Is your child living in a room that is too “young” for her? Maybe there are shelves of toys that haven’t been touched in months, a closet full of clothes that are outgrown and out of fashion, or your son is still sleeping on “Toy Story” sheets and he’s a busy middle-schooler. Kids grow and change so fast, sometimes it’s tough to keep up. Maybe it’s time for an upgrade and a little redecorating in your child’s or children’s room(s)…
One of the fun things about kids growing up is that in some ways, we parents get to change with them. It can actually be fun to redecorate and watch things evolve and change and you may find that your child starts to act more grown up and mature as his surroundings reflect his evolving age status. I remember when my own daughter’s were both in middle school, we did an entire room makeover and went from Barbies and stuffed animals to hip, preteen room. We repainted the room a cool yellow, got new twin beds to replace the bunk beds, and matching, coordinated bedding (they each picked out their own version of a matching pattern, so they could be different, but coordinated), I refinished a thrift store desk and chairs, made new curtains, and they each got their own coordinated bedside lamps, own bulletin boards, and I even spring for a half dozen picture frames for each of them so they could display their favorite photos. It was a big deal and I remember that their attitudes changed about their “space” as it was upgraded to reflect their growing up.
A room makeover doesn’t have to be expensive–just removing old, unused and outgrown items and allowing the child to have some input into the new design may be enough to invigorate the space. Some kids don’t seem to be very concerned about the particulars of room design, but they will appreciate the time and attention to trying to make the room more “grown up.” Others will want to be involved in the process from the beginning and it can be a great learning opportunity to see how much paint costs, determine a budget and try to make choices on new items based on that budget and what’s available. Kids can even learn how to do a lot of the work themselves.
So, take a look in your child’s room–is it time for an upgrade?
See also: Extreme Makeover–Children’s Room Edition