Think back to your childhood bedroom. What did it look like? What color were the walls? Chances are, you remember these details pretty vividly. Personalizing your child’s room or, better yet, allowing them to do so may be more beneficial than you may initially think.
When you let your child have a hand in decorating their own room, they may feel a deep sense of self-expression. I think this especially true in families with more than one child and even more so when siblings share a room. Feeling ownership over their space, even if it’s just a small little section of the room. Allowing the child to select the paint color of their room would be a fun, inexpensive birthday present as well as an opportunity to bond if you let them help paint.
I am a firm believer that your home is your sanctuary, and I think this applies to kids. It seems as though school is becoming a more and more stressful place with increased pressures of various kinds, so coming home to a personal, pretty space might help your child decompress. Again, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just very tailored to your child’s interests. For example, if your kid likes to read, laying down a blanket and pile of pillows with a small lamp makes a nice reading nook and helps make their room feel like their own.
I think personalizing a child’s room is especially important for families that move or travel a lot. These changes in scenery can be scary for a child, but if you unpack their room decorations right away, it will help them to feel more comfortable with their new surroundings more quickly. I’ve heard Super Nanny Joe Frost talk about this with parents, and know that celebrities do the same thing with their dressing rooms in each city while on tour.
What was your favorite thing in your room growing up? If you could have had one thing in your room, what would it have been?
photo credit by superblakebooks
I am so with you on the theme of this piece, Alex! It reminds me of the famous last lecture by Randy Pausch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo ) when he discusses how his parents encouraged his expressions of creativity and individuality. He embodied and lived this principle in a manner that I’ve never seen before or since. I love how you draw attention to this as it inspires and encourages kids to become whatever they ultimately dream of becoming. What a blessing to spend life trying to be half the man Randy was and, in doing so, give my children a gift that goes beyond any material gift they could ever receive! Well done, my friend…! 🙂
Alex,
I think when you moved like a Kid like it happened to me there are something that you help make your space yours. I had never thought of that in such a way!
I agree. I think it’s very important. We have three kids and we’ve worked hard to make each space uniquely their own. We also allow the kids (within reason) to have a say in the design.