photo by Lori Waselchuk, New York Times just published this
article by Kate Murphy, which was reprinted from a
New York Times article on blended families and creating space for the kids when Mom or Dad remarries. It got me thinking that even before a divorced parent remarries or co-habitates, the parent - usually the Dad - who has moved into a new apartment or house needs to think about how to make the kids feel like they are "at home" in the new place too. The issues raised in the article are important ones - about how and why to make your child feel special and welcome. It's not necessary to build the child a "palace" room, but simple things like letting he or she pick out their bed linens to having a little area of privacy will go a long way to help smooth over a difficult time.
If you're a newly single Dad, just remember, you might be thinking that your current living situation is only temporary and therefor not that important, but your kids will notice how welcoming your place is to them.
2 comments:
Thank for this post. It's got me thinking about how I can make my 1br apartment more comfortable for my 8 year old son. :)
Hello Gradon. I am an Interior designer specializing in spaces for children. I know first hand how children feel when their room(s) are not welcoming or they feel like second fiddle in their dads new apt./home. My firm is called Charm&Whimsy and the website www.charmandwhimsy.com will show you lots of kids rooms and adults too. i am available to answer your questions. Thank you. Esther
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