My kids have recently started the most annoying habit of late. They are constantly running around, chasing, slamming doors, etc. This is all upstairs in "their" space. It is driving me nuts. I just don't think you play that in the house. Go outside! We have a friend over for a few days. Yesterday for the 10th trip up because of slamming doors, I walk in to see my 10 year old, his 12 year old friend, and my 12 year old daughter in my sons room, pacing, arms wrapped over their chests, one with a small stick. The younger two (7 and 8) had locked themselves in the bathroom (after I am sure they were chased in there) and my 8 year old had crawled under the sink. THIS ISN"T HOW YOU BEHAVE! It seems that the more restrictions I put on TV time, game boy time etc, this is what they are choosing to replace it with.

Top this off with the bad cat, that is requiring us to keep doors closed so she might choose her liter box once again. So all I hear is doors closing and closing and closing.

If it weren't for the cat, we wouldn't have doors!

So what do your kids do all day?

I am going to have to direct my kids in activities if they don't get this out of their system soon. With my own children I can keep them pretty grounded and in trouble which helps some, but when they have guests it is a little harder. I sent the one home, the other is staying with us for a few days while his parents are out of town.

I just think they should be able to play with their toys and not go crazy. Or go outside to go crazy. It doesn't help that I am sleep deprived today, but they are being bad.

I am also having issues with them playing in the bathroom...HELLO!!! this is a bathroom, not a play room!

By Tink on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 01:05 pm:

Argh, I can completely sympathize. Our new home has hardwood floors and the echoing from them running from one room to another is driving me nuts. I can hear it everywhere and my ds is an especially heavy walker. We've got so much more space here that they love to run from their bedrooms on one side of the house to their playroom on the other and it's a nice long hallway, perfect for running and sliding in sock feet!

I'm in complete agreement that that kind of play needs to be taken outside but then they are in and out and in and out and not closing the door behind them and then the dog gets out and I've got to chase her back inside. And there are rocks to wash in the bathroom sink and hands that need to be cleaned off and that itty-bitty scratch that needs a band-aid, all of which leave behind a mess for "someone" to clean up.

Summer is supposed to be fun, right??? Ugh, I'm going to balme my bad mood on sleep deprivation and hope that this afternoon is better. {{{Kaye}}}

By Crystal915 on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 02:16 pm:

Ditto Cori, my house is hardwood, and OMG the running up and down the hall and in and out of rooms drives me nuts!!

By Kaye on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 03:35 pm:

I have been wanting to put hardwoods in, because the yucky carpet drives me nuts. BUT I also don't know if I can handle the extra sound!!!

They are finally getting along a bit better today. I have the two big ones confined to their rooms. I said either find something to do or clean it, either way, leave the little guys alone!

By Dana on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 03:45 pm:

I pretty much demand wild play to be outside. I tell the kids "once you close that door behind you, you are not allowed back inside unless you are doing a quite time activity."

I wish I could convince DH that "wild play goes OUTSIDE!" Seems the kids are easier to train than he is.

By Pamt on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 04:53 pm:

What to do? What to do? My boys just had a laser tag war in the house. However, it is currently 99 degrees outside and my weather bug says the heat index is 150 (is that even possible??). So...they can't play outside for any length of time. They has been a short burst of rollerblading and basketball outside, but invariably they end up in again. Best neighborhood friend is out of town for 3 weeks (not that I'm counting or anything). If they are inside then they gravitate to TV or video games. If it comes to that I'd rather them run around the house. *sigh* I SO wish that we had a pool!!

By Pamt on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 04:54 pm:

Spoke too soon. My youngest is now practicing his drums. Running through the house or playing a full set of drums? Hmmmmm...

By Dana on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 06:02 pm:

LOL, Pam.

By Kaye on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 06:35 pm:

LOL Pam, we are hot and humid too, so although I understand, it is driving me crazy still! My youngest wants a drum set and I just won't go there. Tempted to do electronic with a headset though

I did take the crew over to the neighborhood pool for a couple of hours, so they are somewhat better. And we leave to chuch in 15 minutes...I am hoping it is social night for my dd, which means I can have a break from her mood!

After sat night church a large part of the congretation goes out to eat, but 1 sat a month the IS school kids get hosted at someones house. So we get to go eat out and leave her elsewhere. But we have been out for vacation for the past 2 weekends and I don't remember which weekend was the social!

By Colette on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 06:41 pm:

Kaye, try this site for online drum lessons before you think about electronic w/headset. this is free and dd is trying to convince dh (and it won't take much convincing) to let her get a set, he told her to master this first.

http://www.studydrums.com/

By Kym on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 04:09 pm:

We are in Hot Hot Hot AZ, i put a small kiddy pool in the shade filled with water and put those soaker balls & squirt guns in it, so they can play with that at any time and keep cool, but they do MOST of the running around outside.
I cannot stand slamming doors, or even constant open/closing, my older two have had to stand and open and close nicely for 3 minutes, and dd has had her door removed from slamming (that was my fault)LOL, that is not acceptable. But i do allow running around if they are playing tag or hide and seek, we have a very long house so they can sneak through the yard through the garage and out the side door, so it's kinda in the track of most activities.
How many more weeks of summer break??????????????????????????????????

By Dawnk777 on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 08:36 am:

When we lived in our rental, when we first moved to Sheboygan, we had French doors, by the living room. They were incredibly easy to slam. Everyone in the house, including the children and their friends, learned to close it gently! I remember being frustrated, while people were learning, though.