Only Using Soft Toys

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

Gemma is right on! I have ALL ages, and complete control over all of them. I think after a few years, you just learn that it has to be that way in mixed-age group care, or you lose your sanity.

I have the rule to respect property, and that covers all the shenanigans you are losing your mind over. If that one rule is broken, here too they lose the privilege of playing with the "big kid" toys and are limited to soft baby toys. It corrects it right now!

Advise for your poor walls-I bought a whole bunch of cute posters from Oriental Trading and Dollar Tree, and had them laminated. Then I used them to cover the most offensive marks and dings. As an added bonus, I found that they can take lots of abuse, and the paint and sheetrock underneath is saved! It was money very well spent. I use sticky tack (also from Dollar Tree), and it's an easy way to renew the room by trading them out or just moving them around.

[Jack Sprat]

Listen to Gemma!!
I don't allow them to touch my walls. They get a warning and then they lose the toy.

We don't touch ANY of the walls, with our hands, feet, toys and bodies. If they do same thing a warning then the toy is gone. Start teaching this now and they will get it!

[Gemma]

I don't mind active children but when their choices become destructive these particular children are limited to table toys.....doesn't take long for them to figure out what behavior is tolerated around here::

[mamamanda]

I have started telling my kids there are 3 rules at my house. Respect your friends, respect our things, & stay in the designated area. I find all other issues are typically contained in these three. I heard something similar from others on this forum. Tearing things up isn't respectful of your friends or your things. Playing with something inappropriately equals losing the something. Its made a huge difference in the behavior of my kids & I don't feel like I'm bombarding them with rules. You might try implementing something like that.

[Thriftylady]

I agree more discipline is needed. If you are doing that and it isn't working, you need to employ the parents in training their children. If they refuse, find new families. Even 1 year olds can learn to not be destructive.

[Sunshine74]

If anyone has a dedicated daycare room, you might want to look up hardboard wall panels (one brand is Marlite). We have them in several rooms in our center, and they hold up well to a lot of traffic.