We all know the golden rule of adult-only parties: keep the tiny humans at home. It’s not that we hate kids, it’s just that sometimes we want to drink wine without worrying about someone smearing goldfish crackers into the upholstery. But there is always that one relative who thinks the rules don’t apply to their “precious angel.” One successful artist on Reddit just lived through this exact nightmare during a New Year’s celebration, and the financial fallout is absolutely massive.
The OP is a 26-year-old professional artist who was hosting a late-night gathering. She laid down two very simple, very clear ground rules for her guests. Rule number one: this is an event for adults, so leave the kids with a sitter. Rule number two: stay the h£ll out of her art studio. She was so serious about this that she put a literal “DO NOT ENTER” sign on the door. That seems simple enough for anyone with basic reading comprehension skills to understand, right?
Enter the OP’s 24-year-old sister, “Lucy.” Lucy decided that “I couldn’t find a sitter” was a valid pass to ignore the host’s request and bring her 9-year-old son, “Ethan,” to the 10 PM party. Now, I’m not saying 9-year-olds are inherently destructive forces of nature, but when left unsupervised in a house full of expensive things late at night… bad things happen.
The OP even tried to mitigate the disaster by setting up a PS4 to keep the kid occupied, which is honestly more generous than I would have been. But alas, the allure of the forbidden door was too strong. At 10 PM, a loud crash shattered the peace, and the OP ran upstairs to find a scene straight out of a horror movie in her studio.
I need you to really feel the pain of this moment. There sat Ethan, laughing maniacally while rubbing paint into a canvas that represented a massive chunk of the OP’s life. Fifteen hours of painstaking work on a commissioned piece—meaning a client was actively waiting to pay for this—was completely destroyed. This wasn’t just an accident; this was interpretive dance via vandalism.
The OP did what any rational person whose livelihood had just been decimated would do: she immediately kicked her sister and nephew out. The next day, she treated the situation like the business transaction it was and sent a bill. The total came to £2500. The OP even noted this price is actually lower than what she would have eventually sold the finished piece for. She essentially gave her sister a family discount on destruction of professional property.
Naturally, because accountability is apparently a foreign concept to Lucy, she is absolutely screaming about the invoice. The family is now totally divided in a civil war that honestly makes sense based on their professions.
The OP’s mom, who is described as “smart smart” (whatever that means in this context, but it feels condescending), hates the OP for charging her sister. But the dad, who is also an artist and understands that time literally equals money in this creative industry, is completely on her side. Even Lucy’s own husband agrees that she needs to pay up for the damage their son caused.
Let’s be real here: NTA. Not even a little bit. The “you break it, you buy it” rule applies whether you are 9 or 90. The sister ignored the “no kids” rule, ignored the “do not enter” sign, and failed to supervise her child in someone else’s home. That £2500 bill isn’t just for paint and canvas; it’s a very expensive lesson in respecting boundaries and other people’s livelihoods. Pay up, Lucy.
NTA 9 years old is old enough to know better. That child would not be getting a gift for any reason until the bill is paid. I also wouldn’t be giving him a discount, and I would add the cost of any supplies he wasted, brushes he damaged, and an amount for cleaning up after his vandalism. Each and every special occasion I would be telling him how much I’m taking off the bill and giving him an estimate of how many more presents he is going to miss until that bill is paid. My mom taught me arguing with the parents to pay the bill is less effective than getting down on a kids level for punishment is better than seeking financial repayment. Oh and dont let either one back him my home.