5 Things That Will Make Your Home More Fun for Your Child

This is a guest post from Super A-Mart, who commenced trading in 1970 and has since grown to be Australia’s largest discount furniture and bedding retailer.


Having a family changes your life forever. Perhaps it should also change your home décor as you now have some little people who need to feel like the house belongs to them too. Creating a kid- friendly environment, where children can be independent and busy, is good for the children. It’s good for adults too as they can go about their routine without continual interruptions from children who need help to do everything from reaching a toy to making a snack.

Kid-Sized Furniture

While most parents will fit out the child’s bedroom with child-sized furniture the rest of the house will usually be dominated with adult-sized things. Kids feel much more at home in a house where the rooms include furniture that is suited to their size and capabilities. Having a kid-sized couch for example, will give kids a sense of pride and they will have a special space to seat their friends when they visit. It will also stop parents worrying about children spilling something on their expensive lounge. Have a look at http://www.superamart.com.au/ to find some kid-friendly furniture.

Kitchen Fun

Most kids love to cook and enjoy spending time in the kitchen helping the adults to make meals. Creating a kid-friendly kitchen will encourage your children to get involved in meal preparation. They will learn lots of handy skills and feel important.

You can set up your kitchen to create more independence for your children too. Place their breakfast cereal and approved snack food on the lower shelves of the pantry. Also have a shelf for your child’s dishes and plates, one they can easily reach. Buy a small stool that helps them reach the bench tops. Assign a bottom shelf of the refrigerator for their exclusive use and fill it with juices, cheese and other healthy snacks.

Dressing

Lower the rods in your kids’ cupboards so they can reach their clothing easily. Being able to choose clothes themselves will make them feel grown up. Add a space for dress up clothes and any fun costumes they have. If you can’t alter the rod, then pop a small stool into the bottom of the cupboard.

Entertainment at Their Level

Create special areas for kids’ fun. Don’t just relegate books and toys to their rooms. Add their books to the lower shelves of your family bookcase. Install some low shelves in the living room where they can have some of their toys and games. This will make them feel like the room belongs to them too.

Cleaning Fun

With privilege comes responsibility, so as well as setting up the house to incorporate the needs of your children, you should also expect them to help with the cleaning of that space. Cleaning up should not be seen as a chore as this will teach kids to feel negative about housework in later life. Make it fun. Give them their own cleaning tools: plastic spray bottles, a microfiber cloth and a special little duster.

It makes me sick

With my boy in and out of hospital with breathing problems, this article I read this morning made me sick.

$18,000 for sick toddler stolen @ninemsn.

Allegedy, $18,000 was stolen from a charity night dinner where the funds were going towards a sick Sydney toddler with leukemia.  The person who allegedly stole it seems to be one of the people organising the night.

Disgusting.

I look at the picture of the young girl and see my own boy in her eyes.  She looks so sad.

I look at the parents and feel for them.

How can anyone be so desperate for money to steal from a sick child with a devestating illness?  Are they souless or are they just so strapped for cash they exist outside of reality?

This article just saddened me.  When you relate your own stories to others, you just feel for them so much more.

Luckily, my boy is no where near as ill as this young girl, but I wish their family all the best in their trying time that has been made even worse.

My heart goes out to them.

- tork