Running in the House

I always found that asking them to go back to where they started to run and making them walk usually worked. Or you could have them drop where they are and sit still for a while. My daughter found that positive reinforcement worked the best with her step-kids, they sat together and worked out the rules of the house, which were posted, then each child had a vase of flowers and a flower would be gone for each 'infraction', she said they would beg and plead not to have a flower taken and things eventually got better and the vase was used less and less. If the vase still had enough flowers, whatever they decided, they would get some kind of treat, a trip to the park, ice cream, nothing too big.

This may take a little while, but what we do with our kids (5 & 7) is when they are running we make them go back to where they ran from and walk. After a while they get tired of having to make the trip twice and start walking better. It can also be an on going thing. Mine will do real good for a while then they start running again and we have to start making them go back to where they came from and walk to remind them that they have to walk in the house. Good luck!

Running and rough housing, it is a kid thing. I think it is very difficult to get through to them until someone does get hurt. Some kids never seem to walk, some run every where all of the time.

I am not sure that I ever convinced my kids that someone would get hurt, although at times they did. What I did notice was that they were less likely to get carried away if they played by themselves. I watched them closely and when I could see that the activity level was reaching a point of no return I would say that they had to calm down or play by themselves. That is the only thing that seemed to work, the thought of playing by themselves was enough for the curb their own behavior.

I think that boys are worse for this than girls are. It is as if the energy works its way down to their little feet and just has to come out.

I always enjoyed seeing my children laughing and having a good time. It seemed that they laughed the most when they were running around the house engaged in some type of play. I think that is why I did my best to watch, and stop things before they got out of hand, rather than putting a stop to it all together.

your kids are still young so at this age you will still have to keep reminding them and by the time they are older they won't be running through the house anymore. I think my kids were 5 or 6 when they didn't have to be reminded so often. Now the only time I have to say quit running is when they have friends over they get excited and run all over the house. I have also taught my kids not to jump on furniture, no slamming doors as I have seen doors torn off the hinges at other peoples houses when the kids were slamming the doors, and no running in the house and when they are at other peoples houses they need to show respect and not do these things even if other kids are doing it. Just keep reminding them and let them know the rules of the house and it will get better as long as you stay consistant.

D. - I have two boys, ages 7 and 3, and I allow them to run in the house, especially during winter. Yes, there are a few "accidents" now and then, but they so enjoy chasing each other. It is great fun for them, as well as really good exercise. Even when they run into a wall or collide with each other, after about 2 minutes of crying, they're right back to it. If you're only wanting to curtail this activity because of your fear of them getting hurt, I would suggest allowing them to run. If there are other reasons (you have lots of breakables, etc)., then they probably do need an alternate physical activity.

Just as a side note: on the nights they do run and chase each other, they sleep REALLY, really good! : )

M. W.

I could lend you my dogs! We have 2 greyhounds, and they are LONG and LAZY and make great speedbumps for our daughter.
(only half kidding!)

I have a Sure Fire Way of stopping it but you might not like it. It totally worked though. Only once or twice you have to babysit them but after that they either won't do it or behave and 'do their time'...... If you catch a daughter running, you give one warning and if it doesn't change or she totaly ignores you like mine did, then have her come to you in the kitchen. Once in the kitchen you have her kneel on her knees on the floor and do it for the time-out time (one minute per age). She cannot sit on her feet, she has to be 'up' on her knees. Most kitchens have hard floors so this too adds to the drama. (there is drama the first time) You set the timer and wait, if she tries to crawl, sit on her feet, play with something, or anything but just kneeling, you start the timer over again. My 4 yr old son's first time at this time out started over so many times, he was there for over 15 minutes. But it took him a week before he attempted to run again, then it took less time in time out too, then less running, then only 4 minutes in time out, and now no running anymore and that was a couple of years ago. Sometimes I just threaten the "time on the knees" and they all behave well. The end.

i have let my children know that walking is a privilege (13 y/o & 10 y/o) ...and if they can't use their privilege properly...i'll take it away! just like the other privileges. now this is funny, at first, everyone walking around on thier hands and knees... but they get tired of it quickly... that's what i do...Meg

They have energy they need to let out, I had two rules inside voices and inside walking no running, then outside voices yelling screaming and outside running. They need to go to a park to run awhile wvwn if cold bundle them up and take them for a short time. get the energy out of them. I would park perhaps 20 to 30 feet infront of them and watch in the car and keep the car warm, they stay warm by playing.

I can see having certain areas of the house where you ask them not to run. "Please girls, no running in the living room, there are just too many breakables in there". But I just dont see stopping the running in the entire house...now I agree they should not just run and run and run and run...but if they are playing a game...and having fun...don't put a lid on the fun by telling them to quit running. They just have to somehow learn the LEVEL that you are willing to put up with...be consistent...they will catch on!!!
I always loved watching my girls play and have fun...okay is their "work"...they are learning while they are doing it.

In our house, we have to accept the fact that our kids (8,6,4) get cabin fever. When they start climbing the walls and other tactics don't work, we have them pull on their shoes and coats and take a couple laps around the house. We make it clear it's not a punishment. If it's dark, we turn on the outside lights. If there's snow, they wear boots. If it's below freezing, maybe they only go once around. Sometimes that's all it takes to burn off some energy; sometimes we have a hard time getting them to come back in!

Hi! I let my daughter run in the house too! Our last house was 912 sq ft, so the fact that we have a house that she can run in now tickles me! She has designated areas where she can run though, The kicthen and around the fireplace or by they baby is off limits. When my friends come over with their kids they are always yelling at them to stop running. I tell them as long as its not a huge rule for them I really dont mind them running around. I think yay exercise and shes going to sleep good tonight. Especially in the winter time, We dont get out much, Im not a friend of the cold and avoid it if I can. I dont have a lot of breakables though and our house is almost all carpet besides the kitchen. I put my breakables up high and let them run. Obvisiously some houses just arent good places for running. BUT my house is. I would also like to note that I do not own a coffee table for that fact. I bought new furniture when we moved and bought ottomans that are upholstered. I am very protective of my kids but if they cant be safe in their own home where can they be safe? I am into decorating and having nice things in my home but do everything I can to make look adult but make it kid safe, its their house too. Kids can get hurt anywhere and they will. I wouldnt let her run in someone elses house. I just thought I would put a different angle on it for you. But if my daughter does run where she is not supposed to, she is sent to her room just like anything else if she wasnt listening! Good luck!

Good Morning D.! Well yeah they can and do get hurt running inside and outside, that's a given with any child. What I do with Corbin, when he runs and has been told to stop One time, if he does it again he gets to sit on his chair until he can remember not to run. Usually he tells me right away, I'm sorry Nana Corbin won't run anymore. He has to stay for a time anyway. If he does it again he gets the corner time out for 3 min. Going up to 4 minutes in March....lol

I remember running in my Nana's house she had a old farm house and there was a door from kitchen through dining room through living room, hallway back to kitchen. Nana would let us run for a time then one time through she would Grab me in her arms swing me around and whisper don't run sweetie you might fall down and those ole boys might step on ya. I MISS My Nana :)
I have the same type of set up in our home! And ya know what, I have chased all of our gr. kids round and round it cathing them swinging them around and tickling the daylights out of um. I am usually so close to them if they tripped I could catch um.

So I have been wishy washy in my response...lol Kids do need to be and play safe. And Sometimes Nana's wanna have fun too. So I am pretty sure other Mama's out there will have better suggestions and How to's. Time outs do work when they become to rowdy though.

God Bless and have Fun, they grow up so fast
K. Nana of 5

D., It sounds like you need to rearange so there is not so much open space to run. Put what is called a break so the children can't run through. If there is a large open area to run through children will run through without thinking. If there is a peice of furniture or something to break up the running area it will stop some of it. Good Luck and I hope this helps.

Get and read and follow thru with the book 123 Magic...it works = )

I know this may sound mean but...let them find out through natural consequences. When I tell my kids not to do something and they continue eventually they get hurt and then that is the time I explain to them why they should listen when I ask them to not do something.

Trip one, watch them fall on their face and the others will learn by example ....... LOL !!

NO !! NO !!! I am JUST KIDDING !!! LOL !!! I have read too many Maxine cartoons today ! LOL !!

ACTUALLY .... I had something called "The Mouth Jar" in my home. My kids had a small allowance and it was given to them in the form of pennies nickles and dimes. When one of them was caught saying a bad word, or saying something mean to someone, etc., they had to put a predetermined amount of pennies or nickles in the jar. Eventually I included things like running in the house, and anything else that I could not get them to stop doing in other ways.

It was my miracle jar as far as I was concerned. They hated turning loose of those pennies !

When the jar was full, we decided as a family what to do with the money, and it was always something that would benefit the whole family.

Try it ! I've seen it work for any kid that is too old for the gold stars and sticker system to be effective any more.
:o)

P.S.
One time, my son had such a bad week that he had run out of money (I think he was around 11 or 12 years old at the time) Since there was nothing left to put in the jar, and I believe in letting the punishment fit the crime (and this was a running and mouthing off crime) I made him walk from one end of the house to the other (the same amount of times as he would have had to drop in pennies) while opening and closing his mouth over and over again ... sort of like a wooden dummy that a ventriloquist uses.
It didn't take long at all before he was laughing .... the kids he had offended were laughing, and I was laughing so hard my eyes were dripping with tears !!! It really broke the tension of the week, and all was forgiven after his good-humored compliance with his "punishment".

P.S.
to the moms that advocate allowing them to run ..... there are different parenting styles, I know, and you certainly are entitled to yours, but I have to tell you this ....
My niece is a beautiful 23 year old, but to this day she still carries a scar she got when she was around six. She and her cousin were running through my parents' house. The room they were running in is pretty big and "safe", or so everyone thought. My niece tripped, fell, and hit her forehead on the corner of an out-of-the-way end table. She narrowly escaped losing her eye, but required several stitches to close the wound, and as I said, carries the scar to this day.
Also, the kids who are allowed to run, seem to have a more difficult time understanding how to show respect for other people's homes who do not appreciate running.
Anyway, I don't want to step on toes, I just wanted to point out that there is a down side as well as the fact that they are having fun and getting exercise.