DH wants DC to play in their rooms

[DaysDragonBy]

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

The gym doesn’t belong in the living room keep it in the basement or the bedroom if you really must put it somewhere else. I’d put the kids toys in the their bedroom too and reclaim the living room as your adult space. My DD rarely plays in her room but all of her toys go back to her room each night when she’s finished playing.

Never mind who wants what equipment where: the whole point of the dh's arrangement is so he should never have to deal with his own children for an hour. And that is wrong, right there.

(also explains why her exercising on the road isn't going to make the dh happier)

He is their bloody father, It is his job to bond with them

Is dining room well used? Could that become workshop?

Or could you get a gym membership?

I would be open to idea of basement becoming workshop but not at the expense of you getting out for exercise or having exercise equipment in the lounge.

Toys can go wherever is practical children can bring them out and put them away if they want to play in the lounge.

I've just reread your post and realised you only have one communal space which is a dining/ kitchen/ lounge. You do not have room for it to be a gym as well. What will people think when they come round - will it not look terrible?

I've just googled what a TRX is and Iooks like.
If I was sat in somebodies living room with one of them I'd be questioning what the couple get up to at night

He has to be having a laugh tell him no.

If it's taken your DH four years to put a wardrobe together, it doesn't sound like the workshop would be used much - at least it wouldn't be used for work. I suspect before long an armchair, TV and fridge might find their way in there. Either way, there seems to be no reason whatsoever why the bike can't go in there.

it's taken your DH four years to put a wardrobe together,

To be fair it's a joint project, really needs the both of us to work on it. But we've one day a week, if the weather isn't bad and if the DC don't have activities...

I think if me and DH had taken four years to build a wardrobe I'd admit it was beyond us and get someone in . It must annoy you every time you look at it, I know it would be drive me mad sitting there unbuilt and gloating.

Yes it's annoying, also trying to vacuum around all the stuff piled everywhere. This is DH's argument- we could get work done even when the weather is bad, we can do a couple of hours at a time rather than having to get everything out onto the balcony then pack it away each time.

Does ikea not have a wardrobe to fit the space or can you not get a joiner in to build one? It cant be very healthy for the dc living in chaos. You seem very defensive of any practical suggestions on this thread tbh of things that would make your living environment more pleasant..

If your DH only has one day a week to use the workroom, it makes even less sense for the basement to be restricted to that. You could be using the exercise bike in there seven days a week. And why couldn't he use the basement to make the wardrobe over the last four years?

We had a very long dry spell this year so weather isn't really the issue. Just pay someone else and get it done. It's just a way of controlling the pace and using it as leverage so you have to stay home.

Four years to build a wardrobe???? Bloody hell- one day a week- thats about 200 days- well over 6 months solid!!! Get a joiner in!

Just get a carpenter to finish the wardrobe. It’s taken four years already. A wardrobe only has three sides, a top, bottom and doors. It shouldn’t take so long regardless of where it’s made.

Do you and your DH live in an alternate reality?
Get yourselves organised and stop waffling on about gym equipment and workrooms and diy.
Your children are more important and you should be functioning as a family unit so kids share your living room. If you have proper storage their toys can easily be put away every night. Look at the IKEA Trofast range.

Well, it's useable, it's just not finished. This year, between the weather, IL's and DC's sporting activities we've managed a grand total of 3 days. Ikea stuff doesn't fit else we would have moved our previous cupboards with us. Sloping ceilings, weird shaped rooms means nothing shop bought will fit. I did look before I agreed to do it ourselves. Joiner was out of our price range, did get a couple of quotes.