Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask this childs mum to pay for my pram repairs.

108 replies

awakemysoull · 24/09/2013 11:57

I picked dd1 up from nursery this morning and I had dd2 in the pram. All the children gathered round the pram to see the baby as they usually do and I don't mind that at all. Most of the children are 3 and this is their first year in nursery.

One boy is rather large. Well not large, obese. There's no kind way to say it I have never ever seen a 3 year old child that size before and I'm unsure wether it's a medical condition or over feeding. I am not judging (I'm a size 20).

He started to climb up my pram and got on the wheel and started jumping. I was trying to lift him off but he was so heavy I was struggling. His parents were nowhere to be seen and the nursery teacher was trying to help me get him off the pram. He would not listen and was starting to shake the pram. I was quite annoyed by this point because dd2 was still in the pram and I was worried she was going to get hurt.

We got him off and the whole side of the pram is wrecked. The wheel has snapped in half and the tyre is ripped, the frame is actually loose and I'm not going to be able to use the pram until it's fixed.

I know this doesn't make any difference and it would be just as bad if it was any pram but It's a bugaboo and it cost me a fortune. I saved for ages to buy it and it's the only new item I bought for baby.

His mum and dad appeared and I explained what had happened. His mum laughed and said no way could her ds have done that damage. The nursery teacher stepped in and backed me up explaining again that he broke the pram. His dad started being quite aggressive and said no way was he paying for anything and it was my problem. I pointed out that it was his son who broke it and I did expect them to pay for the repairs.

I was told to fuck off Hmm (in a nursery full of children) and that I'd have to fix it myself.

I managed to half drag the pram home again but it's totally broken.

I think I can claim it on my house insurance but that's not the point. It could take weeks to fix and I have no pram now.

What should I do?

Sorry I'm rambling in quite shaken up and really angry.

Am I being unreasonable asking them to pay for repairs?

OP posts:
pigletmania · 24/09/2013 13:38

I agree cest, pick up times can be hectic. I would first contact JL, I did when my sliver cross stroller broke and tey repaired it free of cargo and loaned me a buggy in the meantime

Nerfmother · 24/09/2013 13:44

Did you go in to nursery property with the pram? Maybe nursery are responsible but equally if you are happy with them all crowding round your dd it sounds like an accident. I know he was climbing on to see better, but you've been okay with it and made it a nice thing, but it's not formal so there are no boundaries and time to say 'right today we are having a baby in, we all have to sit quietly etc etc'
If parents weren't there, didn't encourage him to look at the baby, I think you have to swallow it.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 24/09/2013 13:54

I agree with the suggestion that the pram was probably faulty if it broke under the weight of a three year old climbing on it. I would contact John Lewis and ask for a replacement or at least a repair.

The parents behaved very badly but there's no point in trying to get anything out of them.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 24/09/2013 14:01

In all fairness it was a heavy three year old. And unless you all have tanks I would not expect a wheel to survive being jumped on rejected my by a kid heavier than the usual
15kg weight limit. It wasn't spread out over the chassis it was all on one wheel. That's beyond reasonable wear and tear

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 24/09/2013 14:01

Repeatedly - iPhone and fat thumbs are a bad mix Blush

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 24/09/2013 14:05

OP doesn't have to mention how big the 3 year old is to JL. I'd just say a 3 year old at nursery climbed onto it rather roughly and it broke. I actually think a pram should not be ruined after that. My 20kg 5 year old sometimes gets in her brother's cheap pushchair and it doesn't even look like it might break.

WeAreSix · 24/09/2013 14:06

Awful situation for you, OP.

If you're anywhere in West Sussex I have a pram you can borrow while yours is fixed.

WaitMonkey · 24/09/2013 14:07

YANBU. But you won't see a penny from those awful parents. Good luck getting it sorted.

minidipper · 24/09/2013 14:07

If the parents hadn't yet collected him then the nursery staff are responsible for his correct behaviour around other children. You may get more joy out of them than the parents, who sound horrendous.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 24/09/2013 14:07

I do think your pram may be faulty.

I have a Bugaboo and it can withstand anything. We still use it for our five year old occasionally if we've had a long day out and he is worn out.

What model is it?

So I would try John Lewis first, and also the nursery if the parents weren't actually there.

Madamecastafiore · 24/09/2013 14:10

If the child was in the nursery's care then it is their responsibility to control him.

NoComet · 24/09/2013 14:10

Buy a mountain buggy!

FrigginRexManningDay · 24/09/2013 14:13

I agree that it sounds faulty,I had a bugaboo and it is fairly hard wearing.
The nursery should be stumping up money for repairs though.

Teapigging · 24/09/2013 14:20

An airline smashed a crucial bit off my Bugaboo, and refused to do anything about it, other than offer a letter to my insurers. I phoned JL as soon as I got home, and they ordered the part for free, would have lent me a replacement buggy in the interim (only I had cobbled it together with wire), and would have delivered it for free, but I wanted someone who knew what they were doing to fit it. It was still in JL warranty.

This is almost certainly the most hassle-free way you can proceed. Sorry about the nasty response from the other parents, though.

missinglalaland · 24/09/2013 14:27

YANBU. The chid's parents sound awful.

I wouldn't go into the nitty gritty with JL. Most things there have a two year warranty. Did you save the receipt? Or still have a record of the purchase? Like a credit card bill, or electronic record if you bought it on line.

Just bring in the pram and the proof of purchase and let them replace. You paid big ££££££ for that buggaboo because they are supposed to be very solid. It wasn't. A three year old bumped into and it fell apart.

Vintageclock · 24/09/2013 14:29

I think the nursery should be taking more responsibility here. It was their job to control the child in his parents' absence. The parents just sound like ignorant, irresponsible knobs and I feel very sorry for their child.

HoldMeCloserTonyDanza · 24/09/2013 15:03

The parents definitely sound like knobs.

Having said that, if someone came up to me wanting me to replace their £1000 buggy because a three year old had apparently smashed it to pieces while two adults looked on unable to stop him, I would be a bit Hmm.

I'm obviously not doubting you OP but it's just bizarre that a toddler could do this much damage, and be so powerful that two adults could not shift him.

I have a bugaboo and a child could not cause this sort of damage to it. It came with a 3 year warranty from JL. I think the fault lies with bugaboo.

Original poster
awakemysoull · 24/09/2013 15:23

Thanks everyone I've called john Lewis and they were brilliant. I've to go in to pick up a replacement on Thursday and a courier will be picking up my broken buggy on Thursday morning. I was amazed that they were so happy to help me that's brilliant customer service.

I will ignore the lovely parents from now on and hopefully the buggy will be fixed and I won't be out of pocket. They said it sounded faulty because they are strong pushchairs.

I'm still a bit Shock but at least I'm only a day without a buggy.

I doubt they will but I hope they feel guilty watching me carry dd2 to the nursery and back tomorrow morning Angry

OP posts:
Original poster
awakemysoull · 24/09/2013 15:25

Should add - they offered to deliver a replacement but it can take up to 5 working days. It is much quicker to pick it up from the store.

I definitely buy from there again

OP posts:
McNewPants2013 · 24/09/2013 15:31

I think the nursery needs a complete overhaul of the pick up times.

In every child care setting I have ever know there would be no way a child could have been near any other parent.

pigletmania · 24/09/2013 15:33

That's great that is why I mostly buy from John Lewis. Don't let children near the pram

BuskersCat · 24/09/2013 15:34

Really McNew? We all wait outside the door then go in 1 or 2 at a time and personally pick up children, bags and coats. So it is perfectly possible that you are stood outside with children and other parents unless you get there bang on 8.50/11.50/12/3

Tuon · 24/09/2013 15:36

Gold it's sorted for you. John lewis really are fan on the customer service side of things.

BackforGood · 24/09/2013 15:39

It can be very mixed McNewPants - quite a few do have parents going into the rooms, depends on all sorts of things, from the physical layout of the building to whether it's a nursery class where everyone finishes together or more of a day care Nursery where people arrive and leave at all different times throughout the day.
It might still be worth talking to the manager about the fact that this child was able to cause such damage though - he could have genuinely hurt a small baby or toddler in his enthusiasm, however unintentionally, and the room staff need to be aware of that potential and intervene to prevent him being in a position that it can happen when parents are in the room with smaller children.... or, if the layout allows, then maybe it would make more sense to not have prams in the room the children are playing in. All very difficult to judge without knowing all the ins and outs of course.

Wuxiapian · 24/09/2013 15:41

YANBU, OP.

The child is her responsibility and so the very least she could do would be to offer a contribution towards repairs/new pram!

Then again, if she's the type of mother to allow her child to become obese in the first place, you can't really hold out much hope.