The price of playtime

Have you been forking out a small fortune on furniture damage and stain removal? You’re not the only ones, according to new research

The average parent has spent on average £3,466.04 repairing their home since having children, so says a survey by online retailer discountflooringdepot.co.uk. Thanks to the kids’ playtime accidents and spills, 84% of parents have had to spend money covering damage to walls, including stains, chips and scratches, while stained carpets due to spillages took second place for 78% of parents.

The survey also found that damage to furniture – including sofas, chairs, beds and tables – took the third spot (72%), followed by accessories such as mirrors and pictures (61%). The number that had suffered with destroyed home tech, like TVs, tablets and speakers, was 56%.

When asked what they might do differently to better prepare their home for a young family, top tips given by parents in the capital included wipeable paint-coated walls and hard-wearing floors instead of carpet throughout the house. But despite these costs, 92% said they felt it was all part of the fun of parenting. That’s the spirit, guys…