Kids and Painting- How much help can they be?

Before I begin, I should mention, I don't have kids- hence the advice needed.

I did a bunch of paint mystery shops, with the idea to paint my two bathrooms and do a faux finish on both. My question is to those of you with kids, how much help can a child of 7 be?

I ask because my little sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and last time we went out she saw all of the paint boxes in the back seat (I did 4 shops) and she asked what I was painting and I told her- one of the paint store did a sample of how the faux finish would look with the colors I had chosen, so I showed it to her and explained how I would used sponges and a different color to get the same effects on the walls.

Anyway she was all excited and asked to help out. Since I don't have kids, and it is difficult to tell what her paint capabilities are in the previous activities we have gone out on. So of course I am not just ready to hand over a paint brush so fast.

DONT DO IT!!! NONONONONONONONONONONO

My 8 and 9 year olds kinda helped a little. But no more than the 4 year old. And after about 3 minutes of them doing a good job, with even coats, they started slopping it on. drips everywhere. racing to get done.

THEN came the turning point. oneof them got a little on themselves. Talk about ignorance... You'da thought the paint seeped through the skin and killed brain cells right then.. It was all I could do to keep it from being a 'paint ourselves' free for all.

THEN they got bored. I had paint in the trays. brushes I was trying to keep from drying and they got bored. Well they couldnt go and wash themselves all up. I had to get down off my ladder and go in and help clean them up. THEN I had to fix the crap they screwed up. all the while I had to keep them from fighting and wanting to eat, keep them from arguing and keep them from touching the wet walls. or somehow getting it on their feet. (off the walls, since none was on the floor) and tracking it all over.

SO in my advice, dont mix paint and kids. at all.

But I have 4. I have never only had one kid. I dont know what its like to have one kid.

BUT I was an only kid. and I would get bored with the sameness of it all quickly. hell as an adult I despise painting, cause its just more and more of the same.

oh and all that happened the 2nd day. I had already painted the room and we were just doing second coats and finishing up some of the smaller places.

The night we actually started I had a 15 year old helping me. It took her about 3 hours, before she was ready to quit. and she was MESSY. She got paint on the carpet on accident, on walls it wasnt supposed to be on, I had down plastic and she still got it under it. and she didnt do it up to par. at all.

Chelle's right. Painting is hard for a kid. But, if you can, buy something to put in the room that can be painted. Maybe a picture frame that can hold a picture of her. Then after you've painted the room, let her use a tiny bit of each color of left over paint, outside in the grass or on a picnic table with a trash bag taped down over it, to decorate the frame. Let her mom know to send her in old clothes that are OK to be stained, and wear old clothes yourself so you won't mind if/when she gets it on you, LOL. She can try the exact same technique you're using on your walls, or paint it her own style. Just be sure to have it on display once it's dry.

No............unless you want a uneven mess lol.

But here is a suggestion.

Pick up a nice piece of construction paint paper. A pack of cheap water colors and a couple of frames. Ask her to paint a few pictures to hang in the bathroom that will look nice with the paint.

Then hang them when she comes over...........gives her something she can do to help as well as give her some pride when she comes over. You can keep them up for conversation starters or replace them with something else when she is not there.

Win Win!

I let my 4 year old help paint. I cover the floor REALLY well and let her have at it with the primer. I do the actual paint myself but she is usually exhausted and bored after a few minutes with a roller. We also let her help do the trim and small stuff (outside). It's messy but that's okay, afterward we just pick up the layer on the floor and it's as good as new. I let the 8 year old (not mine, lol) help paint the living room a few months back, he did a great job. Once again I covered the floor, he was very serious and did all but the very top with no complaints or mess. It depends on the kid.

I agree, don't do it, more trouble and mess for you, less fun than she thinks for her.

Oh well crisis solved!!! I took my cousin out to eat and mentioned several times how I had never painted before and had all this paint and wanted to paint... Yadda Yadda Ya- He agree to paint for me.

So now I don't have to worry about it at all. He is going to do both bathrooms.

thats great!! its always best for someone else to do it anyway