Chalk it up to Preference

Mike Said:

So this past weekend, I began the process of preparing for the "little man" to show up. You see, we can't do the baby's room over yet because it's currently the office. The office needs to move downstairs into the family room (which is in the basement), and the play area in the family room needs to be moved into the 4th bedroom (also in the basement). So my friend and I repainted the family room (walls & ceilings), ripped up the carpet, and put down new tiles to brighten the room. Now that's done, I can move the office down and the play room can be made.

NOW.............here comes the hard part; painting the play room. I bought some multicolored interlocking foam blocks to cover the entire floor with (which Jenn and I agreed on), but she wants to paint one wall in the playroom with that "chalk board" paint that allows kids to write on the walls, and then have it be erased. I have a problem with this. It's not that I don't want the kids to have fun in there, but teaching them to write on the walls is not exactly what I think is a smart move. Allie will only be two years old in October and doesn't understand all the rules of the world yet. What's to say that she won't start writing on ALL of the walls? How can I yell at her if she can write on the walls in that one room? Or worse yet, how do you say to a two year old, "OK, you see this 5' x 8' section of wall next to the window? Well you can write on this section, but no where else? OK?" She'll nod and then proceed to write on the wall anywhere she wants anyway.

OK, babe.......................start beating me up now. I know I'm going to end up losing this argument anyway.

Jenn Said:

First of all we're talking about CHALK. It's not like she gonna be drawing with permanent magic marker on the walls. Second, where ELSE do chalk boards normally go? When you see a chalkboard in a school, where is it? It's on the wall!! Even if she gets a bit of chalk on the walls in the beginning when she's too young to know any better, is it a huge deal? It comes right off with water! IT'S CHALK!

I was already told that there was no way in HELL that we could put it on the big wall in the play room (even though that's the best place for it) because *GASP* "You can see it from the family room!" And OMG what would people think if they saw a wall with chalk on it in a play room.?!?!? I mean we must be savages allowing our children to act that way! *please read the RIDICULOUS sarcasm!*

Tell me, how is it different if we bought a piece of plywood and made a chalk board that hung on the wall instead? In fact, if that makes it easier for you to do, then fine. I know you say I'm too easy going and things like that don't bother me, but seriously, I don't even understand the reason for this debate. Think about this, we let her put stickers up on a part of her wall in her bedroom, right? And she didn't start putting stickers everywhere in the house, right? She knows that they go in that one spot. Plus we only buy those stickers that fall off eventually anyway. So, how is that different than chalk? I mean look how cute this looks?

Mike Said:

Stickers are never permanent anyway! That has nothing to do with this. Besides,what makes you think that she's not going to use pen on the walls?

I don't even know why I try to express my opinion, I'm going to get overruled anyway.

Jenn Said:
Stop saying that!!!! We don't do that, we discuss things and come up with a decision. If your totally against it and would rather buy a chalk board or an easel then we will. I just want to talk about it. See now your making me feel bad. I just really don't get the problem. As far as the stickers, it has to do with the fact that she has the ability to understand that certain things are done in certain places.

Mike Said:
I'd rather buy an easel. That's a fair compromise.

Jenn Said:
How about we buy a piece of wood and some chalk board paint and make a chalkboard and hang it on the wall. The big wall! I think THAT is a fair compromise. Plus then we don't have to worry about the chair rail being in the way.

Mike Said:

Why not just BUY a chalk board then?

Jenn Said:
Cause it's MUCH cheaper!

What do you guys think? Am I being crazy for wanting to paint the walls with chalkboard paint? Does he have a point? Or is he just being a pain in the ass?