To not want 2YO having felt tip pens

[Cheesybroccoli]

MIL gave my 2 year old DC a pack of felt tips, DH and I voiced that we were not happy about this, but she dismissed it because they’re washable. AIBU to take them away, or am I being a Scrooge?

For the record I have an amazing relationship with MIL, we just have very different attitudes to our homes, felt tip on her floor/walls/sofa wouldn’t be a big deal, but to me it is.

The chunky felt tips are much easier to use than crayons. Just have them out under supervision.

There’s a decent range of ‘my first markers’ - crayola do some, and the packaging says 12 months plus. I’ve bought them for quite a few 1yo birthdays as well as my own kids and always been well received

Washable felt tips are actually much easier to get off things than biro/crayon/ pencil. I’d let him have the felt tips supervised, might make him less likely to try get to your normal pens

So you'd rather have an immaculate home than a child who has mastered a pincer grip ready to write when they get to school? I've seen it all now.

So you'd rather have an immaculate home than a child who has mastered a pincer grip ready to write when they get to school? I've seen it all now.
Exactly. Felt tips and the chance to draw on ops sofa aged 2 is literally the only way to master pincer grip and without that opportunity, ops toddler may as well kiss goodbye to their oxbridge dreams right now.

Do not take it up with MIL
You get gifts then you as parent decide what child is allowed

Don't make a drama just save for when child is older and obedient or only have them out at set times and far away from the sofa (speaking from experience here)

You can also put child in a cardboard box and only allow them inside the box

Is this advice for colouring, or just for everyday to prevent general toddler destruction?

Asking for a friend

Clearly it's not the only chance but they love a felt tip at that age. She even said the MIL had bought washable. What is the big deal? I just don't get it.

Your child is not Houdini. Just hide them better.

Quite! Imagine being outwitted by a 2 year old!

This is perfect!

All my DDs would prefer a cardboard box over toys most of the time, and turning one into their own colouring project would keep them occupied for hours or days. Even now we’ve only just disposed of a giant box my DD turned into a little private den, cushions blankets, pictures on the walls she drew and would take an old portable dvd player in it and watch old dvds. It’s now been replaced by a castle from hobbycraft she’s decorated.

I have a child who draws on walls.

Washable felt tip pens are much easier to get off than pencil or crayon.

Crayon is the worst 😆.

They’re washable! But if you’re really worried use them outdoors, pad of paper and pens in the garden or park. The only way they learn to not draw on walls is to first learn where they are supposed to draw. Gotta start somewhere.