healthykids
Goodnight, Moon
Creating S oulful Bedrooms f or Childr en
by Judith Fertig
A
c

hild represents “a shift, a cel-hild repressents “a shift, a cel-
YYooung Childoung Child
eebrbration, a milestone” in the life ation, a milestone” in the life
TTooddlers and grade scadee school kids need hool kids need
of anof any familyy familyy,, remarks author , remarks author
calm and quiet periods, too, but they calm and quiet periods, too, but they
and artist Jill Butlerand artist Jill Butleer. In her recent book, . In her recent book,
PrProvvide cide comfy pilloy pillowss on the bed on the bed
also require a place to be creatialso require a place to be creative. e.
CCreate the Space reate the Space YYoou Deserve, she , she
aalong with a good rlong with a good reaading lampding lamp.
“Children paint evChildren paint every daery dayy,,, and lo and lovee to to
explores hoexplores how low loving parents wvinng parents want their ant their
shoshoww their w their works on works on walls and refrig-alls and refrig-
little ones to feel happlittle ones to feel happy at home evy at home every ery
erator doors. ator doors. Wee assume, I suppose, assume, I suppose,
NeNew Babw Baby
day in a loy in a loving, nurturing safe place, ving, nurturing safe place, An infant’An infant’s room needs to be soft and s room needs to be softt and
that cthat children are just learning motor hildren are just learning motor
where they can grohere they can grow into the fullness of w into the fullness of soothing, so a babsootthing, so a baby can adjust to the y can adjust to the
coordination and alphabets,coordination and aalphabets,” comments ” comments
who they are meant to be.ho they are meant to be. “less-cushioned” life outside the w“less-cushioned” life outside the womb, omb,
Thomas Moore in his classic homas Moore in his classic Care of Care of
“All kids need a space of their All kids needd a space of their note Laurnotee Laura FaFa Forbes Carlin and orbes Carlin and Alison Alisson
the Soul.thet e SouSoul.. “But maButut maybe they are doing yybebe ttheyeya arede dooing
own, a sacred place, wwn, a sacred place, where evhere everydaeryday y Forbes, authors of orbes, authors of The PThe Peaceful Nurs-eaceful Nurs-
something more fundamental: finding something more fuundamental: finding
realities like peer pressure, family realities like peer pressure, family ery. . Babies are stimulated enough bBabies are stimulated enouggh by
forms that reflect wforms that reflect what is going on in hat is going on in
issues, bullies at scissues, bullies at school or lohool or low self-w self- modern lifestyles; the one place they modern lifestyles; the one place they
their souls.their souls.”
esteem cannot penetresteem cannot penetrate; a place of ate; a place of should be able to simply drift off to a shouuld be able to simply drift offf to a
Mimi Doe, publisher of the online Mimi Doe, puublisher of the online
comfort and creaticomfort and creativity that reflects vity that reflects peaceful sleep is in their room.peaceful sleep is in their room.
magazine magazine SpiritualPSpirituallPararenting.comenting.com, ,
and encourand encourages their oages their own positiwn positive FFeeng Shui principles can help parprinciples can hellp par-
agrees. “agrees. “AlloAllow yw your couur child’hild’s room to be s room to be
intentions and beliefs, vintentions and beliefs, values, goals alues, goals ents create the enents create the environment that pro-vironment that pro-
a safe base for soulful explora safe base for soulful exploration,ation,” she ” she
and dreams for life,and dreams for lifee,” elabor” elaborates Kates Kellee ellee motes quiet calm and sleep. motes quiet calm and sleep. TTooo e encourencour-
counsels. “Gicounsels. “Givee him a chim a choice in colorr,,
Katillac, author of Katillac, author of KidsKids’ Sacr Sacred Places:ed Places: age relaxation, consider painting the age relaxation, consider painting the
fabric, and furniture. fabric, and furniture. AlloAllow her to deco-w her to deco-
Rooms for Belieooms for Believing and Belongingvinnggg and Belonging. She . She babbaby’y s room a soft colorr,, such as cream, h as cream,
rate the door with silvate the door with silver paint, if she er paint, if she
adadvises tvises that no matter what no matter what is going on hat is going on pale blue or lapalee blue or lavenderender. . Add soothing art-Add soothing art-
so desires, or collage her closet with so desires, or collaage her closet with
in the outside win the outside world, the interior world, the interior world orld work, monocork, monochromatic or pale, printed hromatic or pale, printed
images she loimages she loves, cut from magazines.es, cut from magazines.”
oof a cf a child’hild’s room should be a refuge of s room sshould be a refuge of bedding and gentle aromas from trbeddding and gentle aromas from traces aces
“Children are far more concerned“Children are far more concerned
calm, comfort, creaticalm, comfort, creativity and renewvity and renewal. of essential oils (cof essential oils (chamomile, rose, vhamomile, rosee, va-
with wwith what they can make than with be-hat they can make than with be-
“Their rooms are like the Fheir rooms are like the French h nilla or lanillaa or lavender) in babender) in baby-safe products. y-safe products.
ing neat,ing neat,” observ” observes Katillac. “Like magpiees Katillac. “Like magpie
expression expression le jardin secretle jardin secret... their ... their Position the crib so that the babosition the crib so that the baby can y can
nests, their rooms are typically a collec-nests, their rooms are typically a collec-
secret garden,secret garden,” continues Butler” continues Butler. “It’. “It’s s see the door to help quell anxietysee the door to help quell anxietyy,, and , and
tion of fation of favorite things—baubles, souvorite things—baubles, souve-e-
ttheir most basic nest, so encourheir most basic nest, so encourage age remoremove or e or push a distrpush a distracting mobile to acting mobile to
nirs, picture of their heroes: scientists,nirs, picture of their heroes: scientists,
and alloand allow it to grow it to grow into their space w into their space the side wthe side when it’hen it’s not plas not playtime. ytime. Also, AAlso,
superheroes, athletes, musicians andsuperheroes, athletes, musicians and
just as they wjust as they want it.ant itt.” Making a child’s hoose furniture with rounded eddges
momovie stars. vie stars. They collect stamps, dolls,hey collect stamps, dolls,
Making a child’s choose furniture with rounded edges
room sucroom such a soulful sanctuary is an hlh a soulfufull sanctuary is an and keep a windoand kdkeep a window open or a ceiling w open or a ceiling
rocrocket ships, planetary models, horseket ships, planetary models, horse
ongoing project, as periodic congoing project, as periodic changes hanges fan on lofan on low to let air and energy cirw to let air and energy circu-cu-
statues, records and books. statues, records and books. Ant farmsAnt farms
reflect the indireflect the individual groviduual growth and wth and late through the room, suggests Rodika late through the room, suggests Rodika
and musical instruments sit side-band musical instruments sit side-by-side.y-side.”
changing interests of a changing interests of a child, from the hild, from the Tchhi, a feng shui consultant in i, a feng shui consultant in Vancou-aancou-
OvOver time, hoer time, hooweverr,, all those , all those
crib to a teenager’s digs.s vererr,,, British Columbia.British Columbia.
dinosaurs, pretty rocdinosaurs, pretty rocks and doll clothes ks and doll clothes
18 Houston
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