They are amazingly resilient, I'm sure he/it will survive. It doesn't seem to be until they are all grown up (if that actually ever really happens) that they become precious and and need to be treated with kit gloves I've seen my DSs stretch theirs to amazing lengths with no adverse repercussions I had a friend who's DS used to stretch his over the toy work bench he had and then hammer it(it was a plastic hammer but still brought tears to the eyes of any male adult in the room) If anyone told him not to do it, he'd yell at them "It's my doodie I can do it!" Fair call I guess

okie dokie

Ours is "please be gentle" and "please listen to mummy!"

I find DS is more responsive if I tell him what I want him to do rather than what I don't. For example, if I want him to stop drawing on the table I'l say "please draw on the paper" rather than "don't draw on the table".