Spoiled?
Friday, August 29th, 2014From Friday Mom – Erin:
One of the reasons we were excited about moving into a new house was being able to create a playspace for Rory and any potential future sibling(s). He had some room to run around in our first home, but not nearly enough to get out all the wiggles that come with little boys. His boundless energy NEVER ceases to amaze us.
We were extremely fortunate to find a house that has a perfect playroom space right off of the family room. Over the course of the past few weeks, I have been slowly outfitting that space (which the former owners used as an office) to be better suited for a play space. We’ve purchased soft tile floors, assembled storage units and fabric drawers, added some floor pillows for reading and lounging, and, just this week, introduced a small children’s table and chairs set as well as a little collapsable play house. We also painted the walls to better fit the overall color scheme of our house, and finally feel as though the space is “done.” Sure, there are some finishing touches to add, but we have created a safe, child-proof room where Rory and his friends can play to their heart’s content.
Standing back and looking at the space, we clearly have invested a little bit in making a bright and child-friendly space. Both of his grandmothers have commented to that end– comments that got me thinking and wondering if we’d done something “wrong.” It’s not overflowing with toys (frankly there are more books than anything), but it is definitely clear that we made his growth, stimulation, and learning a priority.
There is a part of me that wonders if we went too far– would he have been okay with a basic room and some shelves? Probably. Does having the perfect playroom guarantee him admission to Harvard? Absolutely not. But did we value making certain that he had a place to play and grow in the coming years? A place that he could color, pretend with friends, and eventually use to do homework or other things? Yes. Most definitely. I know that every family addresses space and toys and “things” differently. We’re still working through our overall approach. But having created a space where learning by play is encouraged every day, I’m hopeful that we’re striking a good balance, and glad that I have a comfy floor pillow to sit on as we mull these things well into the future.