Do I need to pay for this?

[tryingharder92]

My kids, nearly 3 and 8 months, have just started to go to a local childminder. This is their third week and they seem happy. It all seems to be going well. When we started we were asked to bring a drink each for the kids (water or juice). My daughter takes weak diluted juice and my son just water. Anyway today I go to pick them up and I was told my daughter had spilled her drink in the sofa (very nice light coloured fabric sofa) and that if it didn't come off she would have to have it cleaned and would I pay for it. Now I think it will come off with a good wash but if it doesn't will I be responsible for this at all. It's hardly unusual when having toddlers and drinks is it? Aibu to say no?

You have to provide juice and water for the kids? Does she not have taps?

Also yeh she’s a cheeky sod. You weren’t responsible for your child when she spilt the drink. If you daughter had deliberately drawn on the walls after repeated conversations that’s one thing, but a spilt drink is nothing.

OMG imagine if you did this, you'd be responsible for every single thing that might go wrong in her house if she could blame your children!

I hope she's not operating without insurance eh?

It’s not your fault she has such an impractical sofa while childminding. Tbh I wouldn’t trust myself with a light coloured sofa never mind small children.

Not a chance! A) they are in her care B) don’t have a light coloured couch (or carpet) if you’re a childminder!

Unless stipulated in a contract its a no from me.

She's a CF, don't pay!

Contracts were emailed to my husband last month so he's going to check those later but neither of us think there was anything stipulating this. She's lovely in every way and has been doing it a few years but it is a bit worrying. Kids can cause all sorts of accidental damage and when she's the one looking after them it's her fault really. If it comes up again I'll just ask if her insurance will cover it but I think it'll probably clean up ok. I think I just found it all a bit bizarre.

So is she going to ask for you to replace her clothes when the kids inevitably get stuff smeared on them? Come round and clean her windows when they get sticky fingers marks on them?

This is ridiculous.

You don’t pay for this, she does.

The child was in her care, her responsibility.

But Id be looking for someone new as this is odd behaviour and I wouldnt want to leave my DCs with someone like that, who knows how she'll behave in the future over children being children.

My husband was a childminder. My new sofa arrived a few days after he gave it up!

Sounds like a rookie mistake. How long has she been minding and is she registered ?
I've never heard of a childminder expecting parents to provide drinks and I've been childminding for many years now.

When I first started minding a child stabbed a plastic dinosaur tail through my leather sofa I informed the mum and claimed through my insurance and became really strict on no toys on the sofa.

It's part and parcel of childminding that things may get damaged or general wear and tear but that doesn't mean I cannot have nice things I just need to make sure the house rules are followed to minimise any potential damage.

Haha no. Nice try by her. You were paying her to mind your child, that included whilst drinking / spilling

@dippydeedoo

No. She’s a childminder, she’s insured and it’s wear and tear on her goods.

That.

I've never heard the like. Spillages (worse than a bit of juice), are part and parcel of having small children around. Blimey, even grown ups spill things. We can usually mop it up without staining. What is wrong with the woman?

Steam cleaning is good for all sorts. Grubby things often look as good as new afterwards as well as being sterilised.

No - as an exchildminder I would never have expected a parent to pay, what does she expect to happen if a child is sick? Drops a toy into the bath & crack it, drop something in the toilet & block it. The list is endless........

No. Don't pay.

Just out of curiosity, is the taking own drinks a new thing? Possibly covid related?

I've never heard of kids taking own drinks

(thinks - all that money I could have reclaimed from parents especially that large tub of zinc & castor oil cream - a moments distraction by another dc & redecorated carpet that taught me! For goodness sake you claim on tax & your cleaning bill - its part of cm)

Shady.. it's a NO from me... good luck OP..

www.childcare.co.uk/information/what-insurance-do-you-need-to-work-as-a-childminder

She should been insured or else accept liability. Her problem not yours.

I definitely wouldn't pay

*have been

Cheeky fuckerrrrrrrrr! Absolutely no way.

Well that gave us all a good laugh, thank you OP. What a CF she is!!!

My daughter threw up all over the childminders sofa and carpet. I was mortified and offered to pay for cleaning. She refused and just said it's part of the job.
Paying for malicious or deliberate damage yes possibly but a spilt drink? No.

My sister in law was a childminder her settee had lots of scratches in the leather that I assumed was the cat- turned out it was the buckles on children’s shoes - her house was beautiful but everything was marked by children, table legs were scuffed, the settee was scratched, pen marks on the table etc but she said it was all part of the job !!
Now she’s stopped she’s bought all new, but still isn’t precious.