healthykids Goodnight, Moon
Creating Soulful Bedrooms for Children
by Judith Fertig
Peggy D. Me r r i t t Board Certified
Holistic Health Practitioner Master Herbalist Clinical Hypnotist
(865) 539-0659
By Appointment Only
www.CoursetoEden.com
and artist Jill Butler. In her recent book, Create the Space You Deserve, she explores how loving parents want their little ones to feel happy at home every day in a loving, nurturing safe place, where they can grow into the fullness of who they are meant to be. “All kids need a space of their
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own, a sacred place, where everyday realities like peer pressure, family issues, bullies at school or low self- esteem cannot penetrate; a place of comfort and creativity that reflects and encourages their own positive intentions and beliefs, values, goals and dreams for life,” elaborates Kellee Katillac, author of Kids’ Sacred Places: Rooms for Believing and Belonging. She advises that no matter what is going on in the outside world, the interior world of a child’s room should be a refuge of calm, comfort, creativity and renewal. “Their rooms are like the French
Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about
creating yourself. ~George Bernard Shaw
22 Knoxville
expression le jardin secret... their secret garden,” continues Butler. “It’s their most basic nest, so encourage and allow it to grow into their space just as they want it.” Making a child’s room such a soulful sanctuary is an ongoing project, as periodic changes reflect the individual growth and changing interests of a child, from the crib to a teenager’s digs.
child represents “a shift, a cel- ebration, a milestone” in the life of any family, remarks author
New Baby An infant’s room needs to be soft and soothing, so a baby can adjust to the “less-cushioned” life outside the womb, note Laura Forbes Carlin and Alison Forbes, authors of The Peaceful Nurs- ery. Babies are stimulated enough by modern lifestyles; the one place they should be able to simply drift off to a peaceful sleep is in their room. Feng Shui principles can help par-
ents create the environment that pro- motes quiet calm and sleep. To encour- age relaxation, consider painting the baby’s room a soft color, such as cream, pale blue or lavender. Add soothing art- work, monochromatic or pale, printed bedding and gentle aromas from traces of essential oils (chamomile, rose, va- nilla or lavender) in baby-safe products. Position the crib so that the baby can see the door to help quell anxiety, and remove or push a distracting mobile to the side when it’s not playtime. Also, choose furniture with rounded edges and keep a window open or a ceiling fan on low to let air and energy circu- late through the room, suggests Rodika Tchi, a feng shui consultant in Vancou- ver, British Columbia.
Young Child Toddlers and grade school kids need calm and quiet periods, too, but they also require a place to be creative. “Children paint every day, and love to
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