Sunday, July 05, 2009

No more monkeys jumping on the bed

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Four little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped her head.
Papa called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Three little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Two little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped her head.
Papa called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

One little monkey jumping on the bed,
He fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"Put those monkeys straight to bed!"



The children in this picture would never dream of jumping on a bed. They would never jump from bed to bed or from the bed to the floor or from the bed to a pile of Pottery Barn duvets and pillows. Beds are for resting and reading and quiet conversations with Olivia and Madilyn.

I was taught growing up to never jump on a bed. It was totally against the rules, but I remember doing it anyway because it was just so darn fun. It was worth the inevitable punishment to jump from the bunk bed in the corner down to the day bed against the wall. The daybed was metal and squeaked like nothing else. Did I think my parents didn't know what I was doing?

Now I am grown and still think that jumping on beds would be totally fun if I wouldn't crack my head open on the ceiling if I tried. But I also have an appreciation for my things, knowing me and my hard working husband have to replace or pay for it if the jumping wrecks the bed, the floor, the Pottery Barn duvets, or the head of one of the jumpers.

Jumping on the bed is against the rules in this house too. But I have to admit that there are many occasions I turn a blind eye to the activity because I don't want to go enforce the rule for the 4,000th time. How much harm could it do? So, now I am curious.... what are other parent's (and non parent's) views on bed jumping. Is it harmless and inevitable? A complete disregard for property and against the rules? Or somewhere in between?
signiture3

6 comments:

Peters Family Farms said...

Bunk beds and no children in mom's room rule kinda avoids that for us. But if it were different, I'd do the same thing you do, every once and a while pretend you don't know that is what they are doing. I teach them NEVER to stand anyone else's furniture (though I am recalling letting them jump on the king size worldmark bed...)

Dan & Hillary said...

Russell can bounce on his bed as long as he's only on his knees. He still gets some hight;-) With the mirror doors and wooden bed frame, we just can't chance a hospital visit:-) I get move peeved about jumping on the sofa.

Cooking with Big E said...

Jumping on the bed is a No No in our household. Mostly because Grace's toddler bed has some cracked supports and we're worried her bed would break if she jumped on it too much. Plus it's good to learn to respect our things etc. Ethan's too little to do much bed jumping yet but I'm sure it will be a sport he'll enjoy.

Lindsay said...

My kids occasionally jump on our bed, and I'm like you, I say "no", but I don't totally mean it everytime. :)

Grandma Sherri said...

definatetly guilty of turning a blind eye on many occasions:)

Sara said...

Hmm, I've never given bed jumping a thought before. Without having had to deal with it yet, I guess I don't find it a very big deal. I probably would discourage it, but allow it to happen once in awhile as long as the bed is sturdy and it doesn't get out of control.