Can you help with decorating project?

I'm a parent who like you, devotes a lot of time to making my kids
happy.
Over the years this has meant decorating their rooms (again and again)
to create a personal space that has reflected their needs and excited
their childhood imaginations.

Recently my grown-up nieces and nephews (who are starting families of
their own), have come to me asking for help in creating an
individualized, exciting nursery/room for their children. I realised
that when it comes to decorating children's room people are still
asking the same questions and having the same problems I faced before I
began decorating successfully. So I thought about creating a
'Decorating Children's Rooms' online resource and now I'm
totally passionate about the idea of creating a comprehensive website
that will help people with all the questions and concerns they have
about decorating for their children.

As all good, creative ideas are prone to do; this one's consuming my
every waking thought! To get this idea off the ground I need to find
out what information people are really looking for when it comes to
decorating children's rooms. A friend suggested Newsgroups as a
place to find some answers and honest feedback.

So I'm asking for your help. I'd really appreciate it if you could
fill out a survey for me that highlights your needs about DIY
decorating. To thankyou for taking the time to do so I'll forward you
a copy of my Decorating Ebook free, as soon as it's available. (You
must answer every question to be eligible for the Ebook).

To complete the survey please click on the following link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=511891239257

Thanking you in advance for all your wonderful suggestions and
feedback.

I think this would be a wonderful idea. Please let me know when it is
ready. I would like to link it to my website. (www.sgtmoms.com)
Living in base housing military parents need some ideas for making their
kids' rooms "theirs" as they move around. I think this could be a great
resource for military parents!

C Lee

In article , IMS of Road
Runner uttered
Some of us do not devote a lot of time to making our kids happy.
Instead, we devote a lot of time to making sure they are well-adjusted.


How odd - I must finally be getting something right, because mine show
every signs of being both happy *and* well-adjusted. Hoorah for me!
(Mind you, I don't repaint their bedrooms terribly often .... oh dear)

--
AJH
no email address supplied

Hmmm...
I seem to have raised my children quite fine without the 'individualised
personal spaces' - in fact, my two girls at 15 and 17 finally have their own
rooms now that their older brother has moved out of the house. It has
always been made clear to them that it is our house and that they may
decorate the rooms that they occupy without damaging walls or ceilings.
These rooms were wallpapered in a Victorian style when the children were
very young.....
All three children seem to have grown up happy and reasonably
well-adjusted. They realise that life is not a free ride, being a member of
a family means being part of a team (no, I don't pay you for doing chores -
they are your contribution to the family effort - you don't pay me for
rides, do you?), and finally, you get out of life what you put into it.
The nursery was the same for all three children, including the same
crib, bumper pads, sheets, dresser and decorations. Young children could
care less about what is around them (and a baby certainly doesn't know that
Johnny or Susie saw the items first!) as long as the colours are interesting
and easy to focus on. What they are most interested in are the arms that
are holding them and the voice that is singing the lullaby! My husband
knitted a blanket (simple garter stitch!) for each new child as his
contribution to the new member of the family...and that was the only thing
different that each child got. The nursery was set up with an eye to safety
and function - crib, rocker, dresser, change table. I bought a stroller
buggy that lasted through all three, as well.
I have seen too many of my friends catering to their children's every
whim, trying to make/keep their kids happy - and those are the most unhappy
children I've seen!
Just my two cents worth....
Cynthia

"She who would like to be obeyed once every Preston Guild"
wrote in message
...
In article , IMS of Road
Runner uttered
Some of us do not devote a lot of time to making our kids happy.
Instead, we devote a lot of time to making sure they are well-adjusted.


How odd - I must finally be getting something right, because mine show
every signs of being both happy *and* well-adjusted. Hoorah for me!
(Mind you, I don't repaint their bedrooms terribly often .... oh dear)

--
AJH
no email address supplied

Cynthia Spilsted wrote:
Hmmm...
I seem to have raised my children quite fine without the 'individualised
personal spaces' - in fact, my two girls at 15 and 17 finally have their own
rooms now that their older brother has moved out of the house. It has
always been made clear to them that it is our house and that they may
decorate the rooms that they occupy without damaging walls or ceilings.
These rooms were wallpapered in a Victorian style when the children were
very young.....
All three children seem to have grown up happy and reasonably
well-adjusted. They realise that life is not a free ride, being a member of
a family means being part of a team (no, I don't pay you for doing chores -
they are your contribution to the family effort - you don't pay me for
rides, do you?), and finally, you get out of life what you put into it.
The nursery was the same for all three children, including the same
crib, bumper pads, sheets, dresser and decorations. Young children could
care less about what is around them (and a baby certainly doesn't know that
Johnny or Susie saw the items first!) as long as the colours are interesting
and easy to focus on. What they are most interested in are the arms that
are holding them and the voice that is singing the lullaby! My husband
knitted a blanket (simple garter stitch!) for each new child as his
contribution to the new member of the family...and that was the only thing
different that each child got. The nursery was set up with an eye to safety
and function - crib, rocker, dresser, change table. I bought a stroller
buggy that lasted through all three, as well.
I have seen too many of my friends catering to their children's every
whim, trying to make/keep their kids happy - and those are the most unhappy
children I've seen!
Just my two cents worth....
Cynthia

Don't you think that knowing that they were loved and secure meant a lot
more than what material possessions they had? I suspect that some
people decorate the children's rooms more for themselves and to impress
their friends and relatives than for the children who occupy the rooms.
--
Joanne
stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us.earth

Pogonip wrote:

Don't you think that knowing that they were loved and secure meant a lot
more than what material possessions they had?

You betcha. In my experience living in a rather affluent area of the
country, it seems to me that the children who get the most *things* have
the highest tendency to be spoiled brats.

Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply wrote:
Pogonip wrote:


Don't you think that knowing that they were loved and secure meant a
lot more than what material possessions they had?


You betcha. In my experience living in a rather affluent area of the
country, it seems to me that the children who get the most *things* have
the highest tendency to be spoiled brats.

Children who try very hard to do what they were taught -- to find
emotional support in material objects. They are never successful, but
it was how they were raised, so they keep trying.....and failing.
--
Joanne
stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us.earth

Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply wrote:
Pogonip wrote:

Don't you think that knowing that they were loved and secure
meant a lot more than what material possessions they had?

You betcha. In my experience living in a rather affluent area
of the country, it seems to me that the children who get the
most *things* have the highest tendency to be spoiled brats.

IMHO, you're putting the blame on the wrong people. It's their
*parents* who should be the target of your criticism.

--
Beverly
delete nospam and .invalid to reply

BEI Design wrote:
Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply wrote:

Pogonip wrote:

Don't you think that knowing that they were loved and secure
meant a lot more than what material possessions they had?

You betcha. In my experience living in a rather affluent area
of the country, it seems to me that the children who get the
most *things* have the highest tendency to be spoiled brats.

IMHO, you're putting the blame on the wrong people. It's their
*parents* who should be the target of your criticism.

That *was* my point. The children don't get the things all by themselves.

My dad flew for the airlines and we didn't get as much stuff as a lot of
kids I see today.

Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply wrote:
BEI Design wrote:
Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply wrote:
of the country, it seems to me that the children who get the
most *things* have the highest tendency to be spoiled brats.

IMHO, you're putting the blame on the wrong people. It's
their *parents* who should be the target of your criticism.

That *was* my point. The children don't get the things all by
themselves.

shrug You called the children "spoiled brats". That looks to me to
be criticism of the *children*.

My dad flew for the airlines and we didn't get as much stuff as
a lot of kids I see today.

??? What does your Dad having flown for the airlines have to do with
anything?