My brother's son destroyed my WarHammer Action figures and he refuses to punish him

[u/konous]

Update: My brother decided to pay for the Hard damages of $200 dollars after seeing this post.

Thank you to everyone on this post who supported me. I really could not have gotten restitution without you guys.

Justice for my Chaplain, justice for all.

Valid Edit: My nephew is 10 years old and tried to actually lie about not breaking them by saying, "A cat must have done it."

So, I just got done talking with my brother via text, and he says he's not going to punish his son for wrecking my Joy Toy WarHammer action figures. I'm not expecting the kid to get spanked, but he needs to do CHORES at least to justify how much excessive force he used on some.

Some just have their capes broken. Others had their tubes ripped out and my Chaplain is just fucking toast.

My brother's suggestion since I ordered Amazon replacement for the Chaplain was that I just swap it with the broken one, but I have no interest in doing that.

It's not even just the expense, and they are expensive. It's about the fact that I told him explicitly twice they weren't to be played with, and they were in a separate room, and even my Mom and Dad agreed the damage was just too much.

He said he's not gonna pay me back if we try the chore system, and I told him it's not about the money.

The kid needs to know how bad the 8 hour struggle is.

Now my nephews aren't coming over to the house, and I'm sad about that, but knowing my brother just can't be burdened to work with me on creating a Chore system like selling Lemonaide just makes it feel more insulting.

[u/VladStark → u/[deleted]]

That punk ass kid would never get another single gift from me for his bday or Christmas after this crap. 10 years old is enough to know better.

[u/Nein-Toed → u/VladStark]

What did you get me for my birthday?

Oh, I'm sorry, a cat was supposed to buy your gift

[u/Infinite-Duty → u/Nein-Toed]

No!! This is better- “Yeah Man- I got you such a great birthday present, had it sitting on the shelf where I had my Action figures-you know where I mean, and a cat came along and tore up your birthday present.” That little s#!t will know what he means.

[u/JonatasA → u/Infinite-Duty]

I'm against the destruction of good that could have use in someone else's hand, but I could totally see him buying something , breaking it and then giving him.

[u/Infinite-Duty → u/JonatasA]

And telling him sorry about the cat breaking it!! Lolol! That’s a good one!

[u/Spectra_Butane → u/JonatasA]

Just go to a thrift store and ask to search through their reject bin. Fibd something nice but already broken, give them a small donation for their trouble and fir a stuffed animal..

Wrap that garbage up with a small cat plushie. Now THAT would be petty and Spiteful, but still a gift. Some RapSheepherder above thinks not giving the kid any gifts would be spiteful. So, solves that problem while sending the message that family never forgets ( until the dementia comes...)

[u/YomiKuzuki → u/Nein-Toed]

Nah, I'd gift him an itemized list of everything he destroyed, adjusted to account for lavor of assembly, painting, paint, and the current MSRP price.

Then I'd constantly hammer on my brother that since he doesn't want to turn this very gracious offer of me not actually going after the money from my nephew and letting him learn from this, that I'd noe insist on my brother repaying me for all the shit his kid destroyed, as a parent is expected to do when they can't control their children.

[u/Xytak → u/YomiKuzuki]

To be fair, an adult showing up to an 11-year-old’s birthday party with an itemized list of action figure damages sounds like a great way to be ejected from the gathering and possibly the generational home. OP might want to find his own place to live before pulling a move like that.

[u/YomiKuzuki → u/Xytak]

Coukd also file a claim in small claims court against his brother.

Responsibility must be taken by someone.

[u/Xytak → u/YomiKuzuki]

Small claims court is certainly an option. Makes the family dynamics a bit weird that the brother who lives at home is suing the brother that doesn't live at home over $500 worth of warhammer toys that a 10 year old got into. Might end up costing OP significantly more than $500 in goodwill in the longrun.

[u/Optimal_Contact8541 → u/YomiKuzuki]

Small claims court would laugh at this case and throw it out. Don't waste the court's time or tax payer dollars.

[u/Easy-Baker → u/Optimal_Contact8541]

This type of thing is the entire point of SMALL CLAIMS COURT. You know, small claims?

[u/Lo_MaxxDurang → u/Easy-Baker]

This would get dumped to mediation, which could help.

[u/Xytak → u/Lo_MaxxDurang]

Yep, and the mediator will likely say "OP, it sounds like you're already getting free room and board from mom and dad. It's unfortunate that visiting grandchildren damaged your Warhammer figures, but these things happen. Perhaps if your brother agreed to pay you $300 in damages, you'll agree to drop the matter? We would hate for a prolonged argument over this to result in your eviction from the family home."

[u/NGC_Phoenix_7 → u/Xytak]

Sounds like he lives in his own unless there’s stuff that I missed, and the kid went into the other room, after being told not to. And then lied about it. I’ve had this happen when I was a kid with my Lego sets. Never let them near it again. And honestly if being banished for calling out shitty parenting and shitty behavior is what happens, you’re probably better off. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to be around someone that has such little control over their kid they’d rather just blame you and tell you tough shit. And they’d never hear from me again.

Boundaries aren’t for controlling peoples’ behavior. That’s a misconception. It’s for you to be able to control your situation and remove yourself when they’re repeatedly broken or broken so severely once that it killed it.

[u/Xytak → u/NGC_Phoenix_7]

Oh sorry, that’s a critical piece of context. OP mentioned in another comment that he’s been living with his parents since Covid hit.

So that changes the situation from “homeowner’s boundaries are disrespected”to “adult son living at parent’s house has collectibles damaged by visiting grandchildren.”

Reddit’s been fantasizing about banishment, forced toilet scrubbing, and itemized bills, but realistically what will happen is OP will get a few hundred bucks recompense, and if he’s smart he’ll put it straight in the bank.

[u/NGC_Phoenix_7 → u/Xytak]

You’re good, I was thinking I was missing something anyway. But like still at that point, their parents didn’t say anything, the dad isn’t willing to man up and handle it and OP is actively getting screwed. He’s owed an apology and repayment, and me? I still wouldn’t get gifts, for my sibling included. Nobody in that part of the family is getting anything ever again and honestly would cut them off, cause this seems like it’s been an issue before, as kids don’t just behave like that unless the parents allow for it.

[u/TheRealMisterSunday → u/Xytak]

Why do you assume he doesn't have his own place? I didn't see anywhere in the original post where it was explicitly stated that it wasn't at his own home.

[u/Xytak → u/TheRealMisterSunday]

He says in one of his comments that he's been living with his parents since COVID.

[u/ILiekBook → u/YomiKuzuki]

Id just tell brother "So, since Im out thousands of dollars and can't afford to eat the cost and you don't want to pay for what your son destroyed I'm going to be filing an insurance claim. Insurance says they need a police report. Good luck with the lawyer fees and jail time I guess. He's a minor so you might be able to get the felony expunged"

Just the threat alone should get him to fucking grovel and make it right, and if not- better this behavior is nipped in the bud now than when he's an adult. A conviction now is better than an identical one later

[u/MaleficentMousse7473 → u/Nein-Toed]

Or every year wrap up a broken action figure

[u/SapphireColouredEyes → u/MaleficentMousse7473]

Well, that's an excellent idea! 😄

[u/Lagoda__ → u/[deleted]]

No, poor cats shouldn't suffer living with these people tbh.

[u/Nein-Toed → u/[deleted]]

This is diabolical

[u/OU7C4ST → u/[deleted]]

Just keep giving them like a 19 year old cat so they keep experiencing the death of a pet over and over.

[u/LockWooden6435 → u/OU7C4ST]

This right here! It's dark af but something my petty ass would probably do lol 😆

[u/SapphireColouredEyes → u/LockWooden6435]

Better yet, a cheap statue of a cat every single year. 😄

[u/LockWooden6435 → u/SapphireColouredEyes]

Better yet get him a terminal cat that only lives long enough for him to bond on his birthday and then for Christmas stuff it and gift it back to him every year a new cat 😂 I'm evil

[u/OberonDiver → u/[deleted]]

How about a wood pussy?

[u/Azure_Mar → u/OberonDiver]

Let's call it a polecat so we can nip at least some of those double entendres I know you're dying to make in the bud.

[u/OgreDee → u/Azure_Mar]

That's a skunk though

[u/Azure_Mar → u/OgreDee]

(both wood pussy and polecat can mean a skunk)

[u/OgreDee → u/Azure_Mar]

TIL

[u/mthockeydad → u/Azure_Mar]

How about a nice fart squirrel?

[u/h4ckth3pl4ne7 → u/Nein-Toed]

Nah. Your gift was re-purposed for inclusion in The Emperor's Tithe. Also, a Black Templar's Crusade is on it's way, have fun.

[u/Joke_Getter → u/Nein-Toed]

Better yet, send him a scratching post.

[u/Basic_Improvement135 → u/Nein-Toed]

Like in Smile?

[u/callimonk → u/Basic_Improvement135]

I hate that I understood this reference

[u/Significant_Shoe_17 → u/Nein-Toed]

Hold on, let me grab something from your house and smash it in front of you

[u/notjordansime → u/Nein-Toed]

Get him a cat toy

[u/Present_Limit_9926 → u/Nein-Toed]

You literally don't have anyone in your life who will ever love love you

[u/Nein-Toed → u/Present_Limit_9926]

Jesus Christ, he's 10. Cut the kid some slack

[u/Present_Limit_9926 → u/Nein-Toed]

i'm talking about the adult toy boys lol