January 16, 2007
A PSA from SATGS: Don’t leave your children unattended with crayons.
You may already have known this. I should have known this. That will teach me to try to do dishes.
When I asked Ian why he colored on my wall (and the hardwood floor and his play kitchen) he very casually said:
“Don’t worry about it.”
RSS feed for comments on this post.
TrackBack URI
January 16th, 2007 at 5:55 pm, Lumpyheadsmom Says:
He’s obviously a genius. The work really speaks to me.
January 16th, 2007 at 6:00 pm, Jack's Raging Mommy Says:
I’m sure I’m stunting something developmentally but I don’t let Jack use crayons as he still tries to eat them. Which is bad for Caleb when he’s here since he has to wait until Jack’s asleep, which is also usually when he’s asleep. (He’s five and I still give him naps. He takes them, so I’ll keep going as long as that holds up)
January 16th, 2007 at 6:21 pm, Staci Says:
I used to write on the walls when i was younger. Only I would draw right at my height all around the room and then write my name backwards (I’m a lefty, and we do that). Then when I would get caught, I would try to blame it on my older sister. Somehow it never worked
Wait til he starts blaming Claudia!!
January 16th, 2007 at 6:23 pm, Kate Says:
After seeing blogpost after blogpost about kids drawing on walls and themselves, I am not bringing crayons or markers into this house for at least another ten years.
January 16th, 2007 at 6:34 pm, Christine Says:
Oh that’s nothin’. I have a wonderful masterpiece drawn with a black permanent marker going all the way down our stairs. It’s quite lovely.
Then there was the time Skyler drew on the wall in the living room [with crayon that time]. I asked her why and she said “because I’m mad at you.” Well she was really mad when I made her scrub it off. I’m so mean like that.
January 16th, 2007 at 7:23 pm, Kelly Says:
Hello my playroom which looks like this times 10 with glitter glue added to make it just that much more beautiful. I think when we finally turn it into an adult playroom we are going to have to invest in kilz.
January 16th, 2007 at 7:27 pm, Julie, ravin and photoggin' Says:
Oh pshaw…that’s a magic eraser away from gone.
Annoying, rule-breaking, and needing, of course, the correct instruction of “crayons on paper only” with possible removal of crayon privilege for the day (if you believe in that sort of thing and your kids are old enough) with slowly re-earned privilege.
My personal preference is: you messed it? You fix it.
However. Just wait. It gets better, despite your best efforts.
My children run around looking like Amazons, Celtic Warriors or Road Hogs they are so frequently so covered in ink.
The body art I am fine with as long as it doesn’t ruin clothes or flooring or furniture. I’m all about personal expression and personal style.
Ask me about this in ten years, though, when they are wanting tatoos that aren’t temporary. On this I am still undecided.
Check out my blog today wherein my children decided to change my friend’s carpet with a new paint color.
January 16th, 2007 at 8:46 pm, Tammy Says:
Were you able to clean it off?
January 16th, 2007 at 9:39 pm, Holmes Says:
Hehehe, nice response on his part.
January 16th, 2007 at 10:09 pm, misfithausfrau Says:
We made a huge chalk board for the girls to play with. We had high hopes that they would use the chalk only on the board. God we are stupid.
A few years back, my friend’s 3 year old son drew on the playroom wall with black marker. When Jen asked him why he did it, he said, “I is a dumb ass.”
January 16th, 2007 at 10:53 pm, QofS Says:
My entire house looks like that.
January 16th, 2007 at 11:45 pm, kaleigh Says:
Two words: Goo Gone. Is your friend. Removes crayon from even masonry.
Fun stuff. Fortunately they do stop doing this….my kids are seven and nine and I can’t remember the last wall art they made that wasn’t sanctioned by me. But hide the nail polish!!!
January 17th, 2007 at 12:53 am, Amy Says:
I love his response! However, “I is a dumbass” takes the cake.
January 17th, 2007 at 9:33 am, Janet a.k.a Wonder Mom Says:
Mr. Clean Magic eraser…My hero.
January 17th, 2007 at 9:59 am, Stacy Says:
We only own washable crayons.
January 17th, 2007 at 10:13 am, Chris Says:
Well, there you go – don’t worry about it
January 17th, 2007 at 10:59 am, Karly Says:
Crayons.are.the.devil.
About a week after spending nearly a grand on a fancy little LCD TV my nephew colored on it with green crayon. Its not coming off. Ever.
January 17th, 2007 at 11:02 am, merseydotes Says:
Did he at least have a good description of what the picture was?
January 17th, 2007 at 11:11 am, Michelle Says:
Love the response! You won’t believe how many touch-ups we had to do in the old house, can’t wait to move into the new house so G can try to destroy it. Yikes!
January 17th, 2007 at 11:13 am, Mom at Work Says:
I’m impressed by it. The circular shapes are really good.
When I did that at age 5 (before washable crayons), I asked my Dad if we could move to an apartment before Mom got home…but we didn’t have an awesome new dining room.
January 17th, 2007 at 11:20 am, tori Says:
Mr. Clean magic eraser has saved my life with this more times than I can count.
January 17th, 2007 at 11:29 am, Valbee Says:
“Don’t worry about it” is toddler code for “Just wait and see what I have planned for later…”
I wish they’d had Magic Erasers 20 years ago. They’re also great for getting ink out of the dryer when your little darling (or significant other, in my case) leaves a pen in a pocket which then explodes.
January 17th, 2007 at 11:32 am, Tink Says:
Not nearly as bad as the chick I met at Barnes and Noble who’s kids painted her CAR. It wasn’t hard to spot. It was the one with kitty cats and batman symbols all over it.
January 17th, 2007 at 12:21 pm, Kristen Says:
That is too funny. Don’t worry about it. Like he is Mr. Casual problem solver. That is too cute.
January 17th, 2007 at 1:02 pm, whit Says:
at least he didn’t tell you to “faw-get aboud it”, then I would worry
January 17th, 2007 at 2:23 pm, Kate Says:
I totally missed Delurking Week. Never even logged on long enough to blog-hop. I’m a bad blogger. Whatever. Add it to my list.
But I’m here NOW. That has to count for something, right?
Anyway. Glad to read that you’re raising a mellow child. “Don’t Worry About It” is SUCH an effective mantra, unless the effect you’re aiming for is not-getting-beaten-by-Mama. Maybe it still works in your house then, but in mine, well…
January 17th, 2007 at 3:15 pm, Gidge Says:
Lou colored all over his new firetruck bed and his dresser two years ago. oh, and his sheets and blankets. Who even KNEW you could color on sheets and blankets?
his response “I was bored.”
January 17th, 2007 at 3:47 pm, Bill Says:
A couple of friends of mine have actually put an empty picture frame around their wall drawings and had the kids write “I love you mommy” under the picture.
January 17th, 2007 at 3:49 pm, SeaBelly Says:
belly laughs!
January 17th, 2007 at 5:00 pm, Izzy Says:
Clearly he is already aware of the awesomeness known as Magic Erasers
January 17th, 2007 at 7:27 pm, Devra Says:
When our oldest was Ian’s age we had just returned from a trip to Denver. Imagine our mixed emotions when we discovered our son had done his own artistic rendering of the Rocky Mountains using blue and orange. Yes we love the Broncos and yes we adore Colorado, we just would have liked them on paper instead of Fresco de Crayola.
WD-40 worked to get the crayon removed without removing the paint. But this was in the Dark Ages before The Magic Eraser was invented. Also, Crayola’s website has a section where you can enter “product” and where it was used and they will suggest how to clean it. Such as “crayon” and “chenille couch”, etc.
January 17th, 2007 at 9:28 pm, Your Mother Says:
Do you want to tell everyone about the entire jar of vaseline on the carpet when you were three Sarah? Shiney, I think you said! Sigh…………..
January 17th, 2007 at 9:50 pm, Ahlem Says:
Ian is soo funny, your mom too !!
January 17th, 2007 at 9:55 pm, Sarah Says:
Thanks Mom. Tell the whole internet.
January 17th, 2007 at 10:13 pm, Jen Says:
Don’t worry about it?! LMAO!!!!
January 17th, 2007 at 11:34 pm, Gidge Says:
I babysat kids who pooped down the register once.
I didn’t realize it – until the heat came down.
January 18th, 2007 at 12:08 am, Devra Says:
Sarah, maybe it will make you feel better to know that my husband took an entire box of crayons (64 count) and made a huge figure 8 in the middle of his parents living room on their pale yellow carpeting.
Due to my poor sentence structure, that reads as if it happened when he was my husband, let me clarify he did this as a child and not when he was married to me.
I shouldn’t type when I have a terrible headache, no one would ever believe I actually wrote a book! oy.
January 18th, 2007 at 3:00 am, Mitch McDad Says:
Nice work. This morning I left my daughter at my desk to draw while I got dresses and came back to find pen doodles on my computer screen. Gotta love them.
January 18th, 2007 at 11:14 am, Becky Says:
When something like that happens here, I get big sweeping arm gestures (imagine some circus performer) and an excited “Mommy! Look what I made for you!”
January 18th, 2007 at 1:24 pm, tallulah Says:
I have writing at the top of my stairs too! Very attractive. I think kids have a heads-up on the world of interior design.
Izzy wrote on the walls with those wipe off markers,except, it won’t wipe off. I have tried those wall sponges, soap and water and the ever-so-strong GOOF OFF, but to no avail. Any suggestions?
January 22nd, 2007 at 4:04 pm, samantha jo campen Says:
I saw the art.
My jaw dropped.
Then I read what he said.
And I burst out laughing.
January 26th, 2007 at 10:23 am, Jodie Says:
My son drew on the walls ONCE, after that I gave him permission to draw on my fridge with crayons after all it comes off easily and I always had an original work of art for my fridge. Once a week I would clean the fridge off and he would create a whole new masterpiece.
He never drew on the walls again and everyone loved that my fridge was so original. He grew uot of it rather fast after that.
I miss my colourful fridge, now its plain and white and boring looking. :9