Steve Jobs once said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” Almost every child, at some point, is crazy enough to think so because children are piloted by imagination, creativity and the power of their dreams. But as parents, are we truly harnessing all of that creative potential? Or are we unknowingly hindering it by making all the important decisions for them?
It’s a thin line that separates the two.
Our role is to raise confident, independent and successful children; children who dare to dream, who believe that they can achieve anything under the sun. In order to do that, children need to be given ample opportunities to express themselves and make decisions, from as young as possible!
A great way to start them off is by actively involving them in decorating their rooms!
What does their room have to do with any of this? You might wonder. You see, their room is one of the first and most significant canvasses of their imagination. Also, among other things, decorating a child’s room involves a whole lot of decision-making and requires them to be clear about what they like. Hence, this is a golden opportunity to hold back the urge to make all the decisions for your child and to pass that baton on.
Children As Decision Makers
From as early as eight to 12 months, infants start thinking about choices. A developing sense of object permanence, that things continue to exist even when they are out of sight, helps them to hold on to their choices. This goes on to the infamous ‘terrible twos and threes’, when they start making choices about their behaviour and start developing a strong sense of like and dislike.
By the age of five, choice-making becomes an essential part of their life. They become more independent, start pondering over choices and become more conscious of decision-making. This continues well into their pre-teen years!
So what better time than now to let them decide what they want their bedroom to look like?
But why is their bedroom so important anyway?
The Importance of A Child’s Bedroom
Children regard their bedroom as a safe haven that is theirs, and theirs alone. They spend many hours in their rooms doing important things such as reading, drawing, playing, building, or just being.
It is the blank canvas on which they express themselves.
It is a place for them to truly to be in their element – for comfort and reflection of identity. It is their personal space, where they can be pirates and princesses, fight their worst fears and build dreams of becoming tomorrow’s leaders.
Perhaps that’s exactly why it’s so important for children to be actively involved in the process of decorating their rooms. Psychologists unanimously agree that there is a myriad of benefits in giving children the opportunity to have a say in decorating their room and to express their personalities in the look of their room. Here’s why!
Benefits of Involving Children In Decorating Their Rooms
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Bonding
For one, this is a perfect opportunity for some quality parent-child bonding.
The process of doing up a room takes time, and there are bound to be moments of fun, joy and laughter that will remain etched in the children’s hearts for a long time. It’s also a good platform for communication and learning more about each other’s preferences.
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Comfort
Children need to feel completely at ease in their rooms, thus why it is of great importance for them to have a say in what makes them comfortable. Giving your children the freedom to create their own environment ensures that they will feel comfortable in it.
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Ownership
Be it their bedroom or classroom, children take better care of things when they feel a sense of ownership. Getting them involved in the process of doing up their room gives them this sense of ownership and they will truly feel that the space is theirs. This also means they will treasure it and take better care of it.
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Trust & Respect
When your children are allowed a say in decorating their room, they recognise that you trust them to make good decisions and that you respect their views, opinions and decisions. Decision-making is proven to be an important aspect of building confidence. When your little one makes a decision and it goes well, they are going to feel proud and this sense of accomplishment is going to help build confidence and boost their self-esteem!
Having said that, it’s also important to establish that as the parent, you still have a say. Prior to allowing the children to make decisions, you should lay out your expectations and boundaries clearly. You can put your foot down to things that you do no accept. Working with you and around your expectations, your children also learn important life skills such as negotiation, budgeting and life values such as respect and thriftiness.
Groom My Room
Now that you know that involving your children in designing their room goes a long way in their development as creative and independent individuals, it’s time to get around to doing it. A good way to get those creative juices flowing would be by watching Groom My Room, okto’s long-running, most exciting room makeover series for kids.
The show offers children the opportunity of a lifetime to take charge and revamp their rooms the way they want it. They not only turn their dreams into reality but through the process, also become better versions of themselves because really, it’s not just a room make-over series. Rather, it focuses on the children’s journey. In giving them space and independence to decorate their rooms, Groom My Room is essentially encouraging them to break out of their comfort zones to achieve what they want. It recognises their individuality and celebrates their creativity by giving them the chance to express themselves with no reservations. In short, it dares them to dream!
In this show, kids have to get their dream rooms done in two days, with a budget of $1500 and only two lifelines!
Groom My Room is returning for the 10th season and this time it’s bigger, better and roomier! Catch the series on-demand for free on meWATCH here now! New episodes are available every Tuesday!
Remember, it’s not just about redesigning the room. Rather, it’s taking your kids on a journey of self-discovery and learning important values along with a great makeover for their rooms! Get on board and enjoy the fun that awaits!
