to be annoyed at my friend, for asking me, oh your not going to be one of THOSE mothers are you?

[spottyzebrahasthelurgy]

i was trying to get my friend to come along to the mother and tots group.
she said she would take her dd when she's older, and that she doesn't really need to go to one of those grops as she often sees her family.

i told her about all the good stuff kids get to do there, like painting and sticking.
and she said oh i already do finger paints with her dd.
i said i didn't let my dd doing painting and stuff in the house only in the garden when the weatehrs ok.
she pulls a right face and goes, oh no your not going to one of THOSE MOTHERS are you!??

i was a bit stunned at 1st, then she said that her mum did not allow her and her brother to do anything messy in the house.
no arts and crafts and no cooking etc as it was too messy.

both our dds are about 18months old.

I really had no idea that there were people who didn't let their kids do painting etc at home. Truly amazing. I do think there's something wrong with valuing tidiness so highly that it excludes fun and creativity from the home, actually.

it's all about preperation.

i have a giant plastic table cloth that we put on the floor when we're doing artey stuff. and ds is under instruction that it must be done there or we wont do it again.

when we're baking we put it on the table.

then you just wipe and thats you.

oh and for painting and drawing.as long as everything is washable. crayola are wonderous people.

but tbh we dont do glitter (due to dd eating it) or plasterscine (due to a ruined brand new expensive rug being replaced last time)

you can choose to be one of those mothers who doesn't let them do anything.

or be wise and pick and choose the stuff that is easy to tidy up

IMO baking is the easiest. as there's no worries if a younger sibling eats anything your using.and nothing will stain your furniture.

those packs you buy that come with ingredients ready to go and decorations are fab.

I don't let my kids paint at home and i am not a tidy freak clutter freak would be nearer the mark

It's not my thing, we do other stuff, but why do they need to paint at home?

paintint gives them a chance to express themselves in other ways, i'm not saying that other things are wrong but, sometimes a pot of paint and some paper can be a great way for a child to de-stress without being destructive. Plastic tablecloth & an apron and old clothes (or water paint) and they are away... it doesn't always suit all people/families but how do you know if you don't try it. Join in with them try the finger painting and foot print painting so what if u all get dirty feet isn't that the fun bit :-)

thats just my opinion

I don't let my children paint at home either. Too much hassle - you take 15 minutes to get it all set out, they daub for 5 minutes and then it takes another 15 minutes to clear up AND you have to have every worksurface covered in drying bits of paper. I am no neat freak either, quite the opposite. They have crayons, pencils, stickers and playdo if they wanted to get creative - they can live without the paint at home.

I used to do the crafts at our toddler group and didn't mind at all but there was more space, and it was OK to spend time setting up when so many children are having a go. Other mothers used to say that they were glad we did crafts at the group as they didn't have the hassle of doing them at home.

I think your friend has a bit of a chip on her shoulder due to her upbringing. I wouldn't take it personally.

I was really shocked when I first heard that some kids can't do painting at home. I just couldn't believe it.

can i ask those that dont do messy things such as arts and crafts and cooking with their dc,what on earth you do do?i mean how do you entertain them?

My 18 month old doesn't really know what to do with paint. I bought him some paints and he just tries to eat them

You can still do arts and crafts at home without needing to cover the house in plastic so they can paint. As I said, crayon, pencils, sticker and Playdoh are all a lot less messy

tbh my two aren't bothered anyway. They would rather get creative building models or creating stories with their toys.

There are many types of creativity - we don't all have to like them all.

We got a large cut of lino and put it down on the floor for dd to do messy stuff on. Cleaning up was much easier.

We did it because we didn't have a garden or any sort of usable outside space where mess wouldn't matter, and by the time she was 2 I was too ill to take her to groups on a regular basis. Actually we've still got her 'messy mat' rolled up in a corner but we moved about 3yrs ago and have much more space and there is an allocated space for messy stuff now.

I agree with Niecie, creativity does not stop at painting. Your DCs can be creative without glue and paint, my two have a "Club house" in the garden (Igloo tent from Ikea) that they play in for hours, making up new scenarios, hospital, school, removal van...

I have banned all glueing and painting to the basement of our new house, we will have a playroom down there. The bedrooms and living room have wooden floors that the landlord just refinished so I will have to be careful not to get them marked. A bit of a pain actually. If I had known I would have told him to wait until we move out.

Zebra - I suppose I'm lucky having 3 boys (no arts-and-crafts genes ) but I know that painting/glitter/playdo only tends to occupy the LO's for about 3 minutes and then they want something else to do now now now and you either ignore them while you are cleaning up the previous painting/play-do or you leave it till later, and get it all over the house.

That's why mine went to playschool, and why we always have the tv on at home.

crafts witht he kids are the best arn't they

have recently found myself lamenting the passing of an era where we used to sit and make xmas decorations

now dd only does this to placate my lamenting - which is truly the wrong reason.

we did howevermake a lovely paper nativity covered in glitter which we stuck on the wall last year.

i suppose i could be nice to my nephew. other peoples kids are just not the same though are they.

I think she has a point

It doesnt make someone a bad person but puts you in the camp of "shos off before you come in" person