The Writing on the Wall...and Door, Couch, Chairs...

Crayons: harmless in an adult's hands, potentially horrific in a child's. 

Generally, Mimi's wields her crayons responsibly.  She knows that she's allowed to draw on her coloring board and scrap paper only.  She's still not that accurate - she gets as much on her table and chairs as she does on her coloring board - and sometimes she'll mistake a book for scrap paper, but she basically knows, and follows, the rules. 

Except for when she doesn't. 

The misbehavior started off innocently enough.  A couple days ago I was preparing lunch in the kitchen.  Mimi had been in the living room, playing with her legos.  I figured all was going well.  Mimi was playing and being quiet.  On second thought, perhaps too quiet.  It's one of the ironies of being a parent.  When life is at its most peaceful, that's when the child's most destructive.  I walked back into the living room to discover this on the wall. 

But that wasn't all.  A quick survey of the damage revealed three scrawled walls, a tagged door, two abused books, and one defaced puppy. 

Like a dog yet to be house-trained, Mimi can't help but mark her territory.  While writing this post I've intervened on behalf of three books and a coffee table.

Thankfully, Sumie bought "dry-erase" crayons.  These things are amazing!  I can clean up almost anything that Mimi tags, except for bare wood and cloth.  The leather couch?  No problem!  And it's a good thing, too, because Mimi really went to town on it last Tuesday. 

She loves drawing, but I'm afraid to give her anything beyond the crayons she has now.  Markers are out of the question.  So too are paints, pens, and pencils.  Well, I suppose pencils would be OK.  I'd just need to keep them under lock and key.  Something at which I'm not very good. 

Any thoughts from those of you who have kids now?  How do you keep the writing, drawing, and art going without turning your home into a multi-colored nightmare?