Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To expect after days of work and stacks of money my toddlers wouldn't trash their room?

109 replies

ItsAllTooMuch · 03/12/2008 21:10

I've cried about it. It doesn't help.

We spent ages decorating, got new furniture and toys.

Every day bits of the wall are chipped off, they somehow smuggle crayons in there, so the walls are covered in scribbles. Their beds end up in the middle of the room with the bed linen thrown off, drawers are emptied.

I'm sick of it.

OP posts:
hecate · 04/12/2008 08:50

ok, so they have sn. As you may or may not know, my 2 both have autism.

We have had years of trashing stuff plus smearing of poo on walls, floor, bed and all over themselves. nice.

I can't tell you how to deal with it, I can only tell you how we deal with it.

We cleaned it up.

We realised early on that it was the way it was and we had 2 choices - wind ourselves up about it, or get on with it, and even laugh about it

Now don't get me wrong, we have our moments where we're tearing our hair out, but for the most part we have just accepted that the fact is - this is our reality and there's nothing we can do about that, and that made it so much easier to deal with. The kids weren't doing anything to us, in fact, they weren't thinking of us at all - it wasn't personal. So we cleaned it up, over and over and over ... and over and when we opened their bedroom door to find sweetcorn sliding down the walls, or see ds1 look up at us with a faceful of poo we cleaned it up. And then we moved on. Because if you let each incident stack on top of the last one, and the one before that, well, in the end you'll buckle under the weight.

We laughed - poo incidents (in or out of nappies!!) became "2319, 2319" (from Monsters Inc ) in a car and they start screaming? Scream along with them, or burst into a loud "The Sun Has Got His Hat On", or (if you don't mind risking a finger) wibble their lips while they yell. )

My kids practically grew up without crayons (grin) because we would get some, they would play and then sooner or later, they would decorate - and we would immediatly throw all crayons away. A couple of months later, process repeated - ending with crayons in the bin. They don't draw on the walls any more!!!

Threw toys and broke them? We went in with a bin liner. broken stuff in the bin. At times they had NOTHING left in their room!

We had plastic plates and cups for YEARS - they still use them a lot now, and they are 8 & 9, but tbh, I don't think they really need them.

I guess my point is (cos I realise this is turning into an essay!) that you deal with each thing on its own, each time as a single event, no one incident can overwhelm you. You find ways to laugh at it all. And you find a safe place (or person) to scream in/at when you really really need to. I suffer at times from depression, and I had TERRIBLE pnd with ds1, and mild with ds2 and when I'm low it's harder, but those times pass.

Every child is different, but when mine were toddlers, they didn't talk, they trashed everything, they were in nappies until 5/6, the 'professionals' said ds2 might never talk and didn't understand the concept of names , said they'd never have any independence, never go to mainstream, be in residential care as adults (my fault, i asked for their opinion based on their experience with other children as affected as mine!)...it was bleak - you should see them now! Calm (mostly!!!) and talking (after a fashion!) and just really great, sweet kids.

There's always hope. Things will not always be like this. Your kids are at the begining of their 'training'. It is a lot of work for you, but focus on them, on training them, and it will be less difficult. I promise it will be less overwhelming.

Umlellala · 04/12/2008 08:58

hecate, that's a great post. And I take my hat off to you. I have to say that at certain times, dealing with ANY toddler involves an element of humour and '2319' !! But you have clearly had more than most... Good on you for taking the time to support others.

(PS congrats on your really great, sweet kids )

hecate · 04/12/2008 09:06

They are fab! In fact, this is the easiest we've EVER had it! Parenting is always challenging, it's just parents of kids with sn face different challenges and have to learn to think 'outside the box'. So many professionals basically wrote off my kids as toddlers , but we ignored em and trained the kids like dogs (still are doing - it's an ongoing process and will be for life!) and now they function, in many ways, like any other child. Several mners have met my kids and they'll tell you! And these were kids who started off, well,

I just want to let OP know that it's all doable, a lot is dependant on your own attitude to it, and most importantly - never listen to any of the 'professionals'! Just understand your child, support them, train them and do what you know is best for them. - in that respect, its pretty much just basic parenting rules, innit?

onthewarpath · 04/12/2008 12:50

Well ,I have 4DCs and I do not "allow" to drow on the walls but sometimes, when one of the big ones forgets to tidy a pen or felt tip, DD4 (2yrs old) sort of helps herself. But I must say I do not find that dramatic at all , it might be because I recently discoverd that with a B&Q own brand of magnolia wall paint , I can repaint my entire house 3 times over for the grand total of £15.--, I think expressing themself is all part of growing up,to a certain point though as I would not let them move the fourniture or break things intentionnaly.

lowenergylightbulb · 04/12/2008 15:01

Room trashing, yes 'tis soul destroying. Specially if space is at a premium and you need things to be orderly.

Things I found that helped - no posters, no felt tips or biro's, regular toy culls to keep them down to a manageable level, plastic boxes with lids...after a tornado in a room you can just sweep everything into the boxes, stick lids on and bingo mess gone!!

Now if anyone can help me 'cure' my DS of picking his nose at night and wiping it on the bedroom wall I'd be a very happy woman!!

hecAteAMillionMincePies · 04/12/2008 15:23

provide a sheet of paper or cardboard, fix it next to the bed and let him wipe it on that?

ok, I know that what you really want is to stop the picking, but not having to scrape it off the wall with your fingernail would be enough for now, wouldn't it?

onthewarpath · 04/12/2008 15:23

He will stop on his own, but Ido not know when,sorry lowenergylightbulb!

lowenergylightbulb · 04/12/2008 16:18

Scrape it off with a fingernail?!! I have to use a paint scraping thingy - they're stuck on like cement!!

He does it when he's sitting on the loo too, which is pleasant for us all!!!

hecAteAMillionMincePies · 04/12/2008 16:32

serve it for his breakfast, in a bowl, with some milk - like very crunchy muesli! [evil] [rather disgusting]

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread