Time for a New Seating Plan

[SilverSabre25]

My kitchen is painfully small, so the kid/kids in boosters sit at the back of the table. Most of the kids I've had are happy to get themselves up, or at least help with their body in SOME way so it's not so hard to lift them. Not this HEAVY, SOLID 16 month old. I knew someday I was going to regret the seating arrangement, and today is the day. I have to lift and then twist my body to get him up and away from the table to set him down. And today it sent my back (already partially out of place in a trouble spot) all the way out. It's a darn rib, and it hurts to breath, and twist, and things just generally **** right now.

The kicker is that just on the other side of the wall I have a nice big preschool table that I wouldn't have to use boosters for...wouldn't have to lift ANYone up or down, in or out.

But it's on carpet. It doesn't really save my back to drag it into and out of the kitchen each meal/snack, and there's not really space in the kitchen anyway!

I don't really care about the carpet, we're planning on replacing it with hard floor when we have the money (hopefully within a year) but I can't bring myself to just deliberately trash it. What could I put under the table that will be cleanable, but not annoying? (I thought of a plastic shower curtain but that would be annoying and look weird)

I want to have this change wrought by monday. I am SO OVER lifting that kid more than necessary.

[Blackcat31]

You could try those foam mats that you see in playrooms....

I like them because they are pretty washable, soft and cheap enough to be disposable if necessary.

[MamaBearCanada]

What about foam mats over a shower curtain? Or MDF wrapped in plastic? Or those big pieces of hard plastic they use to protect floors from office chairs?

http://www.amazon.com/Cleartex-UltiMat-Polycarbonate-Rectangular-118927ER/dp/daycarecom/B003XR7CE4/ref=sr_1_7?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1378994261&sr=1-7

[Unregistered]

What about those plastic mat things that you use for your office chairs to roll on. You could probably get a bigger one or take two smaller ones and put under there.

Also. they wouldn't slip around because they have those little gripper things underneath that hold them in place.

[Crazy8]

hope your back feels better! Most common thing I see used under tables are those big interlocking square mats, would that work for you?? a vinyl tablecloth? although that probably won't look much different than a shower curtain.

[MsLaura529]

I had asked this question here when I was first setting up my daycare ... originally I had been looking for those clear mats that are using in offices, but they were turning out to be expensive. Somebody else mentioned buying a sheet of cheap linoleum, and using that under the table. I didn't do it, but though it was a neat idea.

[butterfly]

Our local Lowes has the plastic runners (similar to the office mats that go under office chairs). It's sold by the foot. It's on a huge roll and they just unroll and cut what you need. I'm unsure of the price.

I like the linoleum idea. Especially if you could purchase a remanent or even a piece that's been used and someone was throwing out.

We have a Habitat for Humanity store here where people donate used but still usable items. The store sells them cheap and uses the money to build Habitat homes. I always check there first before I buy anything. - maybe you have one in your area?

[Heidi]

I had asked this question here when I was first setting up my daycare ... originally I had been looking for those clear mats that are using in offices, but they were turning out to be expensive. Somebody else mentioned buying a sheet of cheap linoleum, and using that under the table. I didn't do it, but though it was a neat idea.

That was my idea; I was just going to offer it again.

[SilverSabre25]

Thank you guys! I'm liking the plastic runner-by-the foot or the linoleum ideas most. If not those, I have the foam interlocking tiles but they have letters in them and might get annoying.

I'll update when I make a decision

[Mom2TLE]

I bought a few packages of $.68 per sqf laminate snap together floor and put that under my tables over the carpet. Much easier to sweep and mop than the rubber squares (which I hate) they are hard to mop, get dingy, and the kids pull them up. Milk seeps into the crevices when spilled and the kids use the edge pieces as weapons.

[SilverSabre25]

I bought a few packages of $.68 per sqf laminate snap together floor and put that under my tables over the carpet. Much easier to sweep and mop than the rubber squares (which I hate) they are hard to mop, get dingy, and the kids pull them up. Milk seeps into the crevices when spilled and the kids use the edge pieces as weapons.

oh that's a great idea. I bet one package would be plenty. THat's actually the kind of hard floor we plan on replacing the whole house's carpet with!

[Meeko]

What about those plastic mat things that you use for your office chairs to roll on. You could probably get a bigger one or take two smaller ones and put under there.

Also. they wouldn't slip around because they have those little gripper things underneath that hold them in place.

This is what I did when I had a table over carpet. Worked like dream.

[MsLaura529]

That was my idea; I was just going to offer it again.

Excellent! Sorry to steal your thunder ...