Have you ever been in one of those houses (maybe it is the house you grew up in) that seem to be stuck in a time warp. The carpeting hasn’t been updated, the photos are thirty years old, and the colors and furniture look obviously and sorely dated. Even if you think your home environment is hip and well-decorated, there are other ways the environment can get stale and not change as the family that lives within the environment changes and grows and develops. How long has it been since you looked over your home environment to see if it “fits” the family that lives there now?
When I talk about the home environment, I’m not just taking about new coats of paint and having the rugs cleaned, I’m talking about really making sure the mood and feel of the home evolves as the family within it evolves. We don’t stay young, babies, or whatever forever and our environment should reflect that.
For example, I realized that I still have a toy box full of “little kid” toys even though my kids haven’t played with them in YEARS. In order to create an environment that feels comfortable and reflects who we are now, I decided I needed to box some stuff up. It was also time I cleared off some of the kids’ elementary art work from the fridge (my kids are all in high school now) and upgraded some of the photos displayed around the house. Sure, they were adorable as babies, but they’ve really responded well to having recent photos of themselves on display now too.
I think that environment is a key factor in our moods, how stimulated or relaxed we feel, and whether or not kids are able to do homework, have friends over, etc. Take a look at your home environment and see if it creates the environment and the “feel” that fits the parenting you are doing now, the age and interests of the individuals who live there now, and that your organic, dynamic home environment is not getting stagnate and stuck and NOT allowing for the change and growth of the inhabitants within.
Also: Private Ownership Vs. Communal Property
Rearranging Space and Environment May Make Things Smoother