kids mishandling furniture

[Unregistered]

Ok, I know furniture abuse comes with the territory but I still can't help feel a bit frustrated that my things aren't being respected. Today I got a dent on my coffee table in the basement. Its a cheap ikea table so a not a huge deal but it's still frustrating. I had a talk with the kids about how we need to be nice to things and play gently. How do you all manage. Should I be more stern, give the kids time out to think about how we need to be gentle with items, mention something to parents? I"m not sure, I know it wasn't on purpose they probably didn't even realize it happened. I just needed to vent and if any of you have suggestions to prevent that from happening in the future I'm all ears.

[Heidi]

The only way to prevent it is to get rid of anything that you can't risk.

I share my space, so I understand you frustration, but it is part of the territory.

[Play Care]

The only way to prevent it is to get rid of anything that you can't risk.

I share my space, so I understand you frustration, but it is part of the territory.

Partly this.

But... When they were playing were they being excessively rough? I've been known to remove toys that encourage rougher play. I limit play areas with certain toys. If it seems like it's an issue, maybe try looking at the daily schedule to see if you can make changes (more outside time? Less free play?) or even taking problem toys out of the room.

[permanentvacation]

I got rid of all of my furniture years ago. The only adult furniture in the daycare rooms are my desk chair and table. Both of which I teach the children not to touch. Everything else in the rooms are specifically for daycare. I have a heavy duty table and chairs set for them that I bought at Lakeshore Learning. It's virtually indestructible.

[daycarediva]

I got rid of all of my furniture years ago. The only adult furniture in the daycare rooms are my desk chair and table. Both of which I teach the children not to touch. Everything else in the rooms are specifically for daycare. I have a heavy duty table and chairs set for them that I bought at Lakeshore Learning. It's virtually indestructible.

exactly this. Can you change the area to reduce/eliminate the amount of furniture they have access to? I find it more and more common that parents aren't teaching basic things like sitting on couches/chairs, not climbing on tables, pulling on curtains, etc.

[permanentvacation]

"I find it more and more common that parents aren't teaching basic things like sitting on couches/chairs, not climbing on tables, pulling on curtains, etc."

I completely agree with you. I often say I would love to go to my daycare kids' houses and see what they look like. I imagine the child jumping off the arms of the sofas, finger prints, crayon and marker drawings all over their walls, nose mess all over the sofa and walls from the kids picking their noses and putting it where ever they happen to wipe it off, food and drink spills and stains all over the carpet because you know they don't know how to and aren't taught to sit in a chair at the table to eat at home and the mini-blinds/curtains hanging half off the windows.

[Blackcat31]

The only way to prevent it is to get rid of anything that you can't risk.

I share my space, so I understand you frustration, but it is part of the territory.

Partly this.

But... When they were playing were they being excessively rough? I've been known to remove toys that encourage rougher play. I limit play areas with certain toys. If it seems like it's an issue, maybe try looking at the daily schedule to see if you can make changes (more outside time? Less free play?) or even taking problem toys out of the room.

[Controlled Chaos]

"I find it more and more common that parents aren't teaching basic things like sitting on couches/chairs, not climbing on tables, pulling on curtains, etc."

I completely agree with you. I often say I would love to go to my daycare kids' houses and see what they look like. I imagine the child jumping off the arms of the sofas, finger prints, crayon and marker drawings all over their walls, nose mess all over the sofa and walls from the kids picking their noses and putting it where ever they happen to wipe it off, food and drink spills and stains all over the carpet because you know they don't know how to and aren't taught to sit in a chair at the table to eat at home and the mini-blinds/curtains hanging half off the windows.

This just made me laugh so hard. While I make dinner (after daycare kids are gone) mine are usually jumping off the couch and onto the couch cushions. They have to follow so many weird daycare rules in their home everyday. They have very good manners and wouldn't dare stand on the couch if the cushions are on it - but I totally let them go nuts with the cushions off :: I am the worst ::

In response to OP - I take toys out of rotation if I see them causing more rough behavior. I also got rid of a coffee table recently and dcks mainly have access to kids ikea or lakeshore furniture.