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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Not replacing the lost items we weren’t told were expensive

227 replies

Robinisrosie · 16/12/2025 19:20

Yesterday I provided some babysitting for my nephews children. His daughters are 2 and 4 and they had a family funeral to attend but didn’t feel comfortable taking the children. I was more than happy to babysit. The 4 year olds school is already broken up for Christmas and the 2 year old doesn’t normally do nursery on a Monday.

We had a lovely day, all was well and when my nephew picked them up he asked where the youngest’s hat and scarf had gone. I couldn’t find them immediately and realised we may have either left them at soft play or in a cafe. He said it was fine, I offered to call the soft play and cafe today to see if they had been handed in.

I called both today and the soft play said they couldn’t be sure and we would have to go and check. I am working this week so I can’t but I told him the soft play etc. and suggested if they are important they can check in, otherwise I’ll go at the weekend. I’ve now received messages stating that they were expensive designer items and while they don’t mind if they are lost they would have appreciated me doing a better job at looking after the items. I’ve now spoken to my sister and she has informed me that the hat alone cost 3 figures and was from Burberry! Who the heck spends that on a hat for a 2 year old?
I appreciate wealth wise we are on very different levels, my nephew and his wife are incredibly well off and she comes from an incredibly well to do family, but surely if you are sending an item worth that much you might want to mention it?
My sister thinks I should pay to replace it but I think that’s bonkers! I’ll happily buy a replacement at a normal price if it isn’t there when I go to check at the weekend but I cannot believe they actually expect me to cough up over £200 for a hat and scarf for a 2 year old!

AIBU?

OP posts:
LasVegass · 16/12/2025 21:08

Good to see that attending the funeral focused their minds on what’s important in life: a hat and scarf.

Theslummymummy · 16/12/2025 21:08

I've vote you are being unreasonable, because it doesn't sound like they expect it at all. Just a suggestion from your sister.

MrsDoubtingMyself · 16/12/2025 21:09

A well to do family, you say?

I beg to differ

Alpinette · 16/12/2025 21:09

Just been on the Burberry website to see what sort of hat costs that much. I could only find really tacky looking hats. Looks like these kids have dodged a bullet. Well done OP.

mumofsevenfluffs · 16/12/2025 21:09

You were doing them a favour. You were minding their children, not their clothes. Totally out of order and if they were so bothered they should have either used a cheaper alternative or at least given you a heads up as you say. Last time you offer to help I suspect

RogueFemale · 16/12/2025 21:11

Comedycook · 16/12/2025 19:22

I'd tell them to fuck off

Yup

Robinisrosie · 16/12/2025 21:11

MrsDoubtingMyself · 16/12/2025 21:09

A well to do family, you say?

I beg to differ

Oh no they are incredibly well to do, live in a ludicrously expensive house, own multiple holiday homes etc. So I’m not actually sure why they are bothered by the cost. My sister is now saying they are more annoyed as it’s no longer for sale, but then what would me giving them money do?

OP posts:
UncannyFanny · 16/12/2025 21:11

Well they can’t be that incredibly well off if they are griping about a figure that would be pocket change to someone incredibly well off.

BlueRedCat · 16/12/2025 21:11

Honestly the amount of hats and gloves etc I lost when the kids were small…. I even left my own scarf in a restaurant the other day. Thankfully DH saw it and picked it off the floor

reversingdumptruckwithnotyreson · 16/12/2025 21:11

As they haven’t asked you directly to replace the hat I wouldn’t, but also going forward I’d decline any babysitting opportunities.

MrsDoubtingMyself · 16/12/2025 21:11

Invoice them for your time.

Then suggest reducing the amount they owe you by the cost of .....you get my drfit

Studyunder · 16/12/2025 21:11

I’d pay to replace at the exact same price they’re paying you for babysitting!
Daft fuckers. Serves them right for dressing children that age in pointlessly expensive things 🤷🏼‍♀️

Ophy83 · 16/12/2025 21:12

If someone cottoned on that it was a pricy set it may well have been stolen... bonkers sending kids out wearing something like that

NormasArse · 16/12/2025 21:12

@Robinisrosie - did you pay for the day out?

Namechange4326789779943 · 16/12/2025 21:13

Fuck that. You were doing them a favour and providing free childcare. You don’t need to reimburse them anything, you haven’t nicked it. Whilst such expensive items are a foolish purchase for such young children anyway, if they want them to have them then their options are either to only use them when they’re with their own children, as they obviously trust themselves not to lose them, or to at minimum give the person taking care of them a heads up to the tune of “X’s hat is really expensive, if you wouldn’t mind please doing your best to make sure it doesn’t get lost you know what kids are like blah blah”

I own a Burberry coat. It’s subtle and doesn’t have any garish branding on it. I have on several occasions in the 5 years I’ve owned it been approached by women in public who ask where it’s from because it just looks like a regular coat!

Robinisrosie · 16/12/2025 21:14

NormasArse · 16/12/2025 21:12

@Robinisrosie - did you pay for the day out?

No, they booked the soft play and gave me money for food/drinks.
They also gave me some lovely chocolates and wine when my nephew picked them up.

OP posts:
Brefugee · 16/12/2025 21:15

Lettucealone · 16/12/2025 20:47

It is a small price to pay for never, ever babysitting again.

By misquoting you have made your response irrelevant I'm afraid.

no. It is by no metric "a small price to pay"

Lettucealone · 16/12/2025 21:21

Robinisrosie · 16/12/2025 21:11

Oh no they are incredibly well to do, live in a ludicrously expensive house, own multiple holiday homes etc. So I’m not actually sure why they are bothered by the cost. My sister is now saying they are more annoyed as it’s no longer for sale, but then what would me giving them money do?

I have found very wealthy people can be quite stingy. I guess that's how some of them accumulate their wealth :)

Lettucealone · 16/12/2025 21:21

Brefugee · 16/12/2025 21:15

no. It is by no metric "a small price to pay"

Yes. By my metric it is "a small price to pay".

Superfrog3 · 16/12/2025 21:23

Your sister is stirring a little here. Hes probably had a little complain to his mum but then over it and thought it wouldn't get back to you. Your sister has decided to make it a big thing. I would probably have another look for it ( not going to lie though its probably on vinted by now 🙃) and then send a message saying you have checked again and really sorry about losing it, next time you watch them can they let you know of any valuable items and you will leave them at home and put a nice F&F hat on them. 😂

whynotwhatknot · 16/12/2025 21:26

tell her you babysat for free and you will send a bill they can deduct it from that

Sugarnspicenallthingsnaice · 16/12/2025 21:32

Theslummymummy · 16/12/2025 21:08

I've vote you are being unreasonable, because it doesn't sound like they expect it at all. Just a suggestion from your sister.

Finally someone who actually read the OP properly instead of going Full Froth.

Dollymylove · 16/12/2025 21:32

Anyone who spends 200 quid on a toddlers hat deserves everything coming to them imho 🤣

Rosealea · 16/12/2025 21:35

I can see their point.

It doesn't matter how much the items cost, it's their property that the child is too young to be responsible for.
You're the adult and you were negligent in losing the items therefore it's your responsibility to replace them whether they were £5 or £500.

I don't think you'll be asked to baby sit again. If you didn't realise that the child was underdressed going outside in December, never mind not noticing that he/she wasn't wearing the clothes you took off not long before, I would seriously caution against you being left in charge of a shopping trolley never mind a child!

Pollyanna87 · 16/12/2025 21:36

Robinisrosie · 16/12/2025 21:11

Oh no they are incredibly well to do, live in a ludicrously expensive house, own multiple holiday homes etc. So I’m not actually sure why they are bothered by the cost. My sister is now saying they are more annoyed as it’s no longer for sale, but then what would me giving them money do?

They might be rich, but they’re not well-to-do.

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