A few days ago, my daughter informed me that it was time to change her room now that she was a big girl. It was embarrassing to have Winnie the Pooh cartoon characters on her bedroom door. How do you ensure that your child feels a sense of ownership in his/her room? If your children share a room, how do you ensure that each child feels comfortable in their own space?
Decorating your baby’s room does not have to be an expensive affair. You can modify your child’s space by doing a few changes that make your baby feel a sense of ownership. This not only makes bedtime easier but also helps you to start training your child to have a sense of responsibility. As your child grows, you can start giving chores; e.g. a two-year-old can tidy up her toys, or pick up clothes on the floor.
Here are a few tips on how to go about this
- Be bright! Have splashes of bright colour which create a vibrant feature for baby to enjoy. Bright colours promote happiness and stimulate the imagination. For an older child, you can ask them to choose the wall paint colour.
- If your children are sharing a room, incorporate each child’s preferences so that they all feel a sense of ownership.
- Get the right bed that will not take too much space but your child can still use for a long time.
- Get a big box that will hold all the toys and knick-knacks that your child collects. You can get colourful wrapping paper and make it fun by wrapping the box and putting it together.
- Find out their favourite cartoon character and put it up on the wall.
- Ensure that all the items and furniture you put in the room are safe and clean for your baby. A big wardrobe that is easy for a toddler to climb may prove to be dangerous as your toddler may try to explore the top.
- Hang up some memories, e.g. do you have a shoe that your baby wore as a little baby? You can hang it up, or frame a pair of socks that she wore when she was a month old, etc.
