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Original poster

Mr Bl**dy Nobody Strikes Again!!

9 replies

mears · 27/06/2006 22:55

I am intensly angry that a chunk of marble had been chipped off the hearth of the fireplace and none of my 4 children, aged 12 - 19yrs has a clue how it happened. I trusted them while I was at my mum's house round the corner helping out as she is recovering from an op and my Dad needs lost of care.
I came home and found the marble piece lying on the floor.All I want is someone to own up they had an accident or dropped something, or stood on it to look in the mirror. No confessions to be had.
Now when the carpet was fitted a few years ago, the hearth was damaged slighlty and we were compensated. Could this chunk (big chip really) have worked it's way off spontaneously and the kids are innocent? DH thinks we should stop pocket money till someone owns up. They all sound believeable that they had nothing to do with it. DH and I are sick that we can 'keep nothing nice'!. Advice anyone?

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Greensleeves · 27/06/2006 23:04

It may be totally irrelevant, but I remember once being stood in a corridor for over eight hours while my mother and stepfather took turns to interrogate me and my siblings about some spilt cereal in the pantry which no-one would own up to. I know it's bloody annoying to have your home damaged, especially when your kids are old enough to know better, but IMO the longer they go on not owning up the harder it will be for the culprit to come forward, and the more of a Big Issue it will become... if I were in your position I would just tell them quietly how hurt and disrespected it made me feel that whoever it was didn't feel able to own up and apologise, and then leave it at that.

But I know I am NOT being objective, and you are not proposing interrogating your kids in a corridor for eight hours, and they are much older than I was anyway. Just another perspective, that's all.

IvortheEngine · 27/06/2006 23:07

Not 100% the same, but I remember a similar thing happening when I was a kid. Chipped looking bits on the brownish fireplace. No one owned up and that was, I'm sure, because none of us did it! I think there was a fault when the fire was on, that the surround warped/melted a bit/whatever. It was a room that everyone walked through. You didn't spend any time in there, or else you might get nagged to do piano practice! We couldn't have pocket money taken off us as we didn't used to get any, but I remember the row about 30 yrs on. I'd be tempted to wait a bit then say "I'm still very disappointed that this is damaged and I would like to hear what happened from the person concerned" or whatever, without making too much of it. Hopefully, if one of them did do something, they will come up to you and say. Sometimes dd comes in from school and they have had a similar thing there and the whole class stays in all playtime all day and, in that instance, I don't think it's fair on the majority who had nothing to do with it. Gosh, why am I going on and on? Sorry. Hth a bit!

IvortheEngine · 27/06/2006 23:09

Why am I so slow?

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Greensleeves · 27/06/2006 23:10

I took the blame for the spilt cereal in the end, because I was the youngest, and the weakest, and we were all knackered and hungry... it still bloody rankles, it WASN'T ME

Sorry mears, blatant threadjack

Original poster

mears · 27/06/2006 23:10

I do agree Greensleeves - I remember my 4 sisters and I being interrogated about a smashed lampshade in the good front room. No-one owned up and we were all punished. It was so unfair on the innocent ones. Years later my sister confessed she had done it practicing pretend ballet. Her outdoor shoe had shot off and hit the light shade. She was too scared to confess.

They have all shot off to bed as I was shouting like a woman possessed (except 19yr old who is out at the moment). Probably punishment enough {smile]

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Original poster

mears · 27/06/2006 23:12

IvortheEngine, you and greensleeves have convinced me to forget it. Typing away into mumsnet really does let you get thiongs out your system

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Piffle · 27/06/2006 23:12

My 12 yr would do it and not notice he had done it.
So what they really mean is, novody is aware that they did it...
Tough call, we have a similar thing in our house
Nobody pees on the toilet seats ever...

Tortington · 27/06/2006 23:20

you have to tell them " i realise it was an accident, no one did it on purpose to make me cross, i know that. it can be fixed or replaced or just look ugly for a while. what i am angry about is the lying. i promise (dib dib dib signal to lighten mood) i will not shout or punish. so lets call this the hearth amnesty 2006 and just get it done with!"

if someone owns up cue 2 min lecture on respecting property and being more careful. then kiss and hug.

IvortheEngine · 27/06/2006 23:20

Glad to be of help, mears.

Piffle, you reminded me of a really dim thing I did once. I slipped on the stairs at home. It was a bare board stair and I noticed a piece of wood. I picked it up, thought "What is that?" and put it carefully to one side. A day or so later came the question "Who broke the stair?" It's not my fault I'm twp, honest! One and one just didn't make two, to me! p.s. please keep that bit quiet. I work in finance. I'm expected to be able to think things through to their logical conclusion. I did something similar this morning; I won't admit what. It was lack of sleep that did it. Speaking of which, good night!

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