ok so i am torn with this one, but jumping on furniture...

[brokeoven]

My dad says that i am an "exception to the rule" because i allow my son to take the cusions off the sofa to put on the carpet to avoid the crocodiles that we have in the swamp that is my living room, These are used as stepping stones.

Other kids were round at the time and they were having great fun.

i didnt see the problem.

DS is absolutely NOT allowed to do this in other peoples homes, and actually has never even attempted to do this, He knows the rules.

But the parents of the other kids were quite clearly disgusted at me allowing this.

So was i doing something wrong, Imaginary play is important and they put the cusions back when the other parents demanded that they stop.

I felt awkward and embarrased and uncomfortable, like i had allowed these kids to take a shit in the middle of my living room!

aibu?

I think that sounds like a whole bunch of fun and am very tempted to introduce DS(3) and DD(1.7) to this idea/game. Unfortunately I dont think DH would agree and as yet they dont quite have the concept that what is acceptable in one house isn't necessarily acceptable in another house so maybe I had better leave it for now.

I feel sorry for the your friends children who don't get to be creative. How very sad and even rude that they turn their noses up to the practises that you put in to place in your own house. YANBU you are being a supporting parent.

My son seems to hate having the cushions on the couch. They are permanently on the floor. I just wash them a lot. No big deal. As long as the living room is tidy after he has gone to bed then that's fine by me. He's only a kid after all. Once he gets older it will stop. I am currently awaiting him growing out of the stage of having to switch on every single light.

Mine aren't allowed to jump on the furniture but they are allowed to take the sofa cushions off and make obstacle courses/dens/stepping stones etc. I only object to them dragging them into the kitchen after dinner when I haven't yet swept the floor or into the garden. And they have to pick them up again when they've finished playing.

YABU - it's lava that you have to be scared of, like kirsty said.

Poor other people's kids, lucky your son to hav a nice mummy who helps him play imaginary games :)

YANBU

My ds has one sofa to dance/jump/play on (the old Ikea one ) and knows not to breath on the new Laura Ashley sofa that's adults only.

Your house, your rules. I am sure he still knows how to respect things and only plays this way because he knows its ok. Different if he was told not to.

As long as the children have their shoes off, what's the problem? I suppose if the floors are very mucky the cushions will suffer, but otherwise, meh.

God, no WAY would this happen here!
I'm actually a bit clammy just thinking about it.

But in your own house, it's your rules.

My sofa cushions are always on the floor. They just love jumping on them so much; he wouldn't dream of doing it elsewhere - but they're so young for such a short time, and it's only a sofa.

Seriously, do most people let kids play on/with the furniture?

It would never occur to me to let them.

So was i doing something wrong, Imaginary play is important and they put the cusions back when the other parents demanded that they stop.

So am I understanding this correctly -- the other parents told your son as well as their own children to put the cushions back in your own living room?

If so, this is the only part of the OP that caused me to raise an eyebrow. Actually I think they were exceptionally rude to make up rules for your child in your house.

No climbing on sofas here either but that's mostly because DD knackered our other ones and these are new. And the cushions don't come off.

Why not nickytwotimes? Just out of interest.

MY kids aren't allowed to jump on the sofa, or swing cushions with tassels on the corners around by the tassels, but den building is allowed as long as they are careful and gentle.

All three of my children are very aware of how much our sofas cost, and that if they are broken I won't buy any more and we will all have to sit on the floor.

For me, I just wouldn't want it wrecked.

I'm astonished that anyone would see this as a big deal!

'House rules' is a simple concept. I explained to DD early on that she could do various things in our house but not other things. When she went to other people's houses their rules apply. A small child can understand a clear rule like this. I also explained this rule to visiting children (if DD didn't do it first).

So, in our house (when she was little) painting/felt tips were only allowed in the kitchen. If at a friend's house they were allowed in the living room, fine. Conversely, she was (when little!!) allowed to bounce on one of the beds but was under no illusion this was allowed elsewhere without express permission.

Fortunately the other mums appreciated the wisdom of 'house rules'.

Cushions (sofa and otherwise) are wonderful things to play with - we have a lovely photo of our dear departed dog asleep atop a humungous 'cushion mountain' which he evidently thought had been made for him.

Not most I suspect Nicky, but many, yes.
It's very much an individual preference thing, and I think it's unreasonable to imply that parents who forbid this are Dickensian types who value their soft furnishings more than their DCs imagination - there are lots of ways to have fun, and this is just one.
I have the ultimate problem in that I'm of the "it'll wash, careful that crocodile doesn't get your toes!" frame of mind, and specifically choose DCs' beds for bouncyness, whereas DH, especially after a long day, veers more towards the OMG what a mess! POV.

YANBU. Sounds like a normal childhood in a normal HOME to me. DS used to be buried under cushions and used to hatch. You sound like a fantastic mum to me. My parents were disgusted too - but then I had a miserable and precious childhood.

By allowing other children to do it they think they can go home and do it.

Personally I would never have allowed my children or any one elses to jump on my furniture.

Telling a child they can jump on the sofa shows them they do not have to have respect for expensive items of furniture just my opinion.

I'm shocked that people see this as a probl. Explains why my house is always a complete tip when others have immaculate houses.........

Problem not prol

By allowing other children to do it they think they can go home and do it.

Thats why you explain about 'house rules'. They absolutely get it.

YANBU. He wasn't jumping on the sofa but playing with the cushions on the floor. Perhaps the other parents thought that thier children would try it in thier own homes.