Please enjoy the following guest post addressing the benefits of allowing your kids to decorate their own rooms.
| Katie Hackett is a literature professor, a freelance content writer, and a mother of three children. She discovered her love for children and their emotional growth the moment she started teaching. Once she had her own child, the love and desire to learn more about their inner world grew day by day. Therefore, Katie attended numerous parenting schools and seminars to understand the kids better and help and lead them. Finally, after many years in child education and development, Katie decided to share her experience with her beloved readers who want to become more positive and mindful about parenting. |  |
Whether you decide on redecorating your home or moving house for a job opportunity, this period brings significant changes. Even though change can be difficult, upgrading your environment can bring many important benefits too. So, bearing in mind that any change can make things a bit shaky, we have to consider our child's feelings during the process. They don't have the mental means to understand the situation fully, which might lead to them accepting it with difficulties. For that reason, it would be a great idea to let your kid decorate their room.
It might sound scary at first if you consider your esthetics or your budget. But, luckily, there are ways to make everyone happy and involve your child in their room creation.
It might sound scary at first if you consider your esthetics or your budget. But, luckily, there are ways to make everyone happy and involve your child in their room creation.
Necessary steps to take
Relocation change is a big deal. Besides all the mess and hassle the practical side takes, you need to think of everyone's inner worlds too. Therefore, it would be good to get properly informed and plan and book everything ahead. Learn about the most common challenges when moving with children, and find the right moving company to make this process as simple as possible. You want to ensure the relocation passes smoothly and avoid exposing your family to unnecessary stress.
Once you enter the doors of your new home, it would be wise to set off the positive tone right from the beginning. Therefore, paying special attention to your kid's room and involving them in the process can significantly help. Additionally, this is a unique way of showing your child you trust and believe in them.
So, if you want to let your kid decorate their room, here are the steps to take:
1. Set the rules and the budget
If you want to make sure everyone is happy at the end of this process, some ground rules are necessary. For example, your kid might want to break a wall or repaint the room. If that's a no for you, make that clear. However, make sure you give them some alternatives. For example, they can get a poster, an accent wall, paint their dresser, or hang pictures.
Furthermore, setting the budget for this is crucial, which is especially easy today since you can easily find information about the prices on the Internet.
2. Create a wishlist
Then just let your kids make their wishlist. You could help them out by showing them some bits you can easily find on Pinterest. If the list gets too long and expensive, remember there's a budget you need to stick to. So you could all sit together and think of some cheaper alternatives or DIY projects that won't cost a lot of money or make them prioritize items on their list.
Once you enter the doors of your new home, it would be wise to set off the positive tone right from the beginning. Therefore, paying special attention to your kid's room and involving them in the process can significantly help. Additionally, this is a unique way of showing your child you trust and believe in them.
So, if you want to let your kid decorate their room, here are the steps to take:
1. Set the rules and the budget
If you want to make sure everyone is happy at the end of this process, some ground rules are necessary. For example, your kid might want to break a wall or repaint the room. If that's a no for you, make that clear. However, make sure you give them some alternatives. For example, they can get a poster, an accent wall, paint their dresser, or hang pictures.
Furthermore, setting the budget for this is crucial, which is especially easy today since you can easily find information about the prices on the Internet.
2. Create a wishlist
Then just let your kids make their wishlist. You could help them out by showing them some bits you can easily find on Pinterest. If the list gets too long and expensive, remember there's a budget you need to stick to. So you could all sit together and think of some cheaper alternatives or DIY projects that won't cost a lot of money or make them prioritize items on their list.
If you want to let your kid decorate their room, give them a hand with some inspiration from Pinterest.
3. Go shopping
You can take a family trip to Home Goods or Target, or you might shop online. Etsy stores are a great place to find things your children might want.
4. Compliment
Finally, this is your kids' room, not yours. Make sure you stay positive and give them compliments throughout the process. You could use this opportunity to remind them of how proud you are of them. Boost their energy by telling them they have created their masterpiece.
You can take a family trip to Home Goods or Target, or you might shop online. Etsy stores are a great place to find things your children might want.
4. Compliment
Finally, this is your kids' room, not yours. Make sure you stay positive and give them compliments throughout the process. You could use this opportunity to remind them of how proud you are of them. Boost their energy by telling them they have created their masterpiece.
Reasons why you should let your kids decorate their rooms
If you are still indecisive and aren't sure whether the process is worth it, we are here to convince you otherwise. Experts in child psychology gave the green light to allow your kids to decorate their rooms. Here are some of the top reasons why doing this is a good idea.
You will get to know them better and learn what they love
When children experience such a significant change as moving is, they might feel disconnected. This will be an excellent opportunity to change that. You will have the chance to get interested in their world, in what they love, what they enjoy doing.
It's important to restrain yourself from making any interventions unless they ask you to. For example, if you have a teenager obsessed with a particular band, let them have their posters on their walls.
You will show them you respect their independence
Another reason why letting your kid decorate their room is that it will help your kids cope with the relocation better. How? By making them feel in control of their own lives and decisions. Ergo, it's vital to give them the power to make their own decisions when it's safe to do so.
Additionally, incorporating choices in your overall relationship will better mutual respect and understanding.
You will get to know them better and learn what they love
When children experience such a significant change as moving is, they might feel disconnected. This will be an excellent opportunity to change that. You will have the chance to get interested in their world, in what they love, what they enjoy doing.
It's important to restrain yourself from making any interventions unless they ask you to. For example, if you have a teenager obsessed with a particular band, let them have their posters on their walls.
You will show them you respect their independence
Another reason why letting your kid decorate their room is that it will help your kids cope with the relocation better. How? By making them feel in control of their own lives and decisions. Ergo, it's vital to give them the power to make their own decisions when it's safe to do so.
Additionally, incorporating choices in your overall relationship will better mutual respect and understanding.
Letting your kids have a say in their room decor will help towards building their independence.
It can boost their creativity
When you let your little one start a creative process like this one, you will allow their creativity to grow. Some of the decisions they will make during the process are:
It can help in future decision-making
As decorating your room isn't something you do every day, allowing your child to create a space that suits them can be a great starting point for all future discussions about appropriate decision-making.
Be sure to explain that wallpapers and color schemes aren't something to be changed once a month. This way, you will ensure they understand the importance of their decisions and stand by them. Also, you will avoid the nagging to change the color of their walls just because they stopped liking the color after some time.
The process will help them invest in something and care for their space (aka have responsibilities)
Finally, they will learn the value of maintaining a living space to a fair standard. When you give your child a role of creating their own space and taking care of it, they are most likely to keep it tidy.
However, you shouldn't expect that your child's room is never messy. It would be best if you cultivated the connection between them and their living space from the beginning. Creating a daily and weekly chores list might help with this.
When you let your little one start a creative process like this one, you will allow their creativity to grow. Some of the decisions they will make during the process are:
- color choice
- deciding on the design
- implementing their ideas
- adjusting some idea to fit their liking
It can help in future decision-making
As decorating your room isn't something you do every day, allowing your child to create a space that suits them can be a great starting point for all future discussions about appropriate decision-making.
Be sure to explain that wallpapers and color schemes aren't something to be changed once a month. This way, you will ensure they understand the importance of their decisions and stand by them. Also, you will avoid the nagging to change the color of their walls just because they stopped liking the color after some time.
The process will help them invest in something and care for their space (aka have responsibilities)
Finally, they will learn the value of maintaining a living space to a fair standard. When you give your child a role of creating their own space and taking care of it, they are most likely to keep it tidy.
However, you shouldn't expect that your child's room is never messy. It would be best if you cultivated the connection between them and their living space from the beginning. Creating a daily and weekly chores list might help with this.
You might be pleasantly surprised by the result.
Final thoughts
We hope our article has shown you a different perspective when thinking about whether to let your kid decorate their room or not. We hope you choose a path to motivate your child to grow into a responsible human being. Happy decorating!
If you haven’t already read the book, it’s a great place to start - Relationship Reboot: Break free from the bad habits in your relationship.
David B. Younger, Ph.D. is the creator of Love After Kids, for couples that have grown apart since having children. He is a clinical psychologist and couples therapist with a web-based private practice and lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, 17-year-old son, 8-year-old daughter and 9-year-old toy poodle.
David B. Younger, Ph.D. is the creator of Love After Kids, for couples that have grown apart since having children. He is a clinical psychologist and couples therapist with a web-based private practice and lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, 17-year-old son, 8-year-old daughter and 9-year-old toy poodle.
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