My kids have gotten into the sharpies AGAIN! This time my two year old marked all over their $90 train table they just got for christmas. I am SOO mad! My 4yr old just watched him do that, and color all over himself. Why do kids have an obsession with sharpies? I think I've seen like 3 postings about this lately. I am seriously considering buying a small safe, and putting the sissors, sharpies & paint in it and locking it.
Wow, looks like there are definately parents out there who understand, and some who don't at all!!
I personally don't believe in child proofing. The world is not child proofed and I want my kids to learn how to deal in the real world, not one built to protect them. Of course I set limits and boundaries. My children know sharpies are off limits, but they are toddlers. They don't always obey the rules, which I feel is a part of growing up. They have to learn that their are consequences to their actions, which in this case was scrubbing the train table for almost an hour.
For those of you who have kids who have done this, thanks for showing me that I'm not the only one! For those of you who haven't had your kids do so, consider yourselves lucky. Many people said I should have them out of reach, ect. I'm not dumb!! I know that. I have two climbers on my hands who can reach ANYTHING in my house, including the ceiling if they want. Hence the reason I am thinking about actually locking these no, no items away. And about having them supervised, of course I supervise my kids as much as possible, but it's not realistic to never leave them alone. We have a 2000sqft house, and sometimes I just need to be in another room taking care of something else.
You wouldn't be the first mom that has had to put such things under "lock and key", and you won't be the last!
At least you will have some peace of mind if they are put away.
You should! The kids have enough of their own things, crayons, washable markers, etc. It's the act of marking, NOT the sharpies. Put things away that they can't get into. DON'T let them be tempted! Put them on a shelf where they can't even reach them.
If you haven't set boundaries......DO IT! The markers and crayons are ONLY to be used in this room and on this table, etc. If they don't, take them away. They will learn to use them when and where they are supposed to, but if you've set no boundaries, they think the sky is the limit. They don't KNOW that the table is off limits unless you specifically tell them.
I'm starting to think I'm the only parent who has never had a sharpie/marker/glue/paint 'incident'. The reason is quite simple - all of those items are supervision only and put out of the children's reach as soon as the activity is done. My 7 year old can get them out without asking but he knows to put them away when he's done and keep them away from his sisters while working on stuff (usually he's in his room at his desk with them). He forgot one time and not allowed to use those items for a week - never forgot again. He's big into crafts so that was a pretty harsh punishment.
I figure if the 2 and 4 year old can't get to those items then they can't get into trouble with them. It's called child-proofing. Parents need to do it because young children lack the judgement to keep themselves, and the furniture, safe (and clean). :-)
Why do your kids have access to sharpies and scissors at those ages? And sounds like without supervision. My girls are four, they have a craft center that holds their pencils, markers and crayons. The other art supplies (NO sharpies becuase they are permanent) are in a container in their closet, which includes glue, scissors etc., and they do not get into without permission. Our permanent markers are up in a cupboard that they do not have access to. My sister has a problem with her kid using markers on the wall - my suggestion - WATCH your kid and don't let kids that are too young to be responsible with those items have them. My girls have never written on anything other than paper and i attribute that to us always making them aware of what they are allowed to color on.
When I seen this I had to laugh because I reminded me of when my 4 kids were little. You should read the bood PURPLE GREEN AND YELLOW. It's a great story about this very kind of thing. 1 of my kids and I 's favorite. :) To clean it I use GREASED LIGHTENING. Good luck and laugh alot cause the are grown and gone in the wink of an eye!
Try SOL-U-MEL. It’s a natural product manufactured by Melaleuca that gets EVERYTHING out. It took out permanent marker from our couch upholstery.
I feel your pain. ALL my kids are little artists. We try to keep them out of reach, but my kids will climb a chair to get to them. We have to come up with something new.... Also, I wanted to mention my pet peeve is that they lose the caps to EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!!
I understand! I would be upset too!
But really when something like this happens at my home, I also understand that it is my fault for not making sure they are properly stored...
Putting them in a ziplock bag and bag and storing them on top of of a high shelf or kitchen cabinet will probably work too!
Nail polish remover with acetone works great on sharpies on wood and plastic too, test it first, it might dull it. It worked great on our wooden dinette set. Rub lightly to minimize removing the finish.
I feel the same way about pens too. We keep them in the hall closet or far back in the child proof junk drawer so they can't get to them. We pull them out throughout the day to use them while I can supervise. It's funny to me that child proof locks really aren't child proof! We loose about 3 inches of the front of our drawers because they open so far without unlocking it. My kids can open it and get their hands in far enough to get into things. If I felt like doing it over again I would get the magnet ones. Putting these in was enough of a pain so they stay. Good luck.
I know how frustrating that can be! I like your "safe" idea!
Have you tried the mr clean magic eraser? It worked for me to remove black sharpie from a red plastic toy! It wasn't completely gone, but less noticeable for sure. Just do a test spot first to make sure it doesn't harm the finish...worth a try! good luck.
not a bad idea. also glue and gluestix. or just put them up high out of reach.
lol...not laughing at you..my two year old wrote on our hallway wall with a black sharpie and he made the picture as big as he could reach...i was so mad, but hubby said that he would just paint over it...I'm with you and wonder why they love sharpies so much. But i dont think they grow out of the sharpie phase anytime too soon. My niece and nephew sat at my frontroom table grabbed the multicolored sharpies, paper and began to draw. Thankfully they put paper under the paper they were drawing on so that the ink wasnt on my table. They are 8 and 10 years old.
My son is obsessed with finding and emptying KY Lube ALL over my bedroom. He's just 3 so had no idea what it is, but does love to play with it. It's such a mess to clean up. I keep hiding it in new places and he keeps finding it.
All of our Sharpies, scissors, etc are in a place where the kids can't get them.
Oh, I am a Sharpie addict - LOVE THEM, but I don't trust my kids at all. The only markers my kids have access to are Crayola Color Wonder markers that only work on their special paper.
Sorry you're having to deal with it. Perhaps the company can help you come-up with solutions to get the ink out of the items that were marked upon.
My almost two year old recently found a sharpie and colored on our tan couch :( My 4 year old didn't watch, but sat at the other end completely oblivious to what just happened. We got most of it out using rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover and 409. That might help get the train set clean. I think the safe idea might not be a bad idea!
The four year old is old enough to help clean it up. Once my son had to clean crayon off the wall, and he never did that again once he learned how hard it was to clean. I would not let him use things that were too toxic, but a spray bottle with soapy water, or a bottle of hair spray might work. I also still have to lock up the Sharpies. My son is 17 and autistic and will color anything with them if he can get to them. Calculator, computer, himself, you name it. There is something fascinating about those markers.
Why were the Sharpies in a place they could get to?! Ours are in a child-proof drawer. They like markers, especially the ones they aren't supposed to play with - which is why they should be in a drawer with a kiddie-proof lock.
A Magic Eraser (or store brand) will take sharpies off the train table. Toothpaste gets it out of carpet.
Don't get mad at a toddler for acting like a toddler, just put them away so it won't happen again.
Try using acetone to get it off....nail polish remover however, this will destroy woodwork, so be very careful what you use that on.
My son is a big fan of coloring with the sharpie also. Just yesterday I had to speak to him twice about it. I know what you're going through lol
With my son I think he just loves how bold they are but it doesn't dawn on him that it will soak through. I can't tell you how many tables I have with his wonderful drawings.
A lock-up is a great idea. It can be as simple as a small tackle box and a combination lock. You can put all the art supplies in it and then they will be out only when you decide and can monitor.
You can even tape the combination onto the top of the box, the kids won't be able to work the lock and open it for a long time. I know this for sure, I have taught many sixth graders how to open their lockers -- sixth graders find it hard. Then these items will be special and used under your supervision.
Kids don't have a good concept of what is valuable or important or frustrating. Set yourself up for control and success with that box. You and the kids will both win!
It does seem that no matter what, kids are drawn to Sharpies, huh? I buy markers for them and they will ignore theirs for the Sharpies! My 4 year old has used Sharpies on herself, the wall, toys, the table....anything she can reach. But she also will climb on our potty to get my deodorant and "color" on things with that!! :(
And it seems that regardless of where you hide them the kids somehow manage to find them...grrrr.
So far, the Mr Clean Magic Erasers have been awesome! I've cleaned Sharpie off closet doors, walls, the kitchen table (it's wood, too) and I got some off a leather foot stool. It didn't get it all off the foot stool, but most anyway. Try Mr. Clean just don't get real aggressive - it can actually take the paint off the walls! (Surprised me!!)
Let us all know if the safe works - we have to team up against the "Sharpie Artists" in our homes! ;)
Try Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Test a spot first, as it may harm the finish, but sometimes, well, it really is like Magic! We feel your pain!
