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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:
captainpillows · 18/09/2021 21:24

@CurlyWurly321 @Notimeforaname @Thehop no need at all for your comments, how embarrassing are you guys?
OP, I think you've done the right thing, they damaged it, they can replace it! Regardless of what mother thinks

User135792468 · 18/09/2021 21:26

Did they actually damage it? Or was it slightly misshapen but fine. As stupid as they sound, I wouldn’t have taken money from my own brother and stepdad for this. Your mum obviously doesn’t think it’s damaged which is why she got involved. I think you’ve been overly precious and am with your mum on this one.

Thehop · 18/09/2021 21:26

@Amandasummers

Apologies OP. I was being a snooty sniggery old cow.

Twickerhun · 18/09/2021 21:26

Return your mum, get money back on her too. She needs to let the rest of you get on with your own arrangements

stonebrambleboy · 18/09/2021 21:27

Tell your mum to get loss.

BlueMoons90 · 18/09/2021 21:29

I wouldn't have taken the money but that's just me.

YABU if the ball pit was just misshapen and could be returned back.
YANBU if it was absolutely broken beyond repair.

Sleepyquest · 18/09/2021 21:30

YANBU
It's your baby girls toy, not fit for grown men to roll around in - idiots. It's decent they paid up without being asked. You could sell the damaged one and give them the money for that? You mother is in the wrong.

BlueMoons90 · 18/09/2021 21:30

@CurlyWurly321

It's the grey one isn't it?

It's a grey ball pit.

Hahaha this has tickled me. I have a friend who decided her DS couldn't have any colourful toys etc because it wouldn't go with her decor! She owns the grey ball pit.
WoozySnoozy · 18/09/2021 21:31

Seems like it was all sorted and they offered the money rather than you demanding it. None of your mum's business.

WoozySnoozy · 18/09/2021 21:33

What has the colour of the ball pit got to do with anything?!

Somethingsnappy · 18/09/2021 21:33

It's none of her business! Whether or not you are being reasonable doesn't matter... You were upset about it, the men paid for it, job done. Situation resolved. Your mum has no say in it.

Somethingsnappy · 18/09/2021 21:34

P. S. I don't understand the references to grey either..??

annacondom · 18/09/2021 21:36

The idiots should be ashamed of themselves for ruining it, and of course it's right that they pay for a new one.

WoozySnoozy · 18/09/2021 21:36

@Somethingsnappy

P. S. I don't understand the references to grey either..??
Maybe there's a grey one that gets damaged easily?
Mummyoflittledragon · 18/09/2021 21:40

YANBU
Why should your dd have a toy damaged by 2 grown men?

BathMatToe · 18/09/2021 21:41

Will you buy another one

thinkbiglittleone · 18/09/2021 21:41

Of course they should replace it, if it doesn't look as it did before, then they replace it.

Your mum is ridiculous.

QforCucumber · 18/09/2021 21:42

There is a particular, foam/fabric sided grey ball pit which is eye Wateringly expensive compared to all the colourful ones out there which seems to be a very big hit with a number of insta influences. You can of course also only put black/white/silver/grey balls in it to complete the look.

Whatinthelord · 18/09/2021 21:45

Yanbu
What’s up with your mum that she thinks she can control you like this, And that you should allow her husband and son should be able to damage things belonging to your daughter and not replace it?

Blueeilidh · 18/09/2021 21:45

I think it being grey is significant because if you Google ball pits to try to figure out why a ball pit is expensive in the first place, you see that the expensive ones are mostly grey.

OhRene · 18/09/2021 21:47

@WoozySnoozy

What has the colour of the ball pit got to do with anything?!
I googled it. I think it's a new trend of decor-matching children's items because they're selling around £40-£70 and despite my hatred of all things grey, they do look quite nice and not brightly coloured plasticky blues, pinks and yellows etc. They're fabric covered foam and look rather fancy pants.

OP you're right to get paid out on something your stepdad and brother damaged seeing that it was absolutely brand spanking new and not what I'd call cheap.

lovelybitofsquirrell · 18/09/2021 21:47

Defo got to be the 'Stacey Solomon' grey ball pit, with the white and grey balls.

confessionsOfa · 18/09/2021 21:47

Your DM is weird. Everyone has acted in the best way but her. Shame.

melj1213 · 18/09/2021 21:47

If it is permanently damaged and/or unuseable YANBU

If its just a bit bent out of shape with no permanent damage (and if it's the kind I'm thinking of then should easily be moulded back to its proper shape) then YABU

careerchangeperhaps · 18/09/2021 21:52

Offer them the broken one to mend and resell so they can recoup some of their money. That seems fair to me. Your DD has a new ball-pit to replace the one they broke and you don't have any hassle.