'I felt extremely embarrassed': Toddler cracks expensive artwork during open house, parents flee the scene

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jun 11, 2023 3:00 PM EDT

When something happens in a small town, everyone is going to hear about it. So when this couple chose to let their toddler roam unsupervised around an open house, they'd be crazy to think the whole town wouldn't know what happened by the next day. 

The OP, u/open852, wrote to the r/AmItheA**hole subreddit with their rather intriguing etiquette question. In the post, they describe how they and their husband brought their 4 year old kid to an open house. While the parents were strolling the property, their kid got into some trouble. Instead of owning up to the mistake, the couple fled the scene! 

OP then chose to share the story to Reddit, where they got absolutely roasted by commenters calling them TA. Who knows, maybe they'll take the advice to heart and pay for what they owe! 

Next, this person managed to buy 55 cows by accident, because what can't you buy online? 

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  • 01
    Organism - 'We were at an open house when our daughter (4) wandered off and picked up this mask type thing laying out on a table. Super bright, very loud, apparently VERY fragile'
    via Steve Johnson on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - r/AmItheA u/open852 A · Posted by 3 (S) AITA for refusing to pay for thousands for something my child broke? I live in a pretty small town, so if you don't know somebody directly, you're likely to know a person who knows them, and this is pretty much biting me in the a right now.
    via u/open852
  • 03
    Font - My husband and I are looking to upgrade homes given we're planning on expanding our family, so we've been looking at a few open houses recently. About a week ago we were at an open house when our daughter (4) wandered off and picked up this mask type thing laying out on a table. Super bright, very loud, apparently VERY fragile and pretty much right out in the open. When I saw her touching it I told her to put it down but it was too late and somehow it had gotten cracked down the middle. N
    via u/open852
  • 04
    Font - A so called friend of mine who knows the house owner saw me there and apparently told her she saw me rushing out of her house on the same day she returned to find the mask broken. Now she's hitting me up on the phone demanding I pay her back for breaking "art" and naming an absolutely ludicrous price (think four figures). I'm absolutely not going to pay her that, but a few people I know think I'm in the wrong here. I personally think if you're having an open house that children will be vi
    via u/open852
  • 05
    Font - stormywhethers321. 34 Supreme Court Just-a [... YTA. You were in someone's home and it was on you to watch your kid. Otherwise, whatever she breaks is your responsibility. Get a toddler harness or something. Also, why did you just leave without even trying to apologize?
    via u/stormywhethers321
  • 06
    Font - It's also very unlikely that a woman trying to sell her house left out something that was broken, hoped a kid would handle it and then she could hit people with the bill. It's way more likely she was displaying something nice because it made the house look posh, the way people put fresh flowers in a house they're trying to sell, and your kid broke it.
    via u/stormywhethers321
  • 07
    Font - marnie Coley YTA. Totally agree with the above statement. Seriously, what's more likely? A grown women plotting a "trap" for a child during her open house, hoping someone else would be ticked into paying for this broken mask? Or, some couple let their 4-year-old wonder off unsupervised and broke something expensive?
    via u/marnieColey
  • 08
    Font - Phasechange YTA and you sort of know it: If you didn't think you'd done anything wrong, you wouldn't have felt the need to immediately flee the scene.
    via u/Phasechange
  • 09
    Font - Foo WanAndOnlyBissaka. "Its A Trap" Nah its just OP not keeping an eye on her kid.
    via u/WanAndOnlyBissaka
  • 10
    Font - SeparateCzechs Certified Proctologist [21] YTA. You brought your child into someone else's home and allowed them to break something. Then you ran away. You made no attempt to own up to or apologize, though You knew you were in the wrong. That alone makes you an asshole. Whether you consider something art or not does not decided it's value. Your child broke an object. You pay for the object.
    via u/SeparateCzechs
  • 11
    Font - Trying to blame the victim for the damage you've done by claiming it's a trap is doubling down on being an asshole. Professional stagers (consultants who advise on how to make the house for sale look more appealing) would recommend a single striking piece on a wall or coffee table. Visual appeal without looking cluttered. You should pay for the damage your family has done.
    via u/SeparateCzechs
  • 12
    Font - [deleted] YTA we were at an open house when our daughter (4) wandered off and picked up this mask type thing laying out on a table. Watch your da kid! You shouldn't let a 4 year old 'wander off'
    via u/deleted
  • 13
    Font - foibleShmoible Judge, Jury, and Excretion... YTA Don't let your child walk around someone else's house unsupervised. If they can't be trusted not to grab items then either don't take them to an open house or keep them by your side.
    via u/foibleShmoible
  • 14
    Font - IRoastRudePeople Parta pant [1] YTA SO HARD ON THIS ONE, SISTER. I have a feeling you know very very well your daughter broke some very expensive piece of art and you're acting entitled just to get out of it. The home owner is still the home owner and can leave his/her expensive art pieces to attract possible clients wherever she/he pleases. You literally stepped on someone's property, your kid brokes smth and now you're b ing about THEM being responsible.
    via u/IRoastRudePeople
  • 15
    Font - You sound very very entitled. Don't bring your kid on someone else's property if you can't be responsible enough to watch her and make sure she doesn't break things.
    via u/IRoastRudePeople
  • 16
    Font - HicSunctLeones Parta bant [4] "I personally think if you're having an open house that children will be visiting you don't leave expensive breakables out in the open." YTA. This isn't toddler hour at the public library, it's a god da open house for adults interested in buying a house. No one is staging their home with the anticipation of unsupervised minors wandering about touching all of their
    via u/HicSunctLeones
  • 17
    Font - I say this as someone selling a home, someone going to open houses to find a new home, and as someone who is a parent. I get that childcare isn't always an option and sometimes you have to bring your kid to events that aren't catered towards children, that's fine. But it's your responsibility to keep an eye on your kid, especially a 4 year old. And then when she breaks something, you try to sneak off and hope no one notices? Might want to reconsider your parenting trajectory because the e
    via u/HicSunctLeones
  • 18
    Font - Alien_octopus A Aficionado [14] If you break something by mistake, would you not pay for it? Well, you're responsible for your kid. When she breaks something, you're responsible for paying for it. YTA
    via u/Alien_octopus
  • 19
    Font - LDKCP Sultan of Sphincter [717] YTA for multiple reasons here. 1. You allowed your young child to roam free in an open house setting. Not criminal but it's advisable to have a degree of control over the kid. 2. You knew your kid potentially broke something and you rushed away without telling anyone.
    via u/LDKCP
  • 20
    Font - 5. You seem to think because you don't value the art it cannot be expensive. Or simply because it is expensive you should not have to pay. Your kid, your mistake, your responsibility.
    via u/
  • 21
    Font - Sparrower1 She is also mad because the friend told the owner the truth about seeing her rush out of there, as if the friend is bad for doing that.
    via u/Sparrower1
  • 22
    Font - [deleted] "So called friend" Lol it didn't even occur to OP that the "friend" might also be friends with the home owner, since it's such a small town and whatnot. What an entitled person.
    via u/deleted
  • 23
    Font - djternan A YTA Aficionado [16] "OMG why aren't all of these people baby- proofing their houses so I don't have to keep an eye on my kid? Don't they know my kids will just wander wherever without supervision and break whatever colorful objects they find?" r/entitledparents
    via u/djternan
  • 24
    Font - [deleted] YTA Not necessarily for refusing to pay full amount as I get your point that it could have already been broken and you don't know what it's worth. It's for assuming it's okay to bring your kids into someone else's home and that they may break something, as if it's just one of those things.
    via u/deleted
  • 25
    Font - You're at a house viewing, not a social. You are responsible for watching your child and they shouldn't have to edit their home for fear of people breaking things that they shouldn't be touching. You have a very blasé attitude in this sense.
    via u/deleted

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aita art kids parenting artwork broken money Parenting Fail parents children
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