When you think about applying feng shui techniques to your home, don’t forget your kids rooms. First and foremost, you want your children to feel safe. So, putting the bed in a feng shui “safe place” is important.
Try to follow these suggestions as best you can:
Place the bed at least 2 feet from any windows, heating vents, radiators, wall lamps or window blind cords or switch to cordless ones. Putting your child’s bed in a commanding position will help with sleep issues. It also helps your child not be surprised when someone enters. Plus, it’s best to not have the bed directly under a window. Having a wall and/or a solid headboard gives support. Do not place the long side against a wall. If you have no other choice, have at least 4”-6” between the bed and the wall. Lastly, never place a bed on a wall where the toilet/bathroom is on the opposite side as this can cause health problems.
I came across this statement from a feng shui consultant...” Standing in the doorway, if you can toss a ball straight ahead and hit the bed, energy flowing into the room will also hit the bed and this is not good for the child.” A great visual!
Create a balance of yin and yang energies in the room. This means it shouldn’t be too
dark or too light and be inline with your child’s taste and personality. Avoid bright colors and busy wallpaper because it could overstimulate your child’s nervous system and disrupt his/her sleep.
Choose wood over metal and be sure the bed is sturdy.
Avoid bunk beds if possible. The top bunk could be too close to the ceiling and creates compressed energy. If your child is happy being in the top bunk, then okay. He/she may feel safe, while another child may feel claustrophobic. Paint the overhead part of the lower bed in a soft light color to create the impression of a bigger space, and hang a small mobile (not over the child’s heads) to allow chi to circulate.
Pastel blues, greens and pinks create a calm healing and soothing feel to the room.
Is your child getting enough darkness at night? Dark bedrooms help create healthier melatonin levels for sleep and mood and is produced by the body at night, in the dark. Light makes the body think its daytime. If a light, night light, TV or computer monitor is on while your child sleeps, their body won't produce the natural amount of melatonin he/she needs. This can create sleep disorders, depression, and/or anger and moodiness. If your child is afraid of the dark, be sure to turn the night-light off before you go to bed.
* Look at what your child sees everyday. A happy family photo that’s visible from your child’s bed is comforting to see at bedtime. It creates a feeling of safety.
* What about artwork? Easy, get your child involved with choosing what he or she wants. Hang a few pictures of things that interest him/her. But, if your child has a hard time sleeping, avoid fast moving images such as waves and race cars. Posters of kittens, puppies and favorite cartoon characters are non-threatening and comforting. With teens, get to know the meaning behind the images in your teenager's room and keep the cool "negatives" to a minimum.
If your child can use a boost of self confidence, try placing a full-length mirror in his or her room. Hang it at their eye level and not have it in line with the bed.
It’s important to understand that your environment affects your behavior. You know what can happen when children have too much sugar or caffeine. They bounce off the walls. Right?
We also know how on a hot summer day tempers can flare with the heat. These are all normal responses. That being said, how energy flows, or doesn’t flow, can create negative stimulation. I know how cranky I can get when I haven’t had a good night’s sleep or the AC isn’t working on a hot day. These outside forces (sugar, heat & more) effect your kids as well.
Applying the ancient wisdom of feng shui can help by creating balance in your home energetically. This brings me to the subject of clutter. Clutter of any kind is very bad feng shui.
Cleaning up after a small child is like shoveling the sidewalk while it's snowing. But, that being said, children need a place to store their stuff to keep clutter under control. Storing things under the bed is a huge no, no in feng shui. The problem is this space can become a “catch-all” spot for clutter. But it also creates stuck energy.
Remember, your child’s sleeping habits will let you know if his/her room is comfortable. If you keep finding your child in bed with you, then their room is not working for them.
If your child's bedroom is also their study room, they won't be able to focus if there’s clutter because clutter is "eye noise”. When it comes to pre-teens and teenagers, you know life is not what it used to be. But, feng shui can help both of you as well as keeping the lines of communication open.
In closing...
What many parents don't understand is that there is negative stimulation in the home that affects a child's behavior, health and even their grades in school. This negative stimulation is invisible, but it can be easily remedied using a combination of ancient Feng Shui wisdom and modern day science. By applying practical techniques of Feng Shui and holistic living to your home, you help create a balanced environment. This will help your child grow and develop in a positive way and enhance family harmony.
Namaste’
Stephanie
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