I'm the mother of six grown children. When they were little I would make them a tent by draping an old quilt over the kitchen table. They would play there for hours when the weather was too cold or wet to play outside. They also loved making forts and club houses or building makeshift tree houses. There were times in the summer that we even sat up a tent in the backyard for them to camp and play in. Rooms and spaces seem to be an essential need in the human experience.
As the children grew older, they wanted their own rooms and we allowed them to decorate them alone and believe me, they each had their individual tastes in what they thought was pretty or "cool". Our boys didn't seem to care much about color or frills, but the girls always had a sense of style and beauty.
When I look back on those early years, I realize how important it was for my children to have their private time in their own personal space. Even though, in many families, it may not be practical to give each child their own room, one side of a bedroom can be solely theirs, where they can express their special and unique personalities. Personality preferences and alone-time should be encouraged daily.
My children are adults now. I believe that allowing them freedom of expression at a young age, gave them a head start in creating and decorating their homes today.
Copyright 2008 By-Barbara J. Kirby Davis
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