So several weeks ago I got an email from a lazy mom who is in desperate straights for some advice. Basically she has two very big problems that continually face her daily and she needs a solution for it and fast.
She emailed me her problems with the hopes that maybe other lazy moms out there might have walked in her shoes and have come up with some wonderful way to stop these things from happening.
And YOU might just be the very one who can help her!
Here's her two problems...
- Kids continually getting their hands on crayons and marking on the walls.... solution not for the cleaning up off the walls, but for stopping it in the first place!
- DVDs everywhere... and constantly getting scratched!
Either way, weigh in with your opinion at the comments link below and let's help a lazy mom out!
--
Have a problem you need solved? Email it to me and we'll see if our great community of lazy moms can help a you out!
1. Collect all crayons and store in a box on an non-accessible shelf or in an "off-limits" room (or in a top cupboard w/ a latch on it). If they can't get their hands on the crayons, other than during supervised coloring times, they're less likely to color on the walls.
ReplyDelete2. Use a DVD sleeve to minimize necessary storage space and follow the same guidelines as above for lack of access.
We have a room in our house that has a child-proof doorknob where we keep "no-nos". It's still easily accessible for Mom and Dad, but the kids know they're not allowed in the room, even if the door is open.
we keep all the crayons in a pencil box in the closet. When it's time to color we get them out and make sure they are all back in the box before putting it away.
ReplyDeleteinstall a little shelf above the tv/entertainment center to keep the DVDs on or, if you have a cabinet in the entertainment center, install one of those childproof latches on the inside of the door.
To feel like you are stripping your child of all the art accessibility I got my child a Doodle-pad thing...can't remember the stinkin' name but you fill the little pen with water and it's just water on this pad-many different styles and characters-we have a round Sesame Street one that came with little Elmo water pens and then another travel one for the car too-GENIUS!!! no mess yet still coloring in the car! We DO still have crayons and markers but they are not accessible to my 19 month old all the time like the Doodle pad is.
ReplyDeletewe bought CD booklets and threw out all the dvd boxes, and put them in the cd books. Then we store them on the top shelf of the bookshelf in the living room. He has to ask for me to get the DVD out.
ReplyDeletecolor wonder markers are a bit expensive, but can only mark on special color wonder paper... genius!
ReplyDeletealso... washable crayons!
however... for those moments that crayons make it to the wall, try... mr. clean magic eraser (worked on our lovely wall mural the kids made one day)... or you can try using a cucumber... seriously... use it like an eraser!
We have all of our DVDs in large booklets and when the kids want to watch a movie they get to "choose" from the book. It's kept on a high shelf of our Living Room armoire.
ReplyDeleteCrayons are kept in a box out of reach.
Good luck!
We have lost a linen closet but gained a "No-No Closet". lol All the crayons, Play-Doh, games with a gazillion pieces, craft box, etc.. live in the No-No Closet and it has a child proof doorknob cover on it.
ReplyDeleteI had to get creative with linen storage (under the bed for sheets, shelves in the bathroom for towels, etc) but it is WELL worth it not to have murals and crusted Play-Doh carpet! It's also a good place to stash birthday presents until the big day! :o)
We have lost a linen closet but gained a No-No Closet. All the crayons, Play-Doh, games with a gazillion pieces, etc... live in there.
ReplyDeleteWe had to get creative with the linen storage (sheets under the beds they belong to, shelves for towels in the bathroom, etc) but WELL worth it not to have the murals and crusty Play-Doh carpet. It's also a great place to stash birthday presents until the big day!