To take all toys/crafts/stuff out of my kids’ rooms?

[Kitsandkids]

At 7ish when I took the baby out of the bath I heard my 9 and 10 year old boys play fighting in the living room. They know that when I’m not in the room they are meant to watch TV sensibly, or if they want to they can play in the play room together or their own rooms alone. But, as has happened a lot recently, I caught them play fighting. This in the past has escalated to them either damaging property (a foot went through the wall a few months ago) or hurting each other so is not allowed. So as I can’t trust them to be downstairs without me I told them to go and play in their own rooms, with their doors shut and not talk to each other. I quite often ask them to play in their rooms while I put the baby to bed (as currently I can’t trust them to be left downstairs alone) and quite often I end up telling them off for being in and out of their rooms chatting to each other and being noisy so I can’t get the baby to sleep or sometimes play fighting on the landing.

So I told them specifically what I wanted them to do (own room, door shut, not talk to each other) and yet within 5 minutes they’re both in the same room (they each have their own and aren’t allowed in each other’s due to previous instances of toys being broken) laughing and shouting, seemingly oblivious to the fact that my room is right next door where I’m trying to get the baby to sleep.

I am sick of me asking them to do something and them doing whatever they want. I am sick of not being able to trust them to behave themselves within my earshot let alone out of it! I know these are not massive issues but it’s so wearing that I ask them to do something and they continually disobey.

So wibu if tomorrow I cleared their bedrooms of toys, stationery, crafts etc and just left their books so that if they’re in their rooms the only thing they can do is read?

We do have a playroom so it’s not like they would never be able to play again!

I just feel like I need to do something a bit drastic to make them see they can’t just walk all over me!

Thanks

OP calm down - they aren't trying to walk all over you they are just at an age where they have no consideration for other people.

You would have probably been better of putting them in the same bedroom until they were teenagers then they would have had to learn how to get along without injuring each other.

I think 9 and 10 year old children are too old to be sent to their rooms as a form of punishment and they really should be able to be left in a room and not cause havoc. Could you use consequences when there are incidents of bad behaviour - play-fighting then a loss of time on gadgets or reduction in pocket money or whatever.

Or to get them in a routine of no acting up - a points system and if they get to a certain level each week, then some form of small treat.

I wouldn’t take all their stuff out of bedrooms, it’ll take ages and it’ll all just slowly creep back to their rooms anyway.

To add - is it possible that your boys might feel that they are coming second place to their baby sibling? Maybe they feel you’re constantly telling them to behave, be quiet, don’t disturb the baby, etc.

Maybe try rewarding their good behaviour, if they’re reasonably quiet while you’re getting baby to sleep, you’ll play board games/watch tv/chat with them for a while afterwards.

They used to be in the same bedroom - I used to have to sit with them every night or the eldest would purposely wake up the youngest. Sleep wise things are so much better now we live in a bigger house with enough bedrooms!

I always read a bedtime story to them so if they’re too noisy I don’t do that but it’s kind of counter productive as they’re less settled for sleep without it!