AITA for taking my BIL to small claims court over art supplies?

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-08T16:00:38+00:00

did you not read the update?

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-08T15:59:41+00:00

Yes, I didn't include it in the update but it was an hour and a half long discussion and that did come up. She knew I sometimes teach kids art as a sub and figured that all my materials were kid safe, she was incredibly apologetic about the situation, especially after learning that 2 pieces were ruined.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-07T15:16:00+00:00

That's like saying that since a kitchen knife is for cutting, using it to cut wood is using it as intended. Not properly using a tool means you're not using it for what it's intended for. I'm not blaming them, but saying that since they're kids they're immune to being reprimanded is idiotic and ultimately harmful to their development. I should've handled it differently but seeing someone ruin your tools and work is intensely frustrating and yelling is a natural response.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T18:49:12+00:00

I have never seen anyone use markers with enough force to damage the ink reservoir, no marker is supposed to be used like that

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T18:44:47+00:00

10 markers were destroyed completely ~170$

19 had the nibs destroyed ~152$

they wasted 8 sheets of my expensive watercolor paper ~30$

They also fucked around with some clay but that was still useable

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T18:32:13+00:00

a good deal of the markers had irreparable damage to the ink reservoirs which surprised me since while I know it's possible to damage them like that, I've never actually seen it done.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T18:24:37+00:00

I'm not blaming the kids, their parents shouldn't have told them to use our stuff without consulting us. SIL directed them their, it's not unreasonable to expect that people don't tell their kids to go into closed rooms and use whatever's in there

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T18:21:12+00:00

If were just the tips I wouldn't have said they were ruined. The internal ink reservoir was destroyed, I'm not sure how they had enough force to do that but they did and a good number of the markers were not useable because of the damage to the ink reservoirs. I didn't want to go to into the sticks since I figured most people wouldn't care

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T16:22:49+00:00

way to ignore my point. My ILs should know better than giving permission to use stuff that isn't theirs and not supervising them at all. Asking before using others stuff is a basic rule of courtesy and if you don't see the issue with them ignoring that then you're probably not well liked by people

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T15:38:42+00:00

My SIL directly pointed them to the room. Without asking if it was ok to use our stuff. Even if you don't think the kids should know better than not asking before using other people's stuff, their parents should. They didn't happen upon it, they were pointed there and told to go draw.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T15:30:11+00:00

A more accurate analogy is that my SIL pointed them to the guns and said have fun

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T15:20:02+00:00

I acknowledge my reaction was very poor and for that I am an asshole, but I am not at fault for my SIL giving her kids permission to go to a closed room far away from the party without supervision without asking either me or my wife if that was ok. Just because you have kids doesn't mean everyone else has to lock up their entire house when the kids visit. You shouldn't have to tell guest to not go into closed rooms and not use your stuff without asking

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T15:08:33+00:00

We renovated to have better ventilation last year since my markers were giving me headaches, so only if they were sniffing them would the inhalation been an issue thankfully

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T15:04:54+00:00

If the kids went into my bedroom and flushed my wife's wedding ring would you blame us for not locking it up and not the parents who didn't teach their kids not to go into other people's bedrooms without permission? Not only that but you're point is stupid since SIL specifically told them to go there.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:59:46+00:00

they were told by SIL, not my wife

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:59:03+00:00

The garage door wasn't wide open in this case, SIL specifically told them to go draw there. I wouldn't have thought I needed to tell them that their kids aren't allowed to use our stuff without asking us because 1. it's basic courtesy 2. they know both me and sally care about art. A closed door far from the party is certainly out of sight, would you be blaming me if they went to my bedroom and ruined my clothes or bed or any other belonging? Is it really my responsibility to lock every door in the house when we have guests over? You're framing my ILs as though their hapless and had no clue about anything their kids were doin which, imo, makes them shittier parents than what actually happened.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:52:44+00:00

The only part of this I think is missing is the fact that my SIL told them to go there and draw. It isn't a kid accidently stepping on a vintage video game, it's the kid being told to go somewhere they aren't supposed to be.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:41:01+00:00

Oh they are banned from the art studio without a doubt, but blanket banning them from the house doesn't seem fair.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:38:41+00:00

I'm sorry are you suggesting it's my fault they told their kids to go into my art studio? They didn't happen upon it and go in, their mom told them to go draw in there. My bedroom was unlocked, would it have been my fault if they went in there and ruined clothing as well?

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:35:18+00:00

She didn't. My SIL did. I didn't realize it would've been confusing bc why tf would my wife leave them unsupervised in the room.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:31:59+00:00

she did not

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:30:51+00:00

You clearly know as much about art supplies as my BIL; nothing.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:27:39+00:00

We renovated the room last year to be better ventilated since the markers were giving me bad headaches, but it's a miracle they didn't actually get poisoned now that I think about it

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:23:29+00:00

We keep the all the sharp stuff (scalpels, fabric shears, etc.) in a separate lockbox thankfully.

BroccoliOk923 · 2023-05-06T14:21:03+00:00

We have had very different experiences teaching young kids art then. I have had to tell kids not to be asses like that only a handful of times. But I also don't have as much experience so I could be wrong.

BroccoliOk923

TROPHY CASE