Ok, I know I'm a slob! I know I don't clean and I don't really decorate and there is clutter and toys and clothes strewn willy-nilly (yeah, I said willy-nilly). But there are a couple of things that I like, that are actually nice, grownup things, and my kids just wrecked one.
Do you see this picture? Yeah, that is a curtain bracket halfway pulled out of the wall (I almost wrote puln, like grown). Yeah. I had ONE curtain up. One. I liked it alot. It was from Ikea. I told them and told them to keep away from it. ARGH!
So they sure got a talking to. Along the lines of, "Mommy is really mad. Do you see that? Kids played in my curtain and it got broken. I like to have some nice things in the house, and now one is broken." Claire cried. I said, "I still love you." She ran up to me sobbing and said, "But you made me sad!" "Well," I said, "you made me sad too." Incidentally, Charlotte took it on the chin.
Here's the thing. The thing is that this is the THIRD time they have yanked curtains off this window. They knew that the curtains were taboo! Oh, they KNEW it.
And no defending them. No saying that things like that in a house of little kids is a bad idea or that I can't expect them to not touch the curtains or I should have learned my lesson the first two times. No way. Because I am allowed to have nice things in my house. It isn't a giant playroom. They have TONS AND TONS of things that they can touch and play with. I am not a tight-A about it. They can touch the computer, the tv, the dvd player, the remotes, the lamps, the pantry, the fridge, the dishwasher (in a non-chore capacity) - much much more.
Added evidence that they know better is that they generally leave the off-limits stuff alone - like my bedside table, my bedding, my make-up, jewelry, razors, knives, fire, etc. They are aware and able to obey the curtain rule.1
Therefore:
The room is becoming off limits. I'm buying a babygate, taking everything off the walls, the extra furniture out, baby-proofing all the office stuff (oh, this is the office), and they will have to get permission to enter it. Which they will despise because that is where the computer is.
1Alright, there is Gabe. He knows. He doesn't care.
7 comments:
Jen I totally agree with everything you said. Some things belong to mom. Everything is not a toy. You did the right thing. If it keeps happening you can use some of Shelly's methods for getting children not to mess with her stuff. They are hilarious.
Kids are rotten. I embrace your idea of blockading your one special room! A friend of mine had one like yours and she called it her "temple room". No one was allowed to enter with out being found worthy!
Good for you! You ought to have somewhere that is special. I always liked my bedroom since I was ill in bed most of the years my kids were growing up (ugh - yeah). So I kept it my castle and they could come in but were pretty good about keeping out of stuff.
I agree too! Imagine if you had kids that were never near things they had to respect and not break? If everything in the world was a toy, people would be just awful in public! Can you imagine? I firmly believe it is possible to have nice things while you have kids. And that you NEED to! And from the above comment, I need some of Shelly's funny suggestions!!
Good plan Jen. Better than the "remove everything from your house that is pretty" plan. I would have to pick Claire up out of the rubbish pile and take her home!
hee, hee...i love it. good for you for not giving up on thinking that your kids can actually learn not to touch those nice things you have. i have this set of three pillows that go on top of a wooden bench that are covered with silk. my girls DO NOT touch them and they KNOW it...i'm pretty sure i'd flip out if i found them spilling something on them or walking on them with shoes on...i'm with you!
i am so sorry about your curtain. I watched you put it up and it was your pride and joy in that room. I will gladly help you put up your baby blockaid and will help you put up a new or the exsiting curtain. If you would like I will watch the kids while you go to Ikea.
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