This mum received a $177,000 bill after her son knocked over a glass statue.

There’s an age-old piece of advice that parents have been sharing with their children since the dawn of time.

“DON’T TOUCH!”

Whether this was in the kitchen as your parents slapped your hand away from the dinner they were preparing, or in an expensive shop, it’s the golden rule that every child remembers.

Except, of course, this five-year-old.

A city in Kansas in the United States is reportedly demanding US$132,000 (AUD$177,000) from the parents of the boy who knocked over a glass statue which was on display at an Overland Park community centre on the 19 May.

The piece of art, ‘Aphrodite di Kansas City’, was on display at a wedding reception, which the child was attending with his parents.

According to The Kansas City Star, the child’s mother, Sarah Goodman, is furious about the charge.

“It’s clear accidents happen and this was an accident, I don’t want to diminish the value of their art. But I can’t pay for that,” she told the newspaper.

And as any mother would, she jumped to the defence of her child.

“He probably hugged it, maybe my son hugged a torso because he’s a loving, sweet nice boy who just graduated from preschool,” she said.

Goodman continued that the community centre is frequented by families, and while some pieces of art are cemented or properly secured, this one wasn’t.

The letter that the woman received called the parent’s behaviour “negligent”.

“This loss occurred when your son was in a closed area of the property and toppled a glass sculpture. Under common law in Kansas, you are responsible for the supervision of a minor child and your failure to monitor them during this loss could be considered negligent,” the letter said.

“The cost of the sculpture damaged is estimated at $132,000.”

According to Sean Reilly, the Overland Park city spokesman, the artwork was on loan to the city.

“The city has a responsibility to file a claim with our insurance company, and we do that any time city property is damaged,” Reilly told The Kansas City Star.

“It will be up to the insurance companies to get this worked out.”

As for the sculpture itself, the piece of art reportedly took the artist, Bill Lyons, two years to complete, and was shattered to the point of no repair.

“I want to be reimbursed for the amount of time that I spent on it and for what I think it is worth,” the artist said.

It’s safe to say that this is every parent’s worst nightmare.

Do you think this mum should have to pay up? Tell us in the comments!