Be a Decorator

What an unexpected bit of practical fun Sari and I had the other night! This may look like a playroom but actually, it’s only a section of her family’s living room. As Sari explains, “It’s the Kids Section.” Since her daddy made a change to the living — removing the large screen TV that sat on a piece of furniture, there was a whole new opportunity to replace that part of the room with the toys. Okay, I’ll admit it. I was babysitting — Hope and Joe weren’t home so after almost-2-year-old Jaclyn was asleep, 4 1/2 year Sari and I “went to town.” We analyzed the situation and realized there could now be a grown up area and a kids section in the living room, putting all the toys together in one area. We pushed the love seat around, which is actually the wall of the kids section, we moved the toy kitchen and the toy shelves behind the love seat. Sari made the “area rug” by putting together this floor mat. What I love about this is her sense of pride and her plan to keep it neat. We both knew her parents had to approve but now Sari is part of the discussion and making decisions about her things. And, not only was this a problem-solving process, it was creative, resourceful and, let’s hope, the motivator to keep her kids section in order, with toys put away in their right place.

Can you do this? Have your child become the decorator of her things? Maybe she needs some new ideas for her bedroom? Maybe she can help with YOUR bedroom? You never know. When asked, our little ones have some pretty cool ideas!