MY KID COLORED ON MY LUXURY BAG

What would you do if your child ruined a prized possession of yours?

Hello Nanny! I am a first time mom of a toddler who is coloring on everything. My son is about two and a half. He loves arts and crafts at school so we got him an easel for Christmas and he loves it. We caught him coloring on a wall a few weeks ago and disciplined him and he was good after that. This weekend, my husband and I were getting ready for a date night. Our son found a pen somewhere and colored all over our walk-in closet including a vintage Gucci bag. I know its just a purse but I’m so upset! How do I teach him to stop coloring on things so he can enjoy art at home? 

When they called it the terrible two’s - they really weren’t kidding. Toddlers are the most curious little creatures. They love to explore. So the first thing we have to remember is it is in their nature to discover how things work. For a lot of toddlers, a marker or crayon to the wall is a right of passage! Although that can be extremely frustrating, I want to compliment you on giving your toddler an environment where he can pursue creative projects at home. You noticed an interest and gave him an opportunity to experience it further, which is so great. And the fact that you did not absolutely lose your shit over a doodled designer bag probably means you deserve a Nobel Peace Prize. 

First thing to do would be to take the coloring materials out of reach, which I am sure you have. I would take some time to deep clean the house and make sure there are no pens, pencils or other writing utensils in reach. Baby proof the junk drawer and keep doors closed to bedrooms, closets and office spaces just in general so you can limit the trouble your little guy can get in to. To discipline the nightmare of the scribbled purse, you could take the art supplies and writing utensils and put them in a basket in front of your little Picasso. Show him they are being taken because of his actions and store them up high in a closet somewhere. Explain that these supplies are for paper/easel only and he can only use them with a grown up until he learns to use them appropriately. I would also have him help (as best as a two year old can) with the clean up process. Have him scrub the marks with a little soap and water so he starts to learn that every action has a consequence. The rest of the closet - not the purse. You need to get that beauty to a dry cleaner STAT.

It might be a good idea to take art supplies out of the equation for a little bit and then slowly reintroduce them. Toys like Etch A Sketch and magnetic doodle boards are great creative solutions that are mess free! When you are ready to integrate paper back in, I highly recommend the specialty invisible ink markers that only appear on the appropriate coloring books. These are a great stepping stone to real markers and paints. Finally, try to carve out specific time to do creative projects with your Toddler Van Gough. With your supervision, he will learn the right times and places to use his crafts.

Raising kids is going to make for a plethora of chaotic moments. Remember while you are in the thick of it that one day you will be giggling and reminiscing about the time your little dude colored all over your closet (You might not ever giggle about the purse part. Understandably.). Best of luck with navigating the twos! He will be out of this phase and on to the next wild thing in no time, I promise!