Britain's kids cause £3.55bn of damage to homes throughout childhoods

For many years figures have been provided on the cost of raising a child, but for the first time the real financial cost to our homes has been revealed in the True Cost of a Child report released by MORE TH>N. Uncovering the full extent of destruction children will cause in the home by the time they reach 18, the report found that kids will inflict £3.55bn of damage on the UK's households.

From stained carpets and paint-splattered walls to smashed valuables and broken beds, Britain's children will employ an astonishing repertoire of daily ruin at home, totaling £5,000 on average per child from the ages of three to 18.

The most common damage caused at home:
 
1. Spilling food and drink on the carpets (63 per cent)
2. Smashing plates and crockery (35 per cent)
3. Drawing and painting on the walls (33 per cent)
4. Breaking vases, pictures and photo frames (24 per cent)
5. Tearing wallpaper from the walls (22 per cent)
6. Jumping on beds until they break (15 per cent)
7. Breaking windows playing sports in the garden (10 per cent)
8. Damaging the TV playing computer games (9 per cent)
9. Putting food and drink in electrical objects (7 per cent)
10. Hiding valuables in the washing machine (6.6 per cent)

It appears that the terrible twos may not be as bad as the troublesome threes, as no child is more destructive in the humble home than a three-year-old, with terror toddlers causing household damage seven times in a single 12 month period, to the tune of £526.

The report also highlights how after the age of 10, levels of household ruin gradually fall until children become young adults and reach 16. At this point the damage they inflict begins to rise once again, totalling £310 million across the nation at the age of 18. According to dismayed parents, this damage is largely the result of their children throwing house parties and leaving a wake of devastation in their paths.

While boys might always be thought of as menaces, it seems that girls are far from little angels, as one in five parents with both sons and daughters believe that it's their little princesses who cause the most household mayhem by the time they reach 18.

Across the regions, the report points to kids in the Capital having the most destructive powers, with little Londoners causing an average of £387 damage each. Following closely behind are youngsters in the West Midlands (£379) and the North West (£347).

Janet Connor, Managing Director for MORE TH>N, commented: "From clothing to education, the costs of raising a child are well known. However, rarely is a figure put on the amount of damage that children can inflict on the home. For the first time, our research shows just how extensive and expensive it can be. Whether you have restless, wall-wrecking toddlers or party-loving teenagers it's important to have appropriate cover for your home to make sure you're covered for all sorts of eventualities."