Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree with what most of the posters have written, it is never too young to teach a child manners and say NO. Take it from a former HS teacher, if you don't get them used to be disciplined now they will become my problem in HS.
To solve the problem of sliding furniture you can buy furniture leg cups that are scuff proof, they are inexpensive enough. An alternate is to buy a rug gripper pad and cut pieces down to size for each leg. (they can be found in dollar stores too, but they are called shelf lining) they are rubberized and have tiny holes in a grid like pattern. You won't need to worry about your hardwood floors since they are made to be used for just that purpose.
In addition, what are you going to use if you have guests? Not everyone is comfortable on the floor especially for any length of time.
Teach your kids not to push the furniture around. Provide them with cheap beanbags etc. that they can roughhouse around on in a space that is theirs. Teach them the difference.
I love Middle Eastern decorated homes. It doesn't have tobe completely stark. A large area rug and pillows are a great idea for kids. You can use a couple of armless comfy cushioned side chairs for your husband or large ottoman for the kids.
Thanks, that's kind of what I was thinking. We need new furniture anyway and the kids pushing it all over the place was just the straw that broke the camel's back, not the entire impetus! I am finding I like more minimalist looks now but also love the richness of Middle Eastern decor, with the carpets and rugs and stuff. A couple of small comfortable chairs is all we really need, actually.
I agree with what most of the posters have written, it is never too young to teach a child manners and say NO. Take it from a former HS teacher, if you don't get them used to be disciplined now they will become my problem in HS.
To solve the problem of sliding furniture you can buy furniture leg cups that are scuff proof, they are inexpensive enough. An alternate is to buy a rug gripper pad and cut pieces down to size for each leg. (they can be found in dollar stores too, but they are called shelf lining) they are rubberized and have tiny holes in a grid like pattern. You won't need to worry about your hardwood floors since they are made to be used for just that purpose.
In addition, what are you going to use if you have guests? Not everyone is comfortable on the floor especially for any length of time.
We do discipline - age appropriately. Right now they are far too young to get it and to have it "stick". In a few minutes, they are back to pushing the furniture again. But I don't want to get off on that topic. I'm irritated that people are rushing in to critique my parenting when they don't even know us. Talk about presumptious and OFF TOPIC. If anything, we are FAR more conservative and disciplinarian in our philosophy than anyone we know - far from the liberal, permissive parenting we see nowadays. But the reality is that even though you can begin teaching "no" and setting limits, at this young age, it's not going to stop a persistent problem like pushing the furniture around or climbing up onto it. We know because we've been diligently trying for a couple of months now. I have older children who had a completely different temperment and never NEVER had this issue. A look usually sufficed. We believe in spanking but we do not spank babies. Sorry, not gonna happen.
Thanks for the tip on keeping the furniture from sliding.
Thanks. I appreciate that. Some people are just over eager to jump in and judge others and show off their "expertise" (not!) when they know nothing about them.
What furniture are they pushing around? We have hardwood floors in the family room and my husband's beloved leather recliner slides like a sled on ice. I got those grippy chair pads. They are self adhesive and stick to the bottom of the furniture. You can get them at Lowe's and Walmart. A pack is around a buck or two. I couldn't live without furniture. I think the idea of doing so would get old real quick.
We do discipline - age appropriately. Right now they are far too young to get it and to have it "stick". In a few minutes, they are back to pushing the furniture again. But I don't want to get off on that topic. I'm irritated that people are rushing in to critique my parenting when they don't even know us. Talk about presumptious and OFF TOPIC. If anything, we are FAR more conservative and disciplinarian in our philosophy than anyone we know - far from the liberal, permissive parenting we see nowadays. But the reality is that even though you can begin teaching "no" and setting limits, at this young age, it's not going to stop a persistent problem like pushing the furniture around or climbing up onto it. We know because we've been diligently trying for a couple of months now. I have older children who had a completely different temperment and never NEVER had this issue. A look usually sufficed. We believe in spanking but we do not spank babies. Sorry, not gonna happen.
Thanks for the tip on keeping the furniture from sliding.
Honey, if you didnt want to hear it, then you should have left all of that out.
BTW, this is the interior design forum, not the P&OC.
Now, I am not critiquing your parenting style, I am merely making an observation.
My mom was an interior designer (as am I), there were never any issues of anyone trashing the furniture, there was never any spanking involved either.
As another poster suggested, you might be better served giving the children their own space.
If you really do want some help with the space, please post some pix, along with approximate dimensions, I will do my best to help you achieve what is is you want within your budget, because thats just the kind of gal I am.
I did a Moroccan style house a couple of years ago, it was a lot of fun.
Honey, if you didnt want to hear it, then you should have left all of that out.
BTW, this is the interior design forum, not the P&OC.
Now, I am not critiquing your parenting style, I am merely making an observation.
My mom was an interior designer (as am I), there were never any issues of anyone trashing the furniture, there was never any spanking involved either.
As another poster suggested, you might be better served giving the children their own space.
If you really do want some help with the space, please post some pix, along with approximate dimensions, I will do my best to help you achieve what is is you want within your budget, because thats just the kind of gal I am.
I did a Moroccan style house a couple of years ago, it was a lot of fun.
Thanks, I appreciate that, but I still think it was meanspirited for people to jump on what was in effect a side comment, and totally ignore my main question and request for help. There are many details that I left out because I had no idea I'd be put in a position of having to defend myself against accusations that aren't even on topic. For example - we live in a tiny garage apartment, so the kids cannot have their own space. We all have to co exist in a very small area. Very small (you have no idea!) We already have a fence up over the bookshelves and television but they love the furniture. They are OBSESSED with the furniture. Saying "no" and "redirecting" works great with toddlers when dealing with certain scenarios, such as a stolen toy or an object they aren't allowed to have or clothing they are resisting wearing. Of course you must begin somewhere with discipline and we are certainly saying "no" and setting limits. But once they get their mind set on a particular activity that has caught their interest, it is sometimes impossible to just redirect them away from it. The furniture is, after all, always there. Basically to be intelligent and responsible about a child's developmental level, you have to make the home as baby friendly as you can, for babies, so that they can explore their surrounds without a lot of tension. We have done the very best we could. The furniture climbing and moving took us by surprise. We had no idea they had those capabilities! I can get grippers to stop the furniture sliding but there is still the issue of the climbing. Hence the reason I thought about changing the decor to make it easier on all concerned and because I don't want an injury. After stepping away from this thread for a bit, it actually became humorous to me that so many are basically labeling me a permissive parent who doesn't know how to say "no" when, to all my friends, I'm extremely strict. One of my friends threatens her daughter with "if you don't behave, I'm going to send you to chattypatty's house." But suddenly in one post with one little side comment, I'm a permissive parent! Bwahahaaaa!
Oh well. Anyway, back to the topic. Tiny space. Can barely fit a sofa, chair, and tv stand. The bookshelves are built in. The dining room is at the other end of the room and barely fits a medium sized table and four chairs and a piano, which blocks the built in bookshelves at that end of the room because there is no other wall for it (windows on one side, kitchen on the other). I need either tiny furniture, and maybe only two pieces, and maybe even mount the tv on the wall - I don't know. A carpet would also stop the furniture from slipping around and that may be an alternative to grippers.
What furniture are they pushing around? We have hardwood floors in the family room and my husband's beloved leather recliner slides like a sled on ice. I got those grippy chair pads. They are self adhesive and stick to the bottom of the furniture. You can get them at Lowe's and Walmart. A pack is around a buck or two. I couldn't live without furniture. I think the idea of doing so would get old real quick.
Thanks for the tip on the grippers. That would be cheaper than buying a carpet, but we are also considering the latter as well. Like I said in another post, I wouldn't replace old furniture JUST BECAUSE the kids are pushing and climbing it, but rather, it's old and I want a change and the kids' issue became a factor in considering possibly a minimalist style. They are pushing the sofa, which is actually not all that lightweight! and the side table. They are also pushing the dining room chairs. You're probably right that living without furniture would get old real quick, but I'm still thinking about small low to the ground furniture.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
