Does-anyone-have-time-to-decorate??

[ShinyHappyDalek]

I-suppose-it-helps-if-you-are-DIY-orientated-which-we-are-not-really,-but-having-said-that-we-WOULD-like-our-home-to-look-nice...but-decorating-is-just-not-something-that-seems-to-fit-into-the-day...ANY-day!-We-have-enough-trouble-keeping-on-top-of-housework-while-dealing-wth-all-of-DS2's-many-many-time-consuming-issues.-coping-with-the-sleep-deprivation-etc..

We-are-moving-soon-to-a-far-more-appropriate-(for-DS)-house-and-I-would-SO-like-to-be-able-make-it-look-nice-seeing-as-this-one-will-(I-hope)-be-our-home-forever..-In-an-ideal-world-I-would-call-someone-in-to-do-it..(ah-bliss!)..but-that-can't-happen..if-it's-going-get-done,WE-have-to-do-it..but-with-DH-being-disabled-too-(arthritis..one-day-of-stripping/painting/whatever-and-he-is-completely-buggered-up-for-the-next-few-days..)-it's-virtually-impossible.

I-tell-myself-that-"material-stuff"-doesn't-matter..(which-it-does-not)-because-DS-breaks-everything-anyway..but-how-I-would-love-to-have-a-house-that-was-half-decently-decorated-and-I-wasn't-embarassed-to-ask-people-round-to!

How-do-other-parents-with-high-maintenance-SN-child-on-a-low-budget-manage??

(S'cuse-keyboard-issue_

[coppertop]

I dread home visits because our house is such a mess. We were given the chance of a new kitchen and bathroom (I've just posted on the AIBU thread) but had to turn it down because of the noise, disruption etc. Dh (AS) also hates change so that doesn't help matters either. I think we're just going to have to forget about any kind of decorating for at least the next couple of years.

[bobalinga]

Decorating? Heck no. House is a tip and needs decorating badly (as my friends with non SN chidlren remind me) but with having MS and DD2 requiring 24 hour care it isn't even going to get done. Then I feel guilty that my other kids never get a nice bedroom. It always looks like we are camping in any house! Still unopenend boxes from moving over a year ago :-(

[ShinyHappyDalek]

Well-that's-reassuring-at-least!

Destined-to-live-in-a-tip-tho-I-s'pose!

Camping-yes-bobalinga!!-That's-what-we-are-doing!

[ClutterJunkie]

we have wallpaper ripped off right by front door...we had brown tape reinforcing front door glass when ds3 was going through a 'slamming' phase...course the bloody tape left brown stick gluey mess when we peeled it off...all very visable from outside! (we have a new door now...hardly any glas!!!)

we have teeth marks on furniture...always a prob when someone 'clicks' that its recent and not due to teething babies (my youngest is 7 and is the culprit)

about 3 years ago DH decided to replace our bathroom- the new suite is still in shed...and the bath taps broke 2 years ago- and since then we've been using a variety of implements to turn taps on and off!!!

i have no plinths under my kitchen cupboards....and yes...they are meant to have them...i don't have those smart ones that stand on elegant legs!!! And..to make it worse the floor covering doesn't reach under far- so i have 100yr old 'concrete' or such like...which is crubly and everytime i drop something...and it rolls under a cupboard...i get grit in my nails!!!

nasal excretions (!!!!cant bear to type the word that is similar to boogies)wiped wherever its possible to wipe them.

rotting skirting board in bathroom due to ds1's weeing everywhre....so now as well as replacing the bathroom....has to replace skirting boards too...

ds3 came downstairs last week with a piece of wood with a rough edge...turned out to be one of the bunkbed matress supports...which had apparently 'just snapped all by itself'

i'll add more if this thread gets added to by others....i could easily hijack this...our house is a tip!!!

[theheadgirl]

Flippin' great thread!! My DD3 has Down syndrome. She's 6, but more like a 2 year old and is soooo mucky! Her nose is always runny, I'm forever cleaning up snot marks. I try to get her to always eat in her chair, but even with the seat belt, she seems to escape with food covered hands, or if not escaping, enjoys throwing her left-overs. Then there's the teeth marks or damage from plain boisterousness
(is that a word? boisterosity??)
I love her dearly, would not swap her for a clean kid, but good grief.........

[mummy2aaron]

Lol at this thread. Recently DS2 managed to rip the gas fire off the wall. Luckily a gas fitter was at a neighbour and blocked it all off for us or we would have been gassed. There are dents in the walls where he has headbutted them, ripped wallpaper too, no handles on kitchen cabinets, a tennis ball sized hole in the kitchen door, crayon everywhere. I replaced my Dining Suite when he decided to throw a chair which smashed, it was old anyway, 2 months later the new table is gouged with pen and cutlery which we no longer use around him. Shower panel cracked, toilet flush regularly broken. All good fun

[ShinyHappyDalek]

Oh-God-I'm-so-glad-I-started-this!!..You-feel-as-of-you're-the-only-one-who-lives-in-a-tip-don't-you!!

A-year-and-a-half-ago-we-had-amad-fit-and-decided-to-decorate-the-living-room..(I-read-a-threadposs-on-here..about-how-SAD-people-are-whp-still-have-a-that-stripey-wallpaper-that-was-trendy-aboutdecade-ago-with-a-plain-colour-on-the-other-half-separated-by-a-dado-rail..and-seeing-as-that-was-what-we-had-becuase-it-was-therer-when-we-moved-in..I-felt-v.depressed-and-went-out-and-bought-lots-of-nice-paint-in-contrasting-shades-of-toffee/oatmeal/cream-etc...it-all-looked-sooooo-good-in-my-head..)

Skip-forward-to-now.-We-did-the-wallsnever-finished-the-skirting-boards....didn't-touch-the-ceiling-and-the-but-the-bits-round-the-doors-(architraves?)-are-HALF-painted-and-very-visible!...It-has-been-like-this-since-Sept-2005!--It-will-never-get-finished-now...And-the-parts-that-did-get-done-need-re-doing,-big-time!

I-so-identify-with-the-broken-taps-CJ!..Everything-in-our-house-is-brokem-and-I-can-hardly-bring-myself-to-care..I-just-have-phases-about-being-down-about-it...usually-when-I've-been-to-someone's-lovely-house....and-everyone-seems-to-have-lovely-houses-in-comparison-to-ours..even-those-who-are-similarly-financially-challenged!!!

We-just-can't-get-anything-complete!----Everything-else-just-takes-priority...and-things-like-painting-have-to-be-crammed-into-the-hours-DS2-is-at-school..which-go-so-fast...and-I-am-supposed-to-be-studying..altho-rarely-am!

I-suppose-the-reason-I-am-just-obstinately-perservering-with-a-broken-keyboard-is-because-we-are-so-used-to-making-do-with-broken-stuff!

Fio-why-the-manic-laughter!...I-like-the-"expressive"-look-of-your-decor!(And-it-made-me-feel-so-much-better-to-see-it!)(And-it-s-still-a-Lovely-House!)

Truth-be-told,-the-only-decorating-that-has-been-done-is-this-house-in-the-last-house-in-the-last-year-(depsite-fact-it-urgently-needs-it!)..is-by-DS2-himself...(and-I'd-look-away-now-CJ-seeing-as-you-have-a-problem-with-"bogies"...this-is-worse!)...who-has,-on-quite-a-number-of-occasions,-given-his-(and-DS1's!)-bedroom-a-nice-even-coverage.....of--sh*t!!!!

[ShinyHappyDalek]

(s'cuse-typos...that-was-a-long-one-with-no-space-bar!)

[mummy2aaron]

If you need a new keyboard cat me with your address, I think I spotted one in the loft last week.

[ShinyHappyDalek]

Mummy-2-aaronthankyouthat-is-lovely-of-you.-Is-it-a-USB-one?(Unfortunately-that's-the-kind-we-need...I-thought-DH-had-ordered-one-off-Ebay-but-turns-out-he-was-only-"watching"-several.)

If-it's-a-USB-one-would-love-it-although-you-must-let-us-pay-you.)

[coppertop]

I'm ROFL at the wallpaper description as that's exactly what we're stuck with in our house (put up by previous tenants). I would almost kill to get rid of it, especially as the 'white' bits are now a fetching shade of nicotine yellow because the previous tenants smoked. It has since had ds2's original artwork added to it - ie the little so-and-so has drawn all over it in a variety of pens. He's even decorated the sofa with red felt tip all across the bottom of it.

You'll all be queuing up to see my house now won't you?

[mummy2aaron]

I'll have a look if it's a USB one then and let you know. No charge but if it makes you feel better you can pay postage if that's ok.

[ShinyHappyDalek]

That-would-be-more-than-fine-M2A.-Will-CAT-you-if-you-post-back-on-here-to-say-it's-a-USB-one.Thank-you-xx

[mummy2aaron]

I will try and get up there tonight when the children are all in bed.

[ShinyHappyDalek]

M2A-if-you-haven't-yet-negotiated-the-loft-please-hang-on....DH-has-found-you-can-buy-a-little-adaption-socket-thing-for-only-£2-which-should-enable-us-to-use-our-old-non-USB-keyboard-with-this-PC..he-is-getting-it-whilst-out....but-I-really-hope-you-haven't-foraged-in-your-loft-for-nothing!---Thank-you-loads-for-your-kind-offer-though!

[mummy2aaron]

Ok no forage as yet DD was up until 2am so i just collapsed into bed. Glad you are sorted anyway.