Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! once again DD (nearly 6 FGS) has drawn on the sofa and on my bed headboard. What shall I do?

[LittleBella]

I really, really want this to stop. She is nearly bloody six. When she was 3, it was my fault because I shouldn't have left pens around. Now she is almost 6 and knows it is a rule that she doesn't draw on the furniture, I don't think it is my fault any more. Well maybe it is, but other people's kids of this age don't, so how can I stop her doing it? Don't tell me to keep pens out of her way, I can't have that level of organisation and control freakery. What shall I say to her? Should I have a sanction? And how do I get biro out of leather and suede?!

How can art and self-expression be destructive? When a child does it on a wall or pice of furniture IMO. That isn't what they are for!

I really don't know what the big deal is-if you look around your home everything could be something else. And isn't that what dc see?

Even at 3 children can work out that drawing happens on paper (or anywhere else you sanction it), nowhere else. Mrsruffalo - fine, you allow your children to draw on walls - but is the 5 year old aware that s/he can't draw on other pople's walls, for e.g Because if so, that is adherence to a rule.

LittleBella, i would stop shouting and ranting, sit her down calmly and firmly, tell her that she may ONBLY use crayons and pens on paper, and that if she damages things in the house any more you will take away a favoured toy. Because if she sppoils YOUR nice things, she can't have nice things herself. And then do it - very calmly and firmly and ignoring any hoo ha.

And apply this to everything. Doing what you ask has to apply to everything you ask, not just the things that result in damage.

FairyFly - beware the 'invisible' pens - a friend of DS's did this on the walls at our house a year ago...and the writing is now starting to turn brown.

Thanks Twiglett

MrsRuffalo - I think it's FINE if you have made that decision about your walls, and you enjoy it. But not fine for Llittle bella if she didn't want her sofa to have drawing on it.

Yes Blu, if you look at my previous posts I have stated that they have never even asked to draw on anyone else's walls- not even their grannies

I understand that Blu- I just thought on MN people posted for personal opinions that obviously vary.

"And isn't that what dc see?"

Yes probably, but in my mind it is our job to teach them what is and isn't acceptable. Fine you consider it acceptable they "redecorate" your house/belongings, whereas I am anal and don't

Doesn't mean you are anal, but doesn't mean my children are anti social, criminal or badly behaved.
Live and let live eh?

creative arts lesson a la Twiglett

Message withdrawn

iCod, you always make me lol!! (sounds sarcastic but I mean it)

I cross-posted with one of your posts, MrsRuffalo.

There are walls in our house where I would be v happy for DS to paint etc, and am not anti freestyle domestic graf-art per se - but my DS generally does what I ask him so I would let him draw in his room for instance, knowing that he wouldn't then draw on a sofa that he had been asked NOT to. The problem is that MiniLittleBella seems impervious to her Mum's rules and requests.

DS is allowed to plaster his bed with stickers - but nowhere else. And as someone who works with artists, i don't think drawing casually on furniture is creativity, unless it is really genuinely creative. And even then it needs to be allowed.

Oh beleive me I am anal. I even have a seperate christmas tree in the playroom for the children to decorate because I can't bear a slap dash effort (it has to be nicelly co-ordinated). I can't leave a pair of shoes lined up the wrong way around, I have to straighten pictures, towels, the list is endless!

LOL at Comeoverneer!

I think the answer is simple, until she understands she must not draw on your furniture then you must put the pens away out of her reach if you can't be bothered to do this then deal with your furniture looking like shit

I'm with everyone that says remove pens, we have an art box, on top of a cupboard in my kitchen, if the DC's wish to use it they have to ask, and then sit at the table with it, pens do not leave my table!(DC's are 3 and 7 btw)

I have a pen blutacked in my larder for easy reach and one in my handbag, DP has pens in his suit jacket or his briefcase so we can always get a pen if we need one.

ComeOVeneer, I thought I was the only one who did a separate Christmas tree

LOL, I bet tons of us do, my two have their own mini trees for their room, mine has to look good.

But Blu, I believe that it is genuinely creative. They don't scribble mindlessly actually, they draw/paint to reflect their mood, or make up maps or draw (mostly) pictures of us as a family.
My children also generally do as I request and if drawing around the home has never been an issue for me or dp.

On your bedhead?

We had a new bed delivered today, I haven't even seen it yet...I hope DP hasn't let ds do anything creative on the oak bedhead....

I wouldn't mind them drawing on my bedhead.

Even your bedhead isn't off limits?
When I was younger a friend was allowed to draw on her bedroom walls and we used to do pastel/chalk drawings all over it, but it looked flipping horrid and though I think a case could be made for a 'creative wall' or something, drawing over the whole house is a different kettle or fish IMO. But I suppose it's your house, your choice.

I really don't get why it is genuinely creative. OK I do because it is art, but I just don't see why it can't be restricted to appropriate areas. My children are very creative/artistic but it is reserved to painting/drawing on paper, clay models, making collages, sewing, beads, painting hard boiled eggs etc not vandalising our property/belongings.

It's not creative - it's naughty. My bet is she knows it naughty. Merely airing the possibility of raising any troublesome behaviour with a beloved teacher is quite effective I'm told.