Decorating with kids around

[cornflakegirl]

(Am posting this question again because I think maybe my first title was a bit rubbish.)

What's the best way to decorate with a 22mo DS to contend with?

We need to redecorate our open-plan downstairs. The only places DS could safely be left alone are his bedroom or the back garden, and I'm not sure he'll be happy in either without other people around for long periods. (I'm figuring the lounge/diner will be out of action for about 4 days, and we'll be physically needing to work on it for significant periods of that time.)

Every time we think about how to do it, it seems so complicated! Are we being complete wimps?

I always do the decorating when they've gone to bed at night.

Easier than stopping and starting all day long imo

What are you doing? papering, painting?

send him to grandparents for a weekend

have a babysitter come to the house to entertain him while you are there decorating? Agree, nightmare to do anything with kids in the house

i found you either have to have kids away at another house or
one person decorates, another child minds or
do it when kids in bed

Don't think you're being a wimp, just realistic

thanks everyone.

we'll be painting, so i'm not sure how much we can do at night - i find i tend to miss bits under artificial lights. i guess stuff like cleaning and undercoats would be all right though.

looks like i'm going to have to beg some babysitting favours!