Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

DH wants DC to play in their rooms

91 replies

DaysDragonBy · 28/10/2018 07:12

DC 9&6. They have a corner of the living room for their toys. DH wants to move their toys to their rooms and install a TRX and exercise bike where their toys currently are. They are currently in a basement room, which he wants to turn into a workshop.

We live in a flat, we have one room with three bedrooms and a bathroom leading off of it. The one room is the hallway, living room, dining room, kitchen combined.

Pros:
the tools leave the living room and go to the basement.
we can do work in the basement in the winter instead of only being able to do it if it's good weather. (4 years later, we still don't have a finished wardrobe...)
No more lego on the floor

Cons:
I never get time away from the flat or the DC - at the moment if I do exercise I leave the DC with DH and go for half an hours peace and quiet.
The living room will look ugly and the tax things will hang next to my Christmas tree.
I would have to exercise in front of people, which means, realistically, that I will never do it.
In the summer it is excruciatingly hot in the flat, DH will be alright because he will run/bike outdoors.
I was always banished to my room as a child and I swore I would never do the same to my DC

OP posts:
astoundedgoat · 28/10/2018 07:16

Just say all that. It's your flat too!

That said, I LOVE banishing the kids to their room and hate having toys in the sitting room when they are not actively being played with!

Childrenofthesun · 28/10/2018 07:17

Can they keep their toys in their bedrooms but be allowed to bring them into the main room to play? My DC are the same age and choose to play mainly in their bedrooms now, but the younger one will still sometimes bring toys downstairs.

Believeitornot · 28/10/2018 07:17

I need a diagram!

You have three bedrooms. One is yours? The kids are in a basement which is a separate room to the other rooms?
Why are they in a basement? Are there windows?
Why can’t the basement be the workshop and exercise room?

Original poster
DaysDragonBy · 28/10/2018 07:21

The kids are in a basement which is a separate room

What??? How did you get that out of what I said? Of course the DC are not in the basement.

The basement can't be the workshop and exercise room (which was my suggestion) because DH reckons there will be residual dust from the workshop whatever we do and so unhealthy to breathe.

OP posts:
junebirthdaygirl · 28/10/2018 07:21

I would not have an exercise bike in my main living area. Its an eye sore and l would never feel the place was tidy. .And my mental health is affected if that main area is always an unsightly mess. Its fine for dc to have toys in their room and in the living area. But even if all toys were gone l would enjoy the space before l would put up an exercise bike. Is there room for it in your bedroom?

Original poster
DaysDragonBy · 28/10/2018 07:22

No room in the bedroom and the bedrooms have wooden flooring which would stink with DH's sweat seeping into it...

OP posts:
Nothisispatrick · 28/10/2018 07:23

Why are they in a basement?

Pretty sure OP means the exercise equipment is currently in the basement. Not the children.

DamnCommandments · 28/10/2018 07:24

So this is an apartment block - you're in a three bedroom flat, and you also have a storage/workshop/basement area separate from the flat?

Your DH has come up with a plan that works for him. Talk to him about why it doesn't work for you.

melissasummerfield · 28/10/2018 07:27

There is no way i would have an exercise bike and a trx in my livingroom, and you say you cant have them in the bedroom because the sweat would ruin the floors, so you want your living room to stink of sweat instead?! Envy ( not envy)

The exercise stuff should go in the basement, unless your husband is a lumberjack or a carpenter and he can operate a hoover i doubt it will be a health hazard to do diy and exercise in the same room Hmm

Original poster
DaysDragonBy · 28/10/2018 07:27

I did. I asked if he didn't think it would look ugly to have the trx literally in the middle of the living room where my Christmas tree goes Now he isn't talking to me [sigh]

I tried to give solutions as to where the things could go a bit more out of sight, but he's not sure the wall is right, he doesn't think there would be space.

OP posts:
Original poster
DaysDragonBy · 28/10/2018 07:28

The living room is tiled so at least it shouldn't sink in. Unless I'm wrong about that?

OP posts:
PotteringAlong · 28/10/2018 07:33

Can the basement be made into a playroom for the boys?

Original poster
DaysDragonBy · 28/10/2018 07:35

It's actually in a different house because the estate agents screwed us over last minute and sold the basement in our house to someone in their office whose son had bought a flat and basement in our house no heating, no water, no way of connecting it to our WiFi else it would have been my office long ago!

OP posts:
SandysMam · 28/10/2018 07:38

Your husband sounds like a bit of a dick. Are you saying that if the exercise stuff is in the lounge you will be expected to exercise at home and no longer go out (which you enjoy) to do so? I got caught up in the basement confusion so forgive me if i’m wrong!

Original poster
DaysDragonBy · 28/10/2018 07:43

It means I will never get to go out for 30-60 minutes and leave him in charge of the DC. It is the only time he is ever in sole charge of the the DC admittedly usually he lets them have screen time
I'll have to exercise whilst looking after the DC e.g. when he goes out on his bike/run.

OP posts:
CantSleepClownsWillEatMe · 28/10/2018 07:46

You're not banishing the dc to their rooms by moving their toys in there. They're old enough that they don't need to play under constant supervision but I presume that wouldn't mean they're banned from entering with a toy in hand.

One has nothing to do with the other. Shifting the toys doesn't mean "Oh yay, room for a mini gym". Who wants to be sitting on the couch with a book or watching Netflix with someone sweating and grunting in the corner? Hmm. Plus the room will get pretty nifty, plus the person exercising will be more easily distracted with mum/dw have you seen my... Just no. Jeez he has it all worked out to his benefit doesn't he?

LadyintheRadiator · 28/10/2018 07:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Believeitornot · 28/10/2018 07:51

Sorry I was confused by this para DC 9&6. They have a corner of the living room for their toys. DH wants to move their toys to their rooms and install a TRX and exercise bike where their toys currently are. They are currently in a basement room, which he wants to turn into a workshop

Misread the they as the DCs hence my confusion!

Any exercise should be done on a mat to avoid any sweat on the floor. That’s easily solved - get some mats.

Your home doesn’t sound big enough to house gym equipment. Get smaller equipment (eg weights) and change the exercise routine or join a gym?

You can put the dcs toys in their room for storage but they can play in the living room?

Miscible · 28/10/2018 07:54

Junk the exercise bike, get your exercise on a real one which you can keep in the basement.

Original poster
DaysDragonBy · 28/10/2018 08:18

That equally impractical Miscible especially when it's raining, like today!

OP posts:
Shazafied · 28/10/2018 08:23

My husband had a rant last night that dd has too many toys in the lounge and she needs to start playing in her room and he doesn’t want toys in the lounge.... She’s 11mo!!! And we’ve a baby on the way too.

I told him there will be toys in the lounge for the next few years, they can be pushed aside on an evening, and I’m not banishing the kids upstairs and out of the way... even when they are 7! I’m buying dd a play kitchen for Xmas that will go in the lounge too. Sorry DH !!

RunSweatLaughAndLatte · 28/10/2018 08:23

I think you need to assert the importance for your own sanity and freedom of keeping the exercise stuff in a separate room

Original poster
DaysDragonBy · 28/10/2018 08:26

Ah, because we don't have a workshop we won't be able to e.g. make DC2 a Christmas present. Who won't be happy if all her toys are moved to bedroom, I just asked her. She rarely plays in there alone because she prefers company. Although as all her toys are in here, it's hard to tell!

OP posts:
SuburbanRhonda · 28/10/2018 08:29

Why are you crossing out bits of your posts that are relevant to your thread, OP?

Clare45BST · 28/10/2018 08:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.