When your child grows into a teenager, you can find that life changes at home at a breakneck speed. They start refusing every request you make. Everything that you ask them to do is accompanied by a giant sigh. These are common issues that tend to plague us as parents. Another common point of contention is living space – do they feel in charge of their bedroom?
If not, try the following tips to add some autonomy and help them settle into their bedroom feeling their part of the home.
The walls
You should take care of the main thing first – the walls. Ask your teen what kind of wall décor they want. Some want to have a feature wall, others want to go for some kind of abstract wallpaper design. Let them choose, though; avoid taking over or trying to give them ‘advice’ that sounds like an edict. This is their room, so let them choose and help them change it.
Accents and décor
You should also spend some time looking for accents and changes that your child will want to add to the walls. Most of the time you can find that you can make a bedroom feel more personable simply by investing in some personal accents that go up on the wall. From using washi tape to help create specific features without damaging the wall to adorning ornaments and instruments, there is much you can do to make their room feel their own.
Change the lighting
Most bedrooms use basic lighting – some form of a ceiling light as the ‘main’ light and then something like a bedside table. Most teenagers, though, might want something a bit different. Take this idea and run with it; get some LED wall-hung lights or something similar. More importantly, ask them what kind of lighting they want and then have it fitted with their help.
This adds a bit of autonomy to the decision and it makes sure that they feel properly consulted on the process.
Keep these ideas in mind and you might find it easier to thaw out the relationship between you and a tempestuous teen.