Is There Such a Thing as Kid-proof Carpet?

My husband and I had the same arguement, I won and we got the wood floors. Every once in a while I remind him he wanted carpet and make him admit I was right, lol. Usually this happens when the dog runs in muddy from outside and jumps everywhere, or one of the kids spills something. Two seconds with the swiffer and tada its clean, carpet would involve scrubbing, and probably still stain.
In my kids rooms are the only place we have carpet, we have the stainmaster kind in there, anything that spills just beads up and you can soak it up with paper towels. So far nothing, including vomit/pee/grapejuice/paint has left a stain. It was much more expensive carpet though. Their rooms are small so it was not too bad. For a main living area, I would still go with the wood and a throw rug that can be dry cleaned or replaced.

Hardwood and area rugs. Win win!

my vote: hardwood, not laminate, AND plush area rugs. As Jo said, win-win!

But here's my reality: a totally hideous multi-brown, sculpted carpet. Think 1980-90s. Hideous, hideous. & it's lasted thru our 22 years in the house, a ton of kids, + lots of big dogs. One grease stain....& that's it. Nothing else shows.

Replacing the flooring is on my bucket list...right after the rest of the remodeling.

The laminate wood floors are awesome and easy to care for. Plus, there are lots of plush and pretty area rugs out there.. We got a large one that is also stylish at Home Depot, only $150! Here's ours, (we are tv people too):
http://littlelovables.blogspot.com/2012/06/homefront-mass...

Tile could work as well.

I really don't think there is such a thing as kid proof carpet. I honestly think all carpet is gross. We have hard woods with a rug. Rugs are much better because they are easier to clean. Carpets just get nasty and dirty and all you can do it just vacume and that doesn't even get all the dirt out. If your husband knew what he was actually laying on when he watches tv like that, I'm sure he would not do it anymore.

Hardwood (is awesome!) with the square carpet tiles that you can select any color or pattern in and make the rug as big or small as you like. Any stains, etc., you pop the damaged tile out and put a new one in. Great thing is you can totally customize it. I'm sure are other manufacturers, but I get the catalog for www.flor.com

I put in the Mohawk Flooring Smartstrand carpet two years ago. My boys are tough on it and it is still beautiful. Mohawk tests this carpet using rhinos. Google smartstrand rhino and see for yourself.

Look up smart strand carpet. Made from corn, environmentally friendly, no off gassing and lifetime stain guarentee. It's at lowes. And it so soft and so thick I want to sleep on it! Go to lowes to see it, and google it. You will be impressed!

We have cut-pile berber in a speckled pattern that is beige with bits of brown and grey. Doesn't show a thing (well, except maybe something like grape juice, but it cleans easily) and holds up beautifully! We get a lot of compliments on it. I'm a carpet person myself for the same reason as your husband, so I understand why he wants to go with carpet.

This is one very similar to ours:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://blog.oregonliv...

Astro turf?
That's kid proof but I don't want my house carpeted with it.
Hardwood and area carpets.
Sure area rugs get dirty, but they are not nailed down to the floor and so are easier to clean and replace.

omg get him a designated area rug for watching tv and get your hard wood floors.

We have wood floors, with a throw rug on top. When we have our carpets cleaned (we have carpet in all the bedrooms, ugggggh), I just roll up the throw rug, put it out on the driveway, and the carpet cleaning guys clean the throw rug out there. It actually gets REALLY clean because there's no padding underneath (which is where all the nastiness stays, even when the carpet on top is cleaned).

My vote is definitely for wood floors with a throw rug. Buy your husband some big floor pillows if he wants to lay down there. :)

Years ago we took out the wall-to-wall carpet, and behold - there was hardwood flooring that needed some TLC. I've always been happy with it. My grandchildren run in and out. Of course, anything used by children will get dirty and stained in time. Anything used by adults will suffer the same indignities. But that's what you get for having real people live in a real house.

I suggest you think about hardwood floors, a nice-looking, sturdy area rug (which can easily be rolled up and professionally cleaned), and big floor pillows for the TV-watching.