Step foot in the living room and die!!!!

[Amirah95]

I found my DH and DD eating popcorn and watching Finding Nemo in my living room today!!!!!!!! I almost passed out. I lost all feeling in my legs for a brief moment. DH said he didn't think it would be a big deal to "chill" out in the living room since we're in our new home now. Didn't he know the rules would be even stricter in our new home? I had an interior decorator come in and help me with that room specifically and he's in there with popcorn?? I know that it may sound crazy that we don't hang out in the living room or the dining room much at all, but when I was growing up our living room and dining room were off limits. My mom still enforces the rules in her house and most women I know enforce that rule. That's why we have a big family room, a finished cellar, bedrooms and a patio to hang out on.

And before anyone asks why we have a TV in the living room, it's a special Plasma tv that hangs on the wall like a picture to watch our wedding and special family moments on when family and friends come over. I give dinner parties at least once every two months and it is nice to have our company to relax in nice and clean living and dining area.

Anybody else dining room and living room crazy like me? If not, take it easy on me please.

 

[mudnuri]

are you serious?

I cant imagine having a room "not to live in"....but, thats JMHO...

Theres no room offlimits here- actually its even hard to go to the bathroom without someone walking in on you.

A living room is named that- LIVING room- live in it.

FYI, growing up, and now, the only house I know of with an "offlimit" room is DMIL's formal dining room- and it wouldnt be its just off from the rest of the house...her house was built for an Army Corporal way back, and was set up for servents etc... so the formal dining room is on the opposite side of the house from the rest of the rooms etc..

I say- let them live in that room- gosh, your kids are only kids once...

Brandy

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I agree with Brandy.

 

[mskani]

My mother had one of those "don't touch it" living room and dining rooms. Only (grown-up) company was allowed in those rooms. Both rooms have French Provencial (sp?) furniture and it was for looking at--not sitting on!

My dh on the other hand grew up in a household that could lounge around and eat in the living room. Unfortunately since we've been married, my upbringing has been "somewhat" lost. When we move in a couple of years to a bigger house, I will not allow them (dh, ds and dd) into the living room--it will be my special room--but no French Provencial furniture!!

 

[monarchsfan16]

The people I babysit for are like that. The mother vaccums her formal living room every night. The carpet must always have the vacum lines on it. No footprints allowed. And they don't use their formal dining room. It's just there.
As for us, we don't have a single room in the house that isn't lived in. Heck there are only 2 rooms in the house that don't have stains on the rug or floor and those are mine and my sister's bedrooms. They're upstairs so during the day we're not up there much. No spilling anything. We eat dinner in the dining room any night that most of us are home, and when we dont eat there we're eating in the living room. We don't really have a family room. My stepdad is trying to get the sunroom to that since it's out of the way but it'll never happen because my sis and I are too used to the living room being the center of the action. Our living room is the main room in our house.

 

[oogieboogie]

No room in our house is off-limits. Everything gets used and lived in. Heck, I decorate in early preschool style.

 

[Serena]

My grandma had a room like that. No kid was allowed in there.
I wish I had a room I could declare off limits.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Sorry, no. I don't understand.

I can see wanting no food or drinks, especially by the kids, but to keep it off limits? And to have a special occasion TV???? That is beyond extreme to me!

And I know where my DH would be anytime a big game was on--in front of the Special Occasion Plasma TV on the Special Occasion Sofa eating popcorn.

 

[Dan Murphy]

We live in our house, all of it. Sit where you want, snack if you want. If you make a big mess, clean up after yourself. And if it is that off limits, I'd move that TV where people are allowed. Remember, when you're dead, they won't care which way the nap lies.

 

[Disney Doll]

We use every room. It's my house, not a museum.

 

[buddy&wooz]

I don't let the kids bring food and drinks into any rooms but the kitchen and dining room, but dh and I eat & drink wherever. Actually so do the kids when I'm not staring them down . Growing up the living room was for "quiet time" like reading a book but not off limits completely.

We use all our rooms. I never saw the point of keeping a room just for guests- why shouldn't our family enjoy it (especially if there's a plasma TV in there!)

 

[Lisa L from MI]

I wish I had an "off-limit" room to myself. My house is pretty well lived in...I think it should be like that. Although I like nice things...I am not a materialistic type person.

Growing up...the kids were never allowed to sit on the living room couch at my moms (a big velvet gold couch w/matching chair....that she still has and looks brand new!!!)....but when my kids bring it up to her...she says I am "full of beans".....but my sisters and I still laugh about it....we can sit on it now....but NEVER eat on it!!!!

My kids had some friends over and they made something to eat...cereal or mac & cheese or something....the friends headed to sit at the kitchen table...and my kids said...thats ok.....we can eat anywhere we want in the house!!....Which I guess is true....but it was funny to see the kids faces!!!....Maybe thats why my kids friends always tell them they have a "cool mom".

I have another friend who has 2 kids and the DH is a TOTAL clean-fanatic.....they have a special place outside in the attached garage where are their shoes are lined up.....in order...and they NEVER walk in with shoes.....when they come over, I think their kids think its a "treat" when I say..."you don't have to take your shoes off"

Don't take it the wrong way...my house is still nice...just not afraid to have it "lived in".....Any mess can be cleaned.....

 

[disykat]

Although we don't have any off limits rooms, I do know people who do. It's really not that uncommon. I sort of equate it with not allowing shoes in the house. (I know that's another debate, but the only people I know who do one, do the other!)

I can see it if you have a large house. We have 1800 sq ft though, so every ft is used. Since we have a large dining table in the "nook", we use our "formal dining room" as a den. We have the tv we watch in the family room, but the living room has an old set hidden in an armoire that the kids use for video games. Right now I'm in the den and one child is in the adjoining living room playing Nintendo. My other child is practicing the piano, which is also in the living room.

My living room has fancier furniture (because I just got new stuff!) and is kept tidy, but is used all the time. DH and I eat everywhere, the kids are only allowed to eat at the table or at the breakfast bar. We would make an exception for popcorn in the family room, but not in the living room. The dog is allowed to sit on the furniture in the family room, but not in the living room.

 

[oogieboogie]

Originally posted by Lisa L from MI
I have another friend who has 2 kids and the DH is a TOTAL clean-fanatic.....they have a special place outside in the attached garage where are their shoes are lined up.....in order...and they NEVER walk in with shoes.....when they come over, I think their kids think its a "treat" when I say..."you don't have to take your shoes off"

OK, I admit... this is me. The one major rule in my house - No shoes. I have a special place by the back door. Everyone takes off their shoes before they step into any area of the house. Same thing with the front door. My kids' friends know this and they abide by it.

I also don't allow shoes in rooms with carpeting and shoes on the couch and bed. YUCK. There's just too much crap that gets stuck to the bottom of shoes.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by Dan Murphy
We live in our house, all of it. Sit where you want, snack if you want. If you make a big mess, clean up after yourself. And if it is that off limits, I'd move that TV where people are allowed. Remember, when you're dead, they won't care which way the nap lies.

DITTO!! I can't imagine telling my daughter "sorry you are a member of the family but not allowed in those rooms"! Thats crazy! We use all our rooms, eat drink and lay on the couches in the living room and den....On family movie night we eat dinner on the couch and then have popcorn and soda there too...or even ice cream LOL...if it gets dirty, we just clean it up...lifes to short for worries like that....

 

[Mimi Q]

We weren't allowed in the dining room and living room by my mother growing up, except on special occasions. My aunt wouldn't let me (or anyone else) in her house with shoes on. But at my house- we use every room and wear our shoes.

 

[JayCT]

You have a plasma screen TV to just hang on the wall like a picture or to watch only your wedding video or special family moments??? You spent 1000's of dollars on this great TV (I assume that this is the best set in the house) to use it only occasionally? GET A GRIP!

I thought that kind of stuff went out with plastic covered furniture. You should change the name of the living room to "Fancy Show Off to Company Only" room.

Watching Nemo with your father and a bowl of popcorn will be more important (maybe even a real "special moment") to your DD than having a fancy room with a fancy TV that you can only look at from a distance. If you want to keep that living room for company only, I suggest moving the good TV to a room where it can be used.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We live in all the rooms. However, I don't want the living and dining rooms trashed with toys, etc. Those rooms are at the front of the house and I like to at least *look* tidy when people walk in my front door. Toys can be played with in the living room, but not left there. It's really the dogs ropes that are all over the place, though!

We don't have a tv in the living room and the room is supposed to be used for "quiet" activities--reading, games, etc. It's directly above my DH's office, which is the main reason it is a quiet room.

The dining room can be used as long as the chairs are not tipped (my 13yo is all but banned from the room) and shoes are not worn in there (light fabric on the chairs).

T&B

 

[dg39]

We have a fairly large house. 4 bedrooms, a game room, a finished basement, a screened in room,and the normal bathrooms , kitchen and dining room not counting the yard with patio/pool. NO ONE is allowed in my living room. There's all those other rooms for everyone to go in, so there's no reason for them to step foot in the living room. No tv in that room anyway. I don't even like anyone to walk in there. When my mother comes over she calls it the museum, look but don't touch. So I understand what the OP is talking about. Even the dining room is off limits, unless its a holiday or company's over. Then after dinner everyone either goes into the game room or basement.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by dg39
patio/pool. NO ONE is allowed in my living room. There's all those other rooms for everyone to go in, so there's no reason for them to step foot in the living room. No tv in that room anyway. I don't even like anyone to walk in there. When my mother comes over she calls it the museum, look but don't touch.

Sort of seems the room should be called something other than a "living room" then since not much living goes on in there.....