Do You Limit Paper?

[Josiegirl]

Kind of a petty issue but my dcks love to draw. I don't mind a bit, I encourage it. But I have 1 kid in particular who I'm always catching crumpling up their picture because it 'wasn't coming out right'. He's a perfectionist. I finally convinced him to turn it over and draw on the other side. So now instead of going through 25 sheets of paper a day he's maybe going through 10. He had plans to make something today and was cutting through 7 layers of paper. I got right on his case about it only because of his history of wasting paper. Then I felt bad.
I buy the cheapest copy paper at Walmart. But if every single one of the 8 dcks used 10 sheets a day.....
And we do recycle. I think it's just his attitude about it that I don't like. He sees nothing wrong with wastefulness as long as we recycle.
sigh, guess I'm from an entirely different era where one appreciates what they have and don't just throw it all away.

[SilverSabre25]

I have been known to limit paper, yes, in cases like you describe. Wanton wastefulness doesn't fly here. But if they are really into drawing and are drawing 10 full-page meaningful drawings...that's cool.

Perhaps this one can be taught to sketch his ideas lightly with pencil first so he can erase what doesn't work out?

[hope]

If they put their all into each sheet then I wouldn't mind. When they make a mistake I have the group think of ways we can cover up or fix the mistake. It makes for good conversation and the kids come up with some great ideas!
My ds used to draw a small little circle and then grab another sheet and draw. Small tree and grab for another sheet. Each time exclaiming "I'm done!". Now I have a rule that they must use the whole paper before getting another. Sometimes we fold the paper in many squares so they can make 20 small pictures.

[sahm1225]

Or get him a sketch book? Or a notebook.

And yea I also limit paper. I usually put a stack on the table and when it's gone it's gone.

One tip - you could ask
The dcf if there employer has any papers that you can use for cutting (for exMe we had a dcm bring about 500
Sheets of old flyers from work. We used it to practice cutting. Same dcm brought me all their legal size paper when they stopped using legal
Size paper).

[MissAnn]

I won't let them draw on colored paper unless they are also going to cut and glue. Burns me up when they waste the colored paper.

[Josiegirl]

I agree Miss Ann, colored paper and card stock.
I will try some of the ideas mentioned, thanks!!
If someone makes a mistake I always suggest to them to think of what else they could draw out of their picture. But this guy's frustration level goes from 0 to 100 in 4 seconds flat.

[Play Care]

Originally Posted by Josiegirl

I agree Miss Ann, colored paper and card stock.
I will try some of the ideas mentioned, thanks!!
If someone makes a mistake I always suggest to them to think of what else they could draw out of their picture. But this guy's frustration level goes from 0 to 100 in 4 seconds flat.

I do limit paper for the exact same reasons. Construction paper and card stock are only used for projects. When it gets closer to the start of the school year I stock up on notebooks/sketchbooks. I put the child's name in it and make it clear it has to last until x time. If a child goes through it quickly they are outta luck until it's time to hand out the new books. I do think it's a good lesson for them - paper isn't an unlimited resource, it costs money, etc.

ETA: if the child gets that frustrated I might say to them "it seems that this makes you too upset, so we're going to put the paper away for a bit and take a break from drawing since it makes you that upset."

[Meyou]

I would give him 4 or 5 sheets and tell him that's it for the day. I might even give him a different number of sheets each day so he could practice planning and management of his supplies.

I have one here who can't handle stickers at all. She gets her ration for the day while all the others are free to use the sticker drawer as they wish. She has not yet proved to me she can share the sticker drawer and only take what she needs for her project.

[Kimskiddos]

I don't limit paper either. But in your case I do like the idea of giving him 4 or 5 sheets of paper and that's it.

I am lucky that I have two families that work in offices, they both bring me just stacks and stacks of paper. Most has been printed on one side but the kiddos don't mind and I don't mind.

[NightOwl]

I limit paper for environmental reasons. I explain to the kids, quite often, that paper comes from a fallen tree so the less we use, the better. As far as the expense, blank newspaper is more economical. I think you can buy it on Amazon or discount school supply. You get more for your money.

[Blackcat31]

I limit the copy paper to 3 sheets per day per child.

I do NOT limit other paper such as scraps, the back sides of junk mail, envelopes and other stuff I've collected that the kids can draw/write or color on.

I have parents save papers and bring them too....

• wrapping paper
• junk mail
• old letters/cards
• color books
• ANYTHING with space to draw or write on

[melilley]

I have dry erase boards and my kids love them; they even make dry erase crayons! A chalkboard is another idea, just so you aren't using paper everyday. I do limit paper and my construction paper is for art for the most part.

You could also use different mediums to color on. My kids love it when I give them a box to color on!

[Kimskiddos]

Originally Posted by melilley

I have dry erase boards and my kids love them; they even make dry erase crayons! A chalkboard is another idea, just so you aren't using paper everyday. I do limit paper and my construction paper is for art for the most part.

This is a great idea for a child that tries to waste paper.

Originally Posted by Wednesday

I limit paper for environmental reasons. I explain to the kids, quite often, that paper comes from a fallen tree so the less we use, the better. As far as the expense, blank newspaper is more economical. I think you can buy it on Amazon or discount school supply. You get more for your money.

I often remind my kiddos about where we get paper from. That is why I love having dcp's bring in recycled paper from their jobs. Some of these places are obviously throwing away huge amounts of paper.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Kimskiddos

I often remind my kiddos about where we get paper from. That is why I love having dcp's bring in recycled paper from their jobs. Some of these places are obviously throwing away huge amounts of paper.

My area is home to a HUGE paper company. They print a majority of paper for magazines such as Playboy and Reader's Digest.

Everyone who lives here has at one time or another toured the paper mill to see where paper comes from and how it's made.

Lucky me....I have a couple DCP's that work there.

They bring me GIANT rolls of paper so we do have an endless supply.

The rolls look like this:



but when I get them, they look like this: (only about 3 feet long and definitely more moveable...LOL! )

[Christina72684]

Where my dad works he prints out reports all the time to look at and then is done with the paper. It's bigger than standard paper and all the sheets are connected but perforated so they're easy to tear. Sometimes the paper is white on the back and sometimes it has white and green lines (which are nice for writing). We have stacks and stacks of this paper so I don't care if they waste it. It's nice that it's connected so they can have several pages long if they want to trace their bodies or make a long animal. If they want a piece of good paper to make a card for someone or something special, they get one a day.

[KiddieCahoots]

I ration the paper to each child.
They can chose to use all of their ration, or not. Most often they don't, and want to move on to the next activity. I figure that helps with self regulation skills.

[KSDC]

I have a big box of old copy paper. The kind that has the tear off strips on the sides for feeding it through the old printers. A local office supply store had a box in the back room that had never sold. She sold it to me at a HUGE discount. That is the paper that my kids get for free drawing. I let them have as much as they want - as long as they are actually using it.

They have to take their time and actually draw some thing, or fill it in with scribbles for the younger munchkins. I won't do one scribble on a page.

[My3cents]

Originally Posted by Josiegirl

Kind of a petty issue but my dcks love to draw. I don't mind a bit, I encourage it. But I have 1 kid in particular who I'm always catching crumpling up their picture because it 'wasn't coming out right'. He's a perfectionist. I finally convinced him to turn it over and draw on the other side. So now instead of going through 25 sheets of paper a day he's maybe going through 10. He had plans to make something today and was cutting through 7 layers of paper. I got right on his case about it only because of his history of wasting paper. Then I felt bad.
I buy the cheapest copy paper at Walmart. But if every single one of the 8 dcks used 10 sheets a day.....
And we do recycle. I think it's just his attitude about it that I don't like. He sees nothing wrong with wastefulness as long as we recycle.
sigh, guess I'm from an entirely different era where one appreciates what they have and don't just throw it all away.

I use the walmart paper too and get paper from all different sources. I save the colored good construction paper for art projects and I pretty much do what you all are dong too. I ask parents to bring it in if they have any and I keep a scrap tub of stuff still good for smaller projects and free art- I love art and encouraging the kiddo's young to experiment with art. I don't get shook about the waste because to me it is not waste, but then again I don't allow one line on a paper and move onto another paper. Some kids try it! LOL
I use color books too- I also have the cheap notebook paper that you get at the start of school and they can play office or what not with it. I throw it out when it gets filled up. Sometimes they will do one or two lines like they are taking an order and in those notebooks that is ok, but we use them till they are good and used.

[My3cents]

Originally Posted by Josiegirl

Kind of a petty issue but my dcks love to draw. I don't mind a bit, I encourage it. But I have 1 kid in particular who I'm always catching crumpling up their picture because it 'wasn't coming out right'. He's a perfectionist. I finally convinced him to turn it over and draw on the other side. So now instead of going through 25 sheets of paper a day he's maybe going through 10. He had plans to make something today and was cutting through 7 layers of paper. I got right on his case about it only because of his history of wasting paper. Then I felt bad.
I buy the cheapest copy paper at Walmart. But if every single one of the 8 dcks used 10 sheets a day.....
And we do recycle. I think it's just his attitude about it that I don't like. He sees nothing wrong with wastefulness as long as we recycle.
sigh, guess I'm from an entirely different era where one appreciates what they have and don't just throw it all away.

forgot to add for your perfectionist, teach him to use an eraser and pencil. or erasable pen.

[Shell]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

My area is home to a HUGE paper company. They print a majority of paper for magazines such as Playboy and Reader's Digest.

Everyone who lives here has at one time or another toured the paper mill to see where paper comes from and how it's made.

Lucky me....I have a couple DCP's that work there.

They bring me GIANT rolls of paper so we do have an endless supply.

The rolls look like this:



but when I get them, they look like this: (only about 3 feet long and definitely more moveable...LOL! )

Wow! That's convenient! I had a parent (architect) that would give me old building plans that were pretty neat. The kids were a little young at the time to appreciate the designs and measurements, but it was cool anyway.

[KiddieCahoots]

Oh hey! I don't know why I didn't think of this before......
Do you have a local recycle store?
I do, and you can find tons of free paper and other neat items to use for crafts. The great thing too, the supply is always changing, depending on what the public donates.