Should I compensate childminder for accident?

[Samwelly]

My 2 year old DS knocked over a plant pot and broke it at childminder's house yesterday. I apologised obviously. Should I have offered to pay for her to get another one?

Gosh, I have only just got back to my thread and read all the additional replies.

It was an medium size earthenware pot which was in the Childminder's conservatory on the top of a built-in cupboard. There is a settee in front of the cupboard, so my DS must have climbed on the settee and tipped over the pot.

I don't suppose that there was a massive danger of him being badly hurt in the accident. He wasn't by the way.

I think that she must have wanted me to pay as she told me what had happened and also mentioned the incident to my husband when he dropped off my son. She didn't directly ask for payment, but had a sense that she was hoping that I would offer.

We haven't actually offered to pay as I was worried that we might be asked to pay every time something gets damaged. It's a difficult position to be in to agree to underwrite all accidents but not have any control over preventing them happen. I certainly wouldn't grudge giving the CM the undoubtedly small amount it would be, but didn't want to establish the principle that we cover all breakages.

As I thought, lack of supervision and things in accessible places (that she probably didn't think were accessible, but that's the risk she takes).

Don't pay.

If she mentions it again, ask her how your DS managed to do all that without her stopping him.

how much are we talking here? it its around £10 for the goodwill its worth it

If anything, you could be questioning her over why a 2 yr old was unsupervised long enough to have done that amount of climbing, and why a heavy object like that was somewhere where it could potentially have landed on his head

I think the CM should be just grateful it ^didn't come down on his head. I imagine there'd be a lot of different replies about it then.

I have to say it doesn't sound like the best place for a breakable heavy object in a play room.

Oh dear that's worse that I thought initially!
OP I'm amazed you're not upset by this!

I wouldn't offer to pay Just say sorry.

If its an expensive item, surely the childminders has insurance?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine there's usually an excess to pay on an insurance claim, so it wouldn't be worth claiming unless the item was of a high value, e.g. an expensive TV.

In all the years my dd went to CMs (she had a fair number, long story) I never got reports on the damage she caused to the CM's house - 'look at this spot on the carpet where she spilled her juice', 'look at this stain where she spilled her paints' - nothing like that. So I think it's strange that the CM reported this to you in hope of payment.

Think of all the damage caused by children who accidentally wee on carpets or sofas - parents would have to buy new furniture for the CM.

so the pot managed to fall off a cupboard and break - luckily not on ds head !!!!!

seems weird to have something so unstable that gets knocked and something falls off it

No I would not offer any money. If she brings it up again smile and say how lucky little ds wasn't hurt and by the way how did he manage to it while you were watching?

I think she has some neck if shes after payment.

Blimey - pot really shouldn't have been there, and why was your child unsupervised?

Childminder should count herself very very lucky.........

No chance - what next? Your DS broke the IPad / hoover / dog... it's her job to supervise when he's there!