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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To make them pay for damaged ballpit

217 replies

mummaelle · 18/09/2021 20:45

I bought my 10 month old a fairly expensive fabric ballpit and balls.
The day after we had family round for drinks, after my dd went to bed my stepfather and older brother had a few too many to drink and were running and jumping in the ballpit and laying across it causing it to misshape.
I was annoyed and shouted at them and moved the ballpit to another room, they could tell I wasn't happy and offered me half the money each to get her a new one.
The next morning, my mum found out what happened and was angry I accepted the money off them and said I shouldn't have taken it and that there was nothing wrong with the ballpit.
She asked me to return the money to them but I refused, after all the damaged my dd brand new ballpit a day after she got it. My mum has fallen out with me over it and told me not to come round until I returned the money.
What do you think, aibu to not return the money and should just get over it??

OP posts:
Sciurus83 · 18/09/2021 20:47

Is it so broken you need a new one?

Stath · 18/09/2021 20:47

They were arseholes but have at least tried to rectify their behaviour and the damage it caused.
Your DM, on the other hand, is totally out of order.

GorgonzolaSouffle · 18/09/2021 20:48

Good for you and I am glad they paid.

FawnFrenchieMum · 18/09/2021 20:49

What was the actual damage? Idiot behaviour regardless of how damaged it is mind.

AnneLovesGilbert · 18/09/2021 20:50

They shouldn’t have used it or damaged it but they realised that so offered to pay and you accepted. You haven’t done anything wrong.

Yummymummy2020 · 18/09/2021 20:51

None of her business!!! They should pay if they damaged it!!!

mummyofvandI · 18/09/2021 20:51

Bu

Strange to take the money, I would be annoyed but wouldn't have taken money.

Can understand why you were though!

Everyone is different.

MrsRobbieHart · 18/09/2021 20:51

Stick to your guns.

I’m not sure why your mum has gotten involved? Is she the boss of your whole family? I assume your step dad and brother are adults and allowed to be in charge of their own money?

NuffSaidSam · 18/09/2021 20:52

If it's permanently damaged YANBU.

If you easily reshape it/fix it YABU.

Cillmantain · 18/09/2021 20:52

Your mother shouldn't have got involved.
The other 2 were idiots and will think twice before they do something that silly again.
Keep the money.

ZenNudist · 18/09/2021 20:53

How bad was the damage? A ballpit it usually cheap. Your dd won't care. If you had to could get some more balls for 7 quid. They were in the wrong but I'd have been mortified to take money.

Duchess379 · 18/09/2021 20:55

Can you get a replacement mum? Yours sounds defective!

Blueeilidh · 18/09/2021 21:00

Depends on the extent of the damage

CurlyWurly321 · 18/09/2021 21:02

It's the grey one isn't it?

It's a grey ball pit.

Notimeforaname · 18/09/2021 21:05

So is it broken/torn or just misshapen? It wouldn't bother me to the point of askin it to be replaced-unless it was unusable.

Notimeforaname · 18/09/2021 21:05

It's the grey one isn't it?

It's a grey ball pit
Course it is Grin

ToANewBeginning · 18/09/2021 21:08

You’re fine. It’s not like it was an accident - they know they were being stupid and more or less intentionally breaking it. They redeemed themselves by giving you the money, your mum is being weird. I think it’s ok to be a bit precious about nice things you get for your kids - yes it might still have been useable, but the point of those expensive ones is that they look nice too!

Notaroadrunner · 18/09/2021 21:11

Why was your mother sticking her nose in. They damaged it and paid up. It's nothing to do with her. Tell her you won't be giving the money back so if she chooses not to see you and her grandchild again that's up to her.

Thehop · 18/09/2021 21:20

@CurlyWurly321

It's the grey one isn't it?

It's a grey ball pit.

It’s definitely grey. 😂
DrinkFeckArseBrick · 18/09/2021 21:20

What's it got to do with her? I guess if you know their finances are really tight and that accepting the money means you know they will have to go without something else, and you're still able to use the ball pit (eg it just looks a bit mis shapen) then I can see why she is upset but otherwise YANBU

Amandasummers · 18/09/2021 21:20

@CurlyWurly321 @Notimeforaname should that make a difference? Sound like a pair of school girls sniggering at the OP because she’s bought something you clearly think is snobby or whatever. I think it’s past your bedtimes 👍🏻

Amandasummers · 18/09/2021 21:21

@Thehop same goes for you. I despair that this is how grown women behave, the funniest thing is - your comments ARENT even funny 🤦🏻‍♀️

Antinerak · 18/09/2021 21:23

2 adults caused some damage and apologised and paid for a replacement, why is your mother acting like you stole money from a child to replace something that cost a fiver? YANBU

girlmom21 · 18/09/2021 21:23

Did they break it so it was unusable?

HTH1 · 18/09/2021 21:24

YANBU. Don’t bother seeing ‘D’M unless and until she gets over it.