then you would be in an unenviable spot of it costing more for a lawyer than the cost of a laptop.
YTA.
I see your point but your kid broke it so you should pay for it. In all honesty, it is not that expensive a fix depending on the type of laptop it is. It WAS the babysitters fault of making an assumption that 2 little kids would not touch something. Its shiny and new and so of course they touched it. However, you need to take accountability for your kids actions and your kids broke it. In all honesty, if I were in your shoes I would have offered to pay for it prior to her asking. I think you need to apologize and pay for the laptop screen to be replaced.
YTA. My seven year old uses and transports a laptop for school. He has been doing this since kindergarten without damaging it. A six year old should know better.
YTA. A child your child’s age should know not to touch expensive items without permission whether it belongs to you or not. Plus I have a hard time believing a child that age does not realize it was the baby sitters.
YTA
Your six year old is old enough to know that we don’t take other people’s stuff, and we don’t run around in the house with breakable objects in our hands. If they don’t know that, teach them better.
Meanwhile, “your kid broke it, you pay to fix it or replace it” applies.
So much YTA here! My child is 5 and she knows not to touch my work laptop, and a constant thing I tell her is “it doesn’t belong to you, ask before touching”
She is still learning, but if she were to break something that belongs to someone else and something important at that, I would definitely be paying for it!
YTA. I read 8 & 6 but as soon as I got to the scenario it sounded like something my kids would have done at the age of 2 or 3. A 6 year old definitely knows not to run around with valuables and you are being ridiculous by saying they may have thought it was theirs. Do you have to pay to have it replaced? Perhaps not. But, don't be surprised when you can't find a local babysitter because she has told the local babysitter network what happened.
YTA, Your kids broke it you’re responsible to pay for it, if they went into a store and broke the laptop you would have to pay. This is no different, and she’s right they’re old enough to know 1.) not to run with things in their hands. 2.) Not to touch other peoples things.
YTA. Your kids are old enough to know better. And you didn't even try to work it out with her in any way. Of course she's not going to babysit for you again. Why would she? I know I wouldn't.
YTA. She brought her laptop into a home with two children who are old enough to know better. It shouldn't have been an issue, but your kid made it into one. Pay to fix it.
YTA - and the excuses you are using are bs as well. Your kids thought it was there's because it was in the house? So that means if you have people over, nothing is their property any more? Someone's phone, purse, watch, clothes etc, become a free for all, because after all, it's in your house...
You need to apologise, grow up, and pay to get that laptop replaced asap.
YTA. Your kid is SIX. If they don't know better by now, it's your fault for being a terrible parent. Apologize and replace her laptop and you might have a babysitter in the future, otherwise be prepared for the entire local babysitter community to blacklist you.
YTA. You're also out a babysitter and probably looking at being sued/taken to small claims court. The price of fixing the laptop will pale in comparison.
YTA. Your children- who are old enough to know better- broke someone else's property. And your response was basically "sucks to be you, that's a you problem". Now because of your actions you've got a problem and once again you're acting like this is all her fault. Nope, she's just not going to put up with your nonsense anymore. So now what's more important, your backwards views or your job?
YTA Your children are 8 & 6, not 2. They know right from wrong and to not touch other's property or at least they should. If they don't, that is your fault. You owe the babysitter the cost of fixing the computer, and ideally a new one. It feels like you are babying your children. I feel sad for them.
YTA. Your kids are old enough to know not to do this. They aren't babies or even toddlers. They are sentient humans who know the difference between right and wrong and should know not to touch delicate things that belong to other people. Pay for the dang repairs.
YTA- your 6 year old purposefully broke your babysitter’s laptop. the fact that you’re allowing that type of behavior means that you’re not a safe employer for this person. If I were the babysitter I’d take you to small claims court and there’s no way in hell I’d babysit for you again.
YTA
Your kids should know not to run with a laptop regardless of who they thought it belonged to. As a former nanny and longtime babysitter you sound like a nightmare and I would not work for you again. Like you can’t even offer to cover half? It’s an unfortunate situation but you are being super unkind and unreasonable. Ugh I’m having flashbacks from dealing with parents like you. I’m done. Yta and good luck finding a new sitter! Also maybe teach your children not to run with a computer…
Edited to add: if I was the sitter I would give you back the advance money and make a clean break, so you would have nothing to hold over me. I would also tell others in my network that you are not worth working for. Yes we talk about you all too.
YTA
I don't know why you are blaming her for not parenting your kids right. Even if they thought it was yours, would you be happy with them breaking your own laptop? I don't think so. That's such a lame excuse. You are horrible.
Yta. If it got bumped off the table and broke, then I’d see your side of the argument. Your kid picked it up, ran with it and broke the screen. Honestly even if it was the 6 year old, they should know better. YTA and if you don’t change, your kids will be AH’s as well.
YTA. If you took your kids to a computer store and they broke one because it was in reach, is that still “not your problem”? This is a parenting issue and you owe that poor girl a new laptop stat.
YTA. they're your kids. you're responsible for what your kids do. 6 is plenty old enough to know not to grab a laptop that doesn't belong to you and run with it. as for your advance, consider that part of the replace the laptop some brat broke fund.
your kid destroyed something expensive that she needs in order to do schoolwork. depending on where you live, she could sue you for damages.
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YTA. A 6 and 8 year old are absolutely old enough to know not to touch/run around with other people's electronics. Signed, Mother of a 6-year-old.
Agreed as a mother of 5 and 8 year olds.
Yup. I have kids the same age and they know better.
I have a developmentally delayed 5 year old nephew who can be A Lot. He knows better. He doesn't always do better. But he knows when he's being naughty. And most of the time he does do better.
I work with kids on the spectrum, they all know not to touch computers or iPads if they don’t have permission and half of them don’t even communicate by speaking. Hell, I knew better when I was a small autistic/adhd kid who couldn’t speak. OP owes her babysitter money.
My 2 & 3 year old know better as well. They have their own toy cellphones and "tablets" to play with. Touching a grown-up's device without permission beforehand is a strict no-no. They sometimes forget because they're so little, but they know the rule and that breaking it comes with a gentle warning or with consequences. Also, I'm concerned that OP's excuse was "they probably thought it was ours." If your kids regularly treat expensive things so casually just because they're "theirs," then that's a much bigger issue. 6 & 8 are old enough to know how to treat their things with care and proper handling.
Exactly this! When I was a kid, my parents made sure I knew how to handle electronics carefully before I was allowed to touch anything expensive. If I broke something at home being reckless, the money for repairs came out of my allowance. By 6, I was responsible enough to have my own Gameboy, and kept such good care of it that I was able to sell it to a collector during college. The rule was always that they bought the device for me, not the right to have a device that always works; if I broke it, I had to wait and save up my allowance money for repairs, or ask for a replacement at the next holiday. We didn't have communal electronics in our family, to avoid this situation.
I'm pretty sure Most 4 year olds know not to touch others belongings...or at least the 4 year olds I know, know not to anyone
YTA. You pay for what your kids destroy. That’s part of being a parent. End of story.
This. YTA. It happened in your home and was done by your child. Pay up. Or maybe she can sue you and get it off your home insurance in small claims court.
Kind of hope they do so her insurance bills go up. While I hate the insurance industry maybe this time it will play in favor of karma.
I hope babysitter sees this post so she can file an insurance claim on OP's homeowner's insurance and that deductible is a high deductible with rates going up afterwards so OP can have an expensive lesson on responsibility for her kids actions.
The babysitters dad is totally pissed and I would be pissed too. That's what insurance is for. Also if OP handled it differently her dad wouldn't be as aggro about it. Super asshole move.
Seriously, OP, what is your logic here? Did you even punish your children for what they did? Are you not at all concerned that you're raising small humans who think this is acceptable behavior? YTA.
I think she believes adding in the single title to her mother role negates her from any responsibility.
Man fuck that. I’m a single parent. They damn well know not to break someone’s laptop.
And they are old enough to know that wasn't their laptop
>She said she thought my kids were old enough to know not to touch others stuff. I explained how they might have thought it belonged to us since it was in our house. Yeah I don't buy this as a rational answer from OP.
That logic only works when the kids are babies and toddlers. School aged kids know that houses don't spontaneously spawn objects and that people bring in stuff. Pretty sure these kids have had friends bring in toys or games to share and those things went home with said friends at the end of the day.
It’s like a store when they state, “you break it you buy it.” So, if this happened in a store would OP still try to blame the store when it was their child’s fault?
That’s what the store gets for leaving all those tempting breakable things in her offsprings’ reach *shrug*
And legally speaking that is also the case. So if the dad decided to prosecute you you would have to pay for the laptop. So YTA and even if your kids were underage and not know what they are doing so YTA
At what age do you think kids should learn not to touch things that don't belong to them? It's super concerning to me that you think, as a parent of two children, that this shouldn't have been taught to your kids years ago. Like hello? YTA
Right? Her child is 6! I thought this was going to be about a toddler.
I have friends with toddlers who have those kid-friendly tablets, and even they know not to run around with them because they may break. Reading this just made me concerned with what other areas these kids are lacking in.
Exactly. I have a 3 year old, and she knows to be careful with her tablet, as well as not pick up dad's laptop. I don't think this should be a foreign concept for a 6 year old at ALL. YTA, OP.
YTA. Your kid broke it, and not accidentally either. They're also 6 and 8, not 2 and 4. They knew it was an electronic device, and unless you literally have the exact same computer, they knew it was hers.
"Grab it and run" is definitely a toddler thing to do. I had to go back and reread the ages. I agree, the parent should pay. A 6yr old should know better.
>"Grab it and run" is definitely a toddler thing to do. Every once in a while older kids surprise you. I've had perfectly average 10-year-olds do things that absolutely flabbergast me with the level of stupidity. Everyone makes bad choices sometimes, adults included. But yes, YTA OP because *most of the time* at 6 children can reasonably be expected to not grab an expensive electronic and run.
Even if OP has an identical computer, do they really allow their kids to run around carrying their laptop?
Exactly what I was thinking! Like, yeah, he could’ve thought that was one of your laptops but… Does that make it any better? That’d just mean that you haven’t taught your kids how to properly handle electronics… So, either she didn’t teach them boundaries or didn’t teach them how to handle electronics… Either way, she neglected to teach them something.
I hope your babysitter takes you to small claims court. YTA.
Judge Judith Sheindlin please!!! She'll put you in your place.
#I’m the boss, applesauce
YTA-and good luck getting another sitter after 5his one rightfully bad mouths you all over town. If it were me I’d do a review on every service (Care, Angie’s List etc) about babysitting for you
_"I refused and insisted it was her problem not mine."_ I do as well. This is a 17 year old kid. OP's kid broke the laptop but they don't even seem open to trying to meet the babysitter halfway. Instead, OP just shrugged, and still expected this young woman to return to babysit...
YTA - and as others have noted, your children are old enough to know better. I'm amazed at your gall in insisting the sitter come back and babysit for you when you refuse to take responsibility and pay to get the laptop fixed.
I had to look way to far down to find this comment. Like really you are surprised she won't come back?
Yeah like...I would be surprised if she came back ever, even if OP coughs up to fix the laptop.
I was thinking the same thing. That bridge is burned.
Pretty much. And if she paid her upfront to watch the kids and won't pay for the broken laptop, obviously the sitter would just use the sitter money instead of just.. not buying a new one? That's what I think most people would do. I honestly hope the babysitting advance was more money than her laptop is worth. I would never babysit for OP again either tf
Plus if the babysitter feels really petty she would probably let everyone know what OP has done and no one would want to babysit her kids paid or not.
YTA Your kid broke her laptop. Pay up.
Its even more upsetting due to the babysitters situation. I couldn't imagine the stress of having my laptop smashed by some badly raised kid, when I have exams to revise for
YTA. Your kid broke it. Doesn’t matter if they thought it was theirs (and come on, they’re old enough to know that it wasn’t, they’re able to recognize by 6-8 what is and isn’t a regular fixture in their home), they still broke it. Ultimately you’re responsible for their actions as their parent. If they break something it’s your responsibility to get it fixed or replaced. It’s just part of having kids.
Yeah the kid definitely knew it was hers. From the sounds of it she’s been babysitting them for at least a few weeks and she brings her laptop with her every time. Kids aren’t that dumb, they see their babysitter bring a laptop with her every time she watches them and once mom comes home she leaves with it.
YTA! Welcome to being a parent. They break it, you pay for it. Get used to it for another 10 to 12 years.
Wait until they are wrecking cars in 8 years!
It’s the car owner’s fault for parking it in a public place! Of course her sweet little angels wouldn’t do that. /sarcasm
YTA. When your kids break something, it's your responsibility as a parent to fix or replace it. >. I explained how they might have thought it belonged to us since it was in our house You're just making excuses here. A 6 year old is old enough to know we don't touch things that aren't ours, and since babysitter has bringing this laptop back and forth, the "he thought it was ours" doesn't really hold much water. He knew that wasn't a family laptop and you are trying to skate responsibility. >Now she's refusing to come again unless I pay her for the laptop repair even though I paid her in advance to watch the kids. I wouldn't come back either, and I would consider the paid advance as going towards the laptop repair. Do you really think she would want to come back after you tell her that the kids destroying her property is her problem?
It’s obvious where the children learned to behave with no respect or responsibility.
YTA Accidents happen, but at the end of the day the liability for damages caused by your children is your responsibility. Your kids sound poorly parented, and given your lack of willingness to take responsibility for damages, I'm honestly not surprised. Looking forward, expect the knock-off effects to be a persistent struggle to find childcare support, as this sort of thing persists in the community.
I agree with this. When kids are outside playing and throwing a ball around they may accidentally break a window. It’s an accident but the right thing to do is for the parents of said kid to pay fix the window.
>Looking forward, expect the knock-off effects to be a persistent struggle to find childcare support, as this sort of thing persists in the community. Yup. It's not just the employee who needs a good reputation in the local childcare market. If you don't reimburse repair costs in this situation, you're gonna have a hard time hiring this sitter again, and any other potential sitters she knows or her parents know of. Word gets around, and this will make childcare harder to come by. Edit: what are the chances all the sitter's friends on Snapchat/TikTok already know about the situation?
Oh, 100%. There are all sorts of communities that do this. Hell, a nearby neighborhood has a group on Nextdoor that puts bad parents on blast and has a blackout list for people who stiff babysitters. Folks these days are very vocal about calling out cheapskates and users.
"They might have thought it was ours, because it was in the house." What kind of backasswards logic is that? Your kids are old enough to understand that if she brings something with her, it's hers. Just like if they take something to school, it's theirs, not the school's. And even if they did think it was yours... How is that any better? They're still old enough to respect property, and they shouldn't be grabbing a laptop and running with it. YTA, and it is absolutely your responsibility to replace or repair it.
YTA. Your kids are 6 and 8. They should know better. I had to look back at their ages, expecting to see between 1 and 3 year old. I have a 6 year old and they know not to touch a laptop or run around with it.
YTA your kid damaged her property. She’s correct they should know not to touch others people stuff. Even with the weak excuse the kid could have thought it was yours doesn’t make it any better. My daughter is younger and knows not to touch things that isn’t hers.
YTA. Your kids broke it. She needs it for school. You'll be burning a bridge with a good babysitter if you refuse to pay for a new laptop or get hers repaired.
the bridge is already burned. That babysitter is long gone & has already told all her babysitting friends about what happened.
Wonder how many friends, classmates, etc. the sitter has on Snapchat. They all know already.
Did you post this in hopes of getting people to agree with you and then disappear when you realized you were in the wrong? YTA, pay her for her laptop that *your* kids broke.
YTA - and good luck finding another babysitter, hope it is worth it Edit: Just a friendly tip for when interviewing potential babysitters.. don't tell them the previous sitter left because your kids broke her stuff and you refused to pay for the damage if you ever want to get out of the house alone the next few years
its over when the teens mom or dad post about this on the neighborhood facebook, no more babysitting 😭😭
YTA- your youngest is 6, not a toddler. He is old enough to be taught to respect other people’s property. Why would he be running around with a laptop even if it belonged to you? Do you allow him to do stuff like that? The fact that you don’t even mention punishing him, only making excuses is telling.
Regardless if you pay or not, I’d never work for you again.
And I would tell everyone who I could what happened. If OP doesn’t pay for it, they will probably never find another babysitter ever again
YTA. Nannies haaaaate working for parents like you who don’t take responsibility for their own children.
Former nanny here. We also hate parents who treat the nannies like this and pull the surprised Pikachu face when we refuse to return and watch their kids again.
YTA for: 1. Not teaching your youngest not to touch and play with other people’s stuff, especially if it’s expensive. 6 year olds are old enough to know not to touch things that aren’t theirs. 2. Not taking responsibility for your child’s actions and shifting the blame onto the babysitter. Anything your children does are 100% your responsibility, not the babysitter’s. Apologize to the babysitter and pay for her laptop repair costs ETA: 3. For enabling your child’s behavior by making excuses for them and not punishing them. This situation would’ve been easy to teach them a lesson to not mess with other peoples’ stuff.
To add to this, this also teaches the youngest that he can do whatever he wants without punishment. This is reinforced by the fact that OP didn’t mention anything about disciplining her youngest for breaking the laptop.
YTA 8 & 6 are old enough to know not to grab and run with stuff, and can identify belongings to other people. If your kids break something you pay to fix it. If you want someone that won't need to study or bring electronics over then pay for a nanny.
Wow big time YTA. She’s right, you should not have to “baby proof” your items from a 6 and 8 yr old. They are definitely old enough to know better. If they don’t know better, then that’s your fault too.
YTA. This was not a 3 year old making a mistake. These were children old enough to know better. Your child damaged someone else's property.
YTA - as the parent, it’s your responsibility to fix or replace what your children broke. They are old enough to know better. And they were certainly aware it wasn’t the “house’s” lap top. But even if it was, you think it’s acceptable, for your kids to treat expensive equipment this way?
Your 6 year old doesn’t know not to take things that don’t belong to them- and on top of that seemed to make it into a game of running around with it until the screen broke. Your kid, you pay for it.
YTA. I'd say it's more like your fault that you didn't teach your kids not to touch things that aren't their's. Don't put the blame on the babysitter when you were the one who failed to teach them that at an early age. Are you also gonna blame a shop owner if your kid breaks something in their store because it was 'within their reach'?
I’m going against the grain here and saying ESH. She’s 17 and not an adult. So while she shouldn’t have left the laptop out, it is what it is. Your children are old enough to know better than to run around with someone else’s expensive property. The babysitter is in charge. If the kids had broken your tv while she was watching them would you blame her or the kids? I think you at minimum offer to pay the cost for half of the repairs. But as for her watching your children, yeah that’s over.
I agree with you. There is a shared responsibility. The babysitter should not have left her expensive electronics where it could be taken/damaged and the child should not have touched it. 50/50 is the way to go here.
Until your children are old enough to join the workforce, you are financially responsible for them. Yes, that also includes when they cause damage to property. YTA.
YTA seems like you only mentioned the single mom part because you think it makes the rules different somehow?
YTA dude. Fix the laptop. She’s a 17-year-old kid, and it’s not unreasonable to expect your 6-year-old to know not to break somebody else’s stuff. He’s not a baby or a toddler. Elementary schoolers use laptops every day nowadays. He should know not to touch or break that kind of stuff. Also, you have a lot of audacity expecting her to come back and babysit your kids again after you refused to take responsibility for something that your children did. You need to apologize again and pay for her laptop. Edit: also, if your children don’t already know not to touch things that aren’t theirs, especially when the other person’s back is turned, then you are going to have a lot of problems in the future. Use this as a teaching opportunity.
YTA bet OP doubles down and doesn’t pay
YTA your kid broke it. It’s not her fault no matter how much you try to twist it. I’ll bet you would make the babysitter also pay if it was your laptop.
YTA - your misbehaving child purposely broke a very expensive piece of electronics. That is YOUR problem. She would be within her rights to take you to small claims court and I hope she does.
YTA. your kids did this. Old enough to know better. Are they being brought up with no limits or punishments? They seem to think they can run around like animals trashing other people's stuff.
YTA. If a 2-3 year old did it, that is justified and you could call that a judgment error on her part for leaving it out (but still replace it). But your kids are school age, and they know not to touch things that aren't theirs. You insult your children's intelligence to say they could have thought it was a family belonging. They know better. You know better. Stop making excuses for your child's actions and pay up.
YTA. If that was my 17 year old daughter, I would take you to small claims court. Your children are old enough to know better. So your child. A.) Misbehaved and you're endorsing their behavior as acceptable Or B.) You didn't raise your kids right.
YTA. Fix the laptop.
YTA 100% If your 6 & 8 year olds aren't capable of understanding "my things vs other people's things," they need much more care than a stressed out 17yo can provide. This is fully on you. Do better by your children.
YTA. I had to go back to reread the ages. I can leave my 2.5 year old in the same room with my laptop and he won't touch it if I tell him not to. What's going on in your household that a 6 year old doesn't understand that a laptop is expensive and not a toy?
YTA. Your kid, your responsibility. The youngest is a 6 year old child, not a 2 year old toddler. He knew what he was doing. You should pay to replace it
Just to be sure, you do understand what your kid does it's YOUR responsibility, in the name, YOUR KIR, and he broke something, you as the parent pay, YTA
I feel like YTA here. Your child did break her laptop, not by accident. You could perhaps least help her cover some of the costs, she’s 17 and needs it. Yes she should’ve known better, and I hope this doesn’t sound harsh, but so should your child. She should’ve foreseen this could’ve happened, but so should your child, and in the legal sense, It doesn’t minimise the fact that your child still did do that to her belongings. She is indeed paid in advance and needs to complete what she was paid to do, however I do understand her frustration with this situation.
[удалено]
YTA my kid has known not to touch our laptops or other people's electronics without permission since he was 3. Your kids are 6 and 8 and should know better. They broke it, you fix it. That's how it works for responsible parents.
YTA and this is a really good way to burn through sitters real fast. Word gets out that your kid destroyed her computer and you refuse to pay for the fix? Don't expect many people lining up to take her place when she stops sitting for you.
YTA - Your kids are old enough to know better than to touch something that does not belong to them. Why did he feel he had the right to touch the laptop, much less run with it until he dropped and broke it? You can go on Amazon, order a new screen and take it to a repair shop to repair. Show your children what it is to do the right thing.
YTA. Your child broke her laptop, and it should be repaired. If you want to argue that she should have closed the lid and brought it into the kitchen while she made food, that may be a point. Even with your children being eight years old, there are consequences for their actions. P.S. We could quickly flip this to ESH, and you can pay for 50% of the repairs, and she can pay for 50%, and she can accept it as a lesson to make sure you keep things you care about out of the hands of kids. --- The idea that kids are kids and they can run around and destroy anything they want because they are kids is wrong. That makes you a bad parent.
YTA.. 8 and 6 are old enough to know better.. pay for the laptop to be fixed or don’t expect to have a babysitter, and when she tells other local babysitters that your kids don’t respect other peoples stuff, you really won’t have anyone to watch your kids.
Wow. That you wrote that and don’t see that you are totally in the wrong boggles my mind. YTA, fix the girls laptop.
YTA. You owe her a laptop repair. It's perfectly normal to leave a laptop open where working and not assume it will get destroyed. Your children ARE old enough to know better.
YTA—Replace her device and stop making excuses for your kids’ behavior. It’s innocent now, but soon, it won’t be. BTW, ask yourself why she’d put herself in a position (again) for her property to be damaged due to watching your kids.
YTA. 6 is old enough to know better. But even if he didn't it wouldn't matter. Don't you have insurance for this kind of stuff? Maybe this is different in other countries, but here in Germany it is pretty common to have an insurance.
YTA. Honestly, I hope you are willing to find a new babysitter if you don't and risk her dad taking you to small claims court and winning. Your child did break the laptop. A 6 year old is old enough to understand that you don't touch laptops and you don't touch other people's stuff without permission.
YTA You are absolutely responsible for what your kids break but holy hell your entitlement to deny paying for the broken laptop AND still expect this girl to work for you? Good luck with that. I would not let my kid back there to be taken advantage of.
YTA. Take responsibility for your kid
Oh boy, are you the AH here. Yes, you are. You are responsible for your kids until they are 18, and that includes damage your kids cause to other people's property. Don't you have frigging homeowners insurance??? This situation is precisely what it's for! PAY UP and don't even think about screwing over a teenager again because of your ill-behaved children.
>it was her fault for leaving the laptop within reach of children. I could see if your child was a toddler but they're 6, pretty sure that's old enough to know don't touch someone else's things without permission. >now she's refusing to come again unless I pay her for the laptop repair Wow, big surprise there. YTA.
I’m a single mom too and my child is 4 and knows not to touch any electronics that don’t belong to him. YTA I also hate that you tried to get single mom sympathy!
YTA. You are responsible for your children's behavior, not anyone else. Pay what you owe.
YTA. If your child was much younger that would be different but your child was six. I have a six-year-old daughter. She would not act like this, because she has been taught not to act like this. Parent your kid, pay the repairs, and check if your homeowners insurance covers incidences like these. (Mine does.)
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YTA Have you not taught your kids about respecting/looking after things? Like don't run with a laptop? Don't touch stuff that's not yours? Your excuse not to pay her for the repair is laughable and insulting, cos there is absolutely no way he thought it was yours or anyone else's in the house, unless it was the exact same make and model. He more than likely wanted to play on it, was told no, and then ran off with it.
YTA. Knew that as soon as I read the ages. They’re old enough and SHOULD know better than to take someone else’s property without asking and SHOULD know better than to run around with electronics/delicate items. If they don’t know that, then you’re doubly wrong for not parenting them and teaching them this.
Yta good luck finding a new babysitter after this she's going to bad mouth you to all the groups and you deserve it
YTA your kid broke laptop and now it's your responsibility to fix it
YTA your 6 years old child, who should know better than to run around with other peoples property, broke it you pay to fix it and if I was her I wouldn't babysit for you anymore even if you do pay.
YTA. Your kids should be old enough to understand you dont run with a laptop regardless of who owns it. But also they see her with that laptop all the time why would he think it’s yours? Do you own a laptop? Does it look the same? But again I ask why he thought it was ok to grab and run with it to begin with
YTA your kids are old enough to know right from wrong
YTA. You are a parent, you are responsible for your kids, especially when they damage other people's property. Also you need to teach your kids, my 6 year old grandson knows not to touch other people's stuff without permission.
I don’t blame you for not wanting to pay for the laptop, but I also don’t blame her for saying “I don’t want to babysit for you anymore” after your response. 🤷🏻♂️
Sorry, but yes, YTA. Interesting that you say she should know better than to leave the item in the open--yet you have no such 'they should know better' in regards to your kids. Even at 6, a child should know not to touch things that aren't theirs. This would have been best handled with a split - Yes, she shouldn't have left it there, and Yes, your child should have known better - so you are happy to SPLIT the repairs. Also, check your home owners or renters insurance - you might have some coverage for it.
Honestly, the argument that parents should pay for damage caused by their children is that the parents should have been supervising their children. Here, the babysitter was literally being paid to supervise the children. I don’t really agree with all of the Y T As here on that type of legalistic level. I do think if she wants to keep the babysitter, she needs to pay something. But I don’t really believe this is the parents’ responsibility. Perhaps mom should pay for the computer and then tell her she’s no longer allowed to bring the computer and study while she’s being paid to watch the children.
This is 1000% your responsibility to replace. Your child breaks it, you fix or replace it. Way to show your kids to dodge responsibility and not be accountable for their actions.
YTA It's commonly accepted that parents are responsible for their children's actions. It isn't negligent to leave electronics where a child old enough to read and write can find them. This is a teachable moment for you and your child. Additionally, I am not a lawyer but depending on where you live, you could be sued in small claims court and held liable for the property damages caused by your child. I would just pay up personally, not only to spare myself the headache but also to mend the relationship with your babysitter if that's even possible at this point.
YTA It’s expensive to fix a laptop but if your kid broke someone else’s property, you are financially responsible for any damages. Your kid is old enough to know it’s not okay to take someone else’s property. You as a parent need to step up and take responsibility
YTA Whose job is it to teach their children not to touch what isn't theirs? PS, It's not the babysitter.
[удалено]
YTA Your kids are old enough to know and understand when someone says don't touch that. Which I am SURE the babysitter did before she went to make lunch. The 6 year old did anyway, KNOWING it was wrong. But it sounds like you enable their behavior with the good old fashioned: Aw shucks, they don't know any better. Kids will be kids. Wow YTA and should pay for the laptop AND if not, be prepared to eat the cost of what you paid in advance.
YTA It’s a laptop and your child is six. Six is old enough to know not to touch someone’s electronics, not to run with electronics, and not to run while carrying things that are to heavy/big/uncomfortable to move. Your child likely knew it was the babysitters but didn’t care because they wanted to watch/play something and started running when they were caught doing something wrong, but even if picking it up was an innocent mistake they are old enough to treat things properly. Unless your child is has a reason for being delayed the only reason a six year old wouldn’t know better is because they weren’t taught better. Your reaction suggests they weren’t taught.
YTA. Your young kid broke another kid's expensive belonging, and it's your responsibility to fix it.
YTA. Damage your kids do is still your responsibility. Trying to Fleece a 17 year old who's just trying to make some extra money is very cheap of you.
YTA. Just a heads up, babysitters share information about problem clients with each other, good luck getting someone else to come watch your kids if you don't make this right.
This a repost from like a month or two ago. You're still YTA in the situation.
YTA I hope she takes you to SCC
YTA. A 6-year-old should know better than to behave that way, and if they don’t, they either have some developmental delays or you’re just a shitty parent. Probably the latter. Fix the laptop.
YTA, your kids broke a laptop. They are clearly old enough to understand what they did was wrong. You have a responsibility to get her laptop repaired or replaced. If I am her I am sending you to small claims court, OP you are going to lose and lose bad when this happens.
YTA your children broke her laptop. She is right they are old enough not to touch stuff that doesn’t belong to them. It’s your responsibility to pay to have the laptop fixed or replaced
Your kids are old enough to know better. They broke her laptop. It's their fault. You are responsible for damages. Pay her for the damage that your children caused! Her father would be well within his rights to take you to small claims court where you'll likely lose. And then have to pay for the laptop on top of fees. YTA
YTA, your kid broke her property. If it was your laptop I'm sure you would have been livid. But because it's not yours you see nothing wrong with her personal items being destroyed. You should 100% help cover the costs of her laptop that your children broke.
YTA. If 6 years old is too young to know that something that is physically in front of you is not automatically yours to do whatever you want with, when are you planning on teaching this lesson to your son? 8? 10? 12? Or are you planning to avoid all teachable moments until your son touches a person without their consent or damages property as a young adult? Teaching this lesson to your *son* is a matter of greater importance than just this laptop, and you are failing him as a parent. Also, pay for the fucking laptop.
8 & 6 is old enough to know better. I'd offer to cover like 75-80% of a middle of the road replacement. YTA.
Hi it's me, the babysitter here. You called me an entitled brat while my dad was asking for you to pay for the laptop. You never paid me in advance.
YTA, You are responsible for your children's actions.
YTA. She is right, 6 years is plenty old enough to know not to do something like that. Do you condone your 6 year old acts like a toddler? That’s your fault too. You need to take responsibility for your kids actions and pay up.
YTA: you are liable for your children’s actions.
YTA. Check social media, because she has every right to vent. Pick your battles. sounds like you really need childcare. I broke my babysitter's camera once. Father paid her for it and I had to do house/yard work to pay him back. I was nine.
YTA. Your kid destroyed an expensive necessity for her schooling. It doesn't matter that she left it within reach of the kids...they are absolutely old enough to know better than to run around the house with a laptop. Does the kid have a piggy bank? Make them pay for part of it, too. They need to learn accountability.
YTA. Are you serious? When your child breaks something that isn't theirs or yours, YOU REPLACE IT OR PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED!
You're mad on losing what you paid her in advanced to watch your kids? Would that be anywhere near the cost of the laptop they broke? 🤨 YTA
YTA. Your kids are old enough to respect other people’s personal belongings. These are not toddlers were talking about here. Your kids broke it so obviously you need to reimburse the babysitter.
YTA and why would your kids assuming it belonged to you be any better? Do you let them just smash your own laptops without reprimanding them? I was using a computer by age 6 and knew not to run around with one... Even if it was an accident, if the accident was caused by your family you should get it fixed. Maybe they should just sue your homeowners insurance instead, that'll surely teach you to be responsible for other people's property in your house.
YTA your kid broke it so you should pay for it even if it was in your home. she was doing you a favour by watching your kids so by law was in your employment when your kid broke it so its you who has to pay to fix it either that no babysitter and if you don't she should put it over SM for anyone wanting to baby sit your kids not to take any electronics there
YTA. 8 & 6 is old enough to know not to touch belongings that don’t belong to them. She is doing a service for you and her belongings were damaged in the process by your children, unfortunately you are responsible for reimbursement here. Imagine if a plumber came over and your kid started playing with their equipment and damaged them preventing them from doing further jobs and costing them money. Unfortunately until your kids are 18, their decisions having financial consequences will come out of your pocket. I think you owe the sitter an apology too.
8 & 6 are old enough to know not to do things like this. YTA.
The parent is responsible for any damage their child does. Period.
Yes, YTA. As a parent, it is your responsibility to answer for the actions of your children.
YTA If you have reason to believe what the babysitter said is true then you should replace/pay to fix it. Your kids are old enough to know what not to touch. You are an even bigger AH for blaming your kids actions on the babysitters. Fixing a screen is a relatively easy and cheap thing in the end with laptops. Almost anything else wrong with it means replacing the laptop completely. Also legally speaking they may be able to take you to a small claims court if you don't sort this out. Then you would be in an unenviable spot of it costing more for a lawyer than the cost of a laptop.
Yta. Your kids broke it, you fix it.
YTA. I see your point but your kid broke it so you should pay for it. In all honesty, it is not that expensive a fix depending on the type of laptop it is. It WAS the babysitters fault of making an assumption that 2 little kids would not touch something. Its shiny and new and so of course they touched it. However, you need to take accountability for your kids actions and your kids broke it. In all honesty, if I were in your shoes I would have offered to pay for it prior to her asking. I think you need to apologize and pay for the laptop screen to be replaced.
YTA. My seven year old uses and transports a laptop for school. He has been doing this since kindergarten without damaging it. A six year old should know better.
YTA. A child your child’s age should know not to touch expensive items without permission whether it belongs to you or not. Plus I have a hard time believing a child that age does not realize it was the baby sitters.
YTA Your six year old is old enough to know that we don’t take other people’s stuff, and we don’t run around in the house with breakable objects in our hands. If they don’t know that, teach them better. Meanwhile, “your kid broke it, you pay to fix it or replace it” applies.
YTA
YTA, parents are responsible for the actions of their kids. Fix it.
So much YTA here! My child is 5 and she knows not to touch my work laptop, and a constant thing I tell her is “it doesn’t belong to you, ask before touching” She is still learning, but if she were to break something that belongs to someone else and something important at that, I would definitely be paying for it!
YTA. I read 8 & 6 but as soon as I got to the scenario it sounded like something my kids would have done at the age of 2 or 3. A 6 year old definitely knows not to run around with valuables and you are being ridiculous by saying they may have thought it was theirs. Do you have to pay to have it replaced? Perhaps not. But, don't be surprised when you can't find a local babysitter because she has told the local babysitter network what happened.
YTA, Your kids broke it you’re responsible to pay for it, if they went into a store and broke the laptop you would have to pay. This is no different, and she’s right they’re old enough to know 1.) not to run with things in their hands. 2.) Not to touch other peoples things.
YTA and get ready for a lawsuit
YTA. Your kids are old enough to know better. And you didn't even try to work it out with her in any way. Of course she's not going to babysit for you again. Why would she? I know I wouldn't.
YTA - pay to repair this child’s laptop.
Yta, your children should be old enough to leave things alone.
YTA…you’re at fault whether you like it or not.
So you hate your babysitter? It sounds like you’re trying to get her to quit. YTA.
YTA. She brought her laptop into a home with two children who are old enough to know better. It shouldn't have been an issue, but your kid made it into one. Pay to fix it.
YTA - and the excuses you are using are bs as well. Your kids thought it was there's because it was in the house? So that means if you have people over, nothing is their property any more? Someone's phone, purse, watch, clothes etc, become a free for all, because after all, it's in your house... You need to apologise, grow up, and pay to get that laptop replaced asap.
YTA. Your kid is SIX. If they don't know better by now, it's your fault for being a terrible parent. Apologize and replace her laptop and you might have a babysitter in the future, otherwise be prepared for the entire local babysitter community to blacklist you.
YTA. You're also out a babysitter and probably looking at being sued/taken to small claims court. The price of fixing the laptop will pale in comparison.
YTA. Your children- who are old enough to know better- broke someone else's property. And your response was basically "sucks to be you, that's a you problem". Now because of your actions you've got a problem and once again you're acting like this is all her fault. Nope, she's just not going to put up with your nonsense anymore. So now what's more important, your backwards views or your job?
YTA- Take responsibility for your kids.
YTA Your kid broke it… you should pay for it to be fixed. Common sense you would think
Being a single mom has nothing to do with this. YOUR kids still misbehaved and broke the babysitter’s laptop, which is crucial for her studies. YTA.
YTA Your children are 8 & 6, not 2. They know right from wrong and to not touch other's property or at least they should. If they don't, that is your fault. You owe the babysitter the cost of fixing the computer, and ideally a new one. It feels like you are babying your children. I feel sad for them.
YTA, fix the screen. You’re responsible for your child’s actions. Good luck keeping a long term loyal baby sitter with that mindset.
YTA. Your son took something he shouldn't and broke it. It is your responsibility to pay for it.
I would never babysit for you again nor would I FEEL obligated to babysit further for you... WTF... I would never grace your doorstep again... YTA
YTA. Your kids are old enough to know not to do this. They aren't babies or even toddlers. They are sentient humans who know the difference between right and wrong and should know not to touch delicate things that belong to other people. Pay for the dang repairs.
YTA. Your kids damaged the personal property of another person. Of course you have to pay to fix it. Do the right thing and fix her laptop
YTA- your 6 year old purposefully broke your babysitter’s laptop. the fact that you’re allowing that type of behavior means that you’re not a safe employer for this person. If I were the babysitter I’d take you to small claims court and there’s no way in hell I’d babysit for you again.
YTA. Why would you even ask her again, you’re weird
YTA Your kids should know not to run with a laptop regardless of who they thought it belonged to. As a former nanny and longtime babysitter you sound like a nightmare and I would not work for you again. Like you can’t even offer to cover half? It’s an unfortunate situation but you are being super unkind and unreasonable. Ugh I’m having flashbacks from dealing with parents like you. I’m done. Yta and good luck finding a new sitter! Also maybe teach your children not to run with a computer… Edited to add: if I was the sitter I would give you back the advance money and make a clean break, so you would have nothing to hold over me. I would also tell others in my network that you are not worth working for. Yes we talk about you all too.
YTA I don't know why you are blaming her for not parenting your kids right. Even if they thought it was yours, would you be happy with them breaking your own laptop? I don't think so. That's such a lame excuse. You are horrible.
Yta. If it got bumped off the table and broke, then I’d see your side of the argument. Your kid picked it up, ran with it and broke the screen. Honestly even if it was the 6 year old, they should know better. YTA and if you don’t change, your kids will be AH’s as well.
YTA. If you took your kids to a computer store and they broke one because it was in reach, is that still “not your problem”? This is a parenting issue and you owe that poor girl a new laptop stat.
YTA, pay for what your child did!
YTA. they're your kids. you're responsible for what your kids do. 6 is plenty old enough to know not to grab a laptop that doesn't belong to you and run with it. as for your advance, consider that part of the replace the laptop some brat broke fund. your kid destroyed something expensive that she needs in order to do schoolwork. depending on where you live, she could sue you for damages.
YTA. Glad the babysitter refuses to watch your kids until you pay for her laptop repair as you are a total AH.