A British mother has shared the story of the day her toddler son destroyed $159,000 worth of antiques when visiting a relative.
The mortified mum, who uses the name TheKitchenWitch on Mumsnet, asked the group, “What is the most amount of damage your toddler has caused in someone else’s house? Come and make me feel better.”
Apparently, during the visit, her two-year-old son pressed a button on a small remote control which had been left on the coffee table.
“This caused the lid on the side cabinet to open and a TV to start sliding up.”
It all went downhill from there.
"The sideboard was currently being used to display a collection of antiques, which came spectacularly crashing down, one by one. Estimated damage: one hundred thousand Euros."
And that wasn't including the damage the crash caused to the parquet flooring after the marble clock smashed on it.
Seeking support, the mum then asked the group to share their stories, imploring, "Please come and tell me your tales of havoc caused by toddlers."
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She swiftly got the support she was seeking - mostly.
Thistlebelle asked the very direct question, "What kind of idiot puts one hundred thousand euros worth of antiques on top of the tv cabinet?"
"That really isn't you or your toddler's fault," said Polyethyl.
Other group members suggested that the responsibility lay with the owner of the goods to keep them protected from unforeseen events.
The mortified mum was also shown solidarity, with other parents sharing similar stories of their toddlers smearing cream on carpet, pouring boutique Clarins products into the toilet, and accidentally tearing a radiator off a wall - with every event not being in their own home.
But one commenter, MyKingdomForBrie, accused the mother of not being sorry enough.
"Well I’m not sure why you’re being so aggressive towards the person whose belongings you have damaged, you sounded remorseful at first but clearly you’re not in the least. People who don’t have toddlers just don’t foresee issues in their homes."
Mortified mum's response?
"There is a child living there, actually, a 5-year old, who could also quite easily have pushed the remote, not least because the house in question also has all the lights controlled by remotes, which are also lying around...I just think it was astonishingly stupid to leave the remote out when you were no longer using the tv because you had placed very, very expensive antiques on the cabinet."
She assured the group she was very apologetic on her toddler's behalf.
"I was still mortified that it happened - as I would have been if he'd broken a couple of IKEA lamps and a Habitat vase or whatever. The fact that it was very expensive antiques just takes it from Oh Shit into OH FUCK territory."
Enough said.