Guest sn0wdr0p Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 I am currently re-writing our parent contracts for the nursery and out of school club. I want to address the problem of deliberate damage to toys and resources by children in our out of school club. Unfortunately we have a few 8/9 year old boys who have bent all the new coat pegs on purpose egging each other on and other incidents where a 9 year old scribbled body parts (yes you can guess which) on two new books the first day we got them, graffiti in the boys toilets, heads pulled off dolls etc. We have been through 3 air hockey tables and 2 TV's since we opened 5 years ago through deliberate damage. I spend a ridiculous amount of money each year replacing deliberately damaged toys. At my sons school anything deliberately damaged has to be paid for no matter how young the child is. I have had to pay to replace a pencil which my 5 year old snapped in half. It seemed ridiculous at the time but now I think the head was probably right - at what cost should you draw the line? I have decided to add to my contract that a parent of any child aged 8 and over should have to pay for deliberate damage. ( I have now installed CCTV and this should help ensure we do not mistakenly blame a child for accidental damage and to show their parents ) Do any of you charge for deliberate damage and does anyone have it in their contracts and how have you worded it? Do you think age 8 is a fair age start from?
AnonyMouse_35605 Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 I would tend to say that plenty of younger children would be perfectly well aware of what they are doing and should know not to intentionally damage anything in the way you are describing. They would not get away with at school after all. If you make a division it may also lead to older children blaming the younger ones. I would tend to opt for one rule for all to make life simpler. You can always decide to be lenient where you want to but it would allow you to be tough when you need to. 3
Guest Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 I have to say it is something I get annoyed at when a 3/4 yr old stands and deliberatly rips a book and seems to think its ok. When you ask the mother they then say "yes they're always doing that at home!!" Parents don't seem to have the back bone to make they're children aware of consequences for their actions!! I would say you have every right especially if you can pin point who is responsible!
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