Niece ruined my phone case, DSis and BIL refusing to replace it

[losingweightandgainingconfidence]

This is possibly the pettiest thing to ever be posted on here but I need to know if I'm going insane.

I (F25) purchased myself a Rhode phone case - it's a phone case that holds your lip balm in the back of it. Absolutely a frivolous and silly purchase, but I'd had my eye on one for ages and wanted one. They're expensive, but I got it as a treat to myself for losing weight. (I've lost a large amount of weight this year and wanted to treat myself)

My niece (5) has been obsessed won't this phone case. She's into all things makeup and girlie, and loves it. over the weekend my DSis, BIL and DN came over for lunch. I'm sat in the lounge chatting to them all, and my niece is off colouring somewhere. I've obviously left my phone on the side somewhere, probably on charge. She walks in grinning from ear to ear, holding my phone.

She's written her name all over the case, she's drawn smiley faces and the like. It won't come off, I've tried soaking it and everything.

My DSis immediately blamed me, because I "know how much she likes it" and my BIL said I may as well give it to her now as she's made it her own. I've said that if that's the case, I expect a replacement. It's not cheap and while yes it may have been seen as a waste of money, I work and I bought myself a treat.

I'm beyond angry, because it's my personal properly. AIBU to expect them to replace it?

Even better give it to your sister and BIL ad their joint present from you and buy yourself a new one.

Barbie's in her box to go back and the frozen recorder has been ordered I doubt I'll ever get the £38 back but I'm glad I'm not being unreasonable to have asked for it!

This.

Cross-post. Good decision!

There was a thread not long ago where people without kids were told that they are unreasonable for not childproofing their homes, as it's very easy to do and parent friends will never absolve themselves of responsibility if something is broken by their kids.

Cross-reference to this thread and you can see why some of us don't believe it!

Message them with your bank details and ask them to transfer the £38 by tomorrow so you can buy a new one.

There is more to this than a phone case obviously then.

Googles Rhode phone case to see if I want one 😜

For goodness sake, it's the responsibility of the parents of a 5 year old child to supervise them properly in somebody else's home. If they weren't watching and the child defaces something that's on them, not the person whose object was minding it's own business!

Just the case, not the lip balm. Because sharing germs is obviously gross.

I'd also only do this if they don't have the same phone as you!

I can’t believe how many people are making excuses for this evidently spoilt brat! Not that it’s her fault, if her parents have allowed her to get away with brattish behaviour. 5 is old enough to know that you don’t take other people’s things and scribble over them.
If she’d been 3 that would have been a different matter.

But at 3 or 5, the parents should still replace the item.

She also said these old dears on Mumsnet don't get it 😂

This 'old dear' totally gets it, despite what your rude daughter thought was an appropriate use of English!

You are an adult who doesnt have to justify anything about your finances so it's a bit concerning you think you have to, to them.

Oooo passive aggressive horror present.

Love it. Better than my idea of coal.

Feel for her teachers ... what shitty parenting.

Excellent update, OP!

do they have a car?

I suggest you go out and draw all
over then suggest that they give it to you. When they protest tell them it was a stupid about to spend on a car when they could have purchased an old banger.

@losingweightandgainingconfidence ‘Not a dig, she's got a very good career. But I constantly find that I have to justify any expenditure to them because they don't agree with what I'm spending, if I turn up to a family thing with a new item of clothing etc., they comment on it.’ Next time she makes a comment, don’t respond. You’re a fully functioning adult and she is being very rude, it’s none of her business what you wear or buy. Put your ‘d’s and her husband on a very strict information diet about your life!

I sent a text to my uni student niece & she agreed with me, a pointless & ugly looking phone case. Taste has nothing to do with age 😂I also agree with posters who have said the parents should replace the item especially given the OP does love it.

Oh & a woman of 24 could be described as an old dear by a 16 yr old so perhaps this mindset & attitude could do with being addressed.

isopropanol?

That cleans most things off.

I sent a text to my uni student niece & she agreed with me, a pointless & ugly looking phone case. Taste has nothing to do with age 😂

You and your niece sound quite mean.

@Onceuponatime9 I don't really see the need to insult my taste, just because your niece doesn't like it doesn't mean I can't.

Coal, surely?

Seriously, tell your sister this. She should be completely horrified at their child’s behaviour. I would replace for you immediately if it were my child (that they weren’t monitoring at someone else’s house!)