Children’s ages on doorframe.

[HairyAl]

Old door frames, looking very scrappy. I’m going to repaint in the next few weeks, and children’s heights marked on it. DP wants me to re-add names and heights of children (2,6, and 9) afterwards, but seems mad to do that on freshly painted wood. Who is being unreasonable?

Could you do it "artistically" and make a feature of it?

@DontCallMeCharlotte agree with that! We used to love seeing how we grew when we were young.

My mum wrote it on a piece of masking tape before she painted and stuck the masking tape on the wall after

I would be sad if I had been charting this and it was painted over. I would definitely want it redoing.

Yes I’d re add them, it seems a shame to lose them.

We have a stick. Like a broom handle, but longer. Unfortunately DH assumed our DC wouldn't grow taller than him, so DS has had to grow up from the bottom again!

It would be a shame to not replace the heights and ages. We had our doors painted up to that area, then used clear vanish over those bits so they wouldn’t be lost.

I like the idea of using masking tape to transfer all the info onto. We have done this with the dcs but inside the spring cupboard where no one ever sees it/it doesn't need repainted etc

We had really shit old wallpaper and knew 'at some point' the height chart would come off when we redecorated. Took a load of years though, so we cut round the paper and put it in a frame... and rehung it in the same place in the newly decorated hall

Maybe get a pole and mark them all off on it? Make a decorative feature by mounting it on the wall nearby somehow?

I've painted over a doorframe at least twice, and the pencil marks relentlessly show through

Could you copy the information onto the edge of the actual door so you still have the records but they are less visible?

I'm kind of with your DH I think those things are cute to see as the kids grow up I'd want them redone too. (I see your POV too I guess I'm just more nostalgic than aesthetic!)

Oooh I saw a tape measure type thing with paper so that you can always take it with you.

I wouldn’t paint over that on my doorframe, I’d paint round it or leave it alone completely.

Your wife clearly knows best! Memories like this are important and in a few years you will be shocked to look back at how little your children were. I like the idea of making it a feature - a colour per child? Make it into a beanstalk with leaves for ages/heights etc? Ask your wife, I bet she has some great ideas...

I'd never be able to paint over it. Even copying it over would make me sad as my dc have been writing their name and age since they could write - all wobbly and back to front letters. 😍 I'm too sentimental!

Knowing that, I made a 7' tall ruler and have all the markings on that so its safe from paint and house moves!

I’m with your DH on this one, I’d be gutted to lose it if it were my kids. I’m quite in love with the idea of homes showing history of the people living there, and recording the family growing up though, so each to their own! I’d either re add them, or google alternative ideas to replace them.

Sorry, I’m with your DP, misread your OP!

We had the door frame replaced, we kept it and it's moved house with us

Paint the doors as you plan but before you do get a measuring tape and a height chart and just switch it over onto the chart? Then hang it up on a wall elsewhere?

I must be a bad parent. I've never recorded heights, or really noticed or bothered about them. I prefer a decent, nicely decorated door frame.

Then again, we are all short so didn't grow much.

Ah we painted over ours. It was a shame really.

Could you paint everywhere but leave just the relevant area untouched?

We have a whole wall, with a Winnie the Pooh mural on it, recording the height of our dd. Please don’t just paint over their measurements, it’s so sweet. BTW, she is about to turn 17 and we still measure her every year 😂

Our kids would be devastated they look and compare their heights and ages constantly and have done for 19 years.