• Begin by asking your child to describe their ultimate, dream bedroom. There are no rules at this point. This exercise will give you an idea of what they really like. You might be surprised by what you learn!
• Next, find ways to turn the fantasy into reality. For example, if they describe a room surrounded by a giant aquarium, brainstorm ways to incorporate their love of ocean life into the décor that don't require Scuba gear.
• Create a budget, share it with your child and stick to it. Be open about what you can spend and what things cost. If they are willing and able to chip in with their allowance or by taking on a few extra chores, let them do so.
• Spend more on items that will last, like furniture, and less on fleeting fads. Inexpensive accessories can satisfy their desire for pink glitter, sports team paraphernalia, popular characters or whatever else they're into right now.
• If they have their heart set on a wall color you can't imagine, consider these compromises: paint one wall, paint only the wall(s) you cannot see from the hallway, or paint the wall behind the headboard.
• Finally, don't insist on your idea of a dream room. After all, you wouldn't want a twelve-year-old to redesign your bedroom, would you?

 Safety

• The first step is a thorough re-childproofing of your child's room. Find tips in Toddler Proofing 101.
• Attach Guard Rails on both sides of the bed to provide an extra degree of safety and security.
• Install a swing-style gate in the doorway of their bedroom. The gate should fasten to the doorframe with screws (for stability) and have vertical bars (to inhibit climbing.) Tension-mounted gates are not secure enough for an unsupervised child.
• Install another gate at the top or bottom of the stairs, depending on which floor your child's bedroom is on.

1. Push mess under bed. This includes clean clothes, overdue library books, and all perishable food items.
2. Stuff whatever won't fit under the bed into the closet. Shut door quickly before mess explodes out of closet.
3. Tell mom your room is clean as you run out the front door, before she has a chance to ask about the smell coming from under your bed.

How to prevent this from happening (if you're a mom):

1. For really big organizational challenges, clear some floor space and divide it into three areas or grab three large containers. Designate each one either "Keep," "Store," or "Donate."
   
   
   • The "keep" pile will contain everything that will stay in the room. Some organizational experts will tell you this should be the smallest pile!
   • The "store" pile is for anything they've outgrown but is worth saving (for a younger sibling, perhaps.) Those things should find a new home in an out-of-the-way space like the attic or under the bed.
   • Lastly, the "donate" pile should contain clothes, books and toys that another child could enjoy. There are even stores that pay cash for your gently used children's clothing, toys and books!
2. Start with lots of clear containers, large and small. They don't have to be expensive. Even disposable food storage containers work great for little socks, small toys, hair accessories, and collections of every kind.
3. Consider buying a label maker (or make your own with stickers) and clearly identify each container, "Blocks," "Barrettes and Bows," "Pokemon Cards," "CD's," etc. This is also a great way to help younger kids learn new words!
4. Make it easy for kids to hang up and put away their things. Where appropriate, place containers, shelves, rods and hangers at kid-level. (That's one less excuse!)
5. Get the kids involved. After all, it's their room! Let them decide where to put their stuff. They may even be more willing to stay organized if they designed the "system." For younger kids, make it a fun game of sorting and matching and reward them with extra bedtime stories.
6. Choose furniture with plenty of deep drawers that let them stack as much as they need to. Jeans, bulky sweaters, sweatshirts . . . hey, as long as the drawers close, who cares how much they stuff in there?
7. Look for creative storage solutions such as under-bed drawers, which provide space equivalent to five dresser drawers.
8. Kids love to display their favorite things, but to keep them neat, try a hutch with nooks and crannies they can use to show off trophies, photos, stuffed animals and more.
9. Finally, motivate kids to keep their rooms neat with a clever coupon system. Every time they clean their room, make their bed, or put away their clothes, they earn a coupon. Assign a value to the coupons, which may be redeemed for "prizes." For example, you may decide that five coupons are worth an extra hour of television, while ten coupons earn them a trip to the movies with Mom. This system may even inspire some friendly competition between siblings!

1. Furniture is often the biggest expenditure for parents setting up a nursery. That is why Young America and the Built To Grow concept is such a smart investment. Cribs designed to convert into a toddler bed, to a day bed, to a twin and then to a double, mean you only have to buy furniture once. That's why we say Built To Grow is Built To Last!
   
2. Like furniture, consider decor that can also "grow" with your child. While pink bunnies and blue bears may be adorable for an infant, your baby will decide he's not a baby long before you do. And in no time at all, he'll be demanding dinosaurs in place of cuddly blue bears.
3. One of the biggest expenses in decorating is the labor, so the more you can do yourself, the more you'll save. With a little patience, you can paint the walls (just check with your doctor first) or stencil a border. If you can sew a straight line, you can make simple curtains.
4. Have a baby shower and register. It's the best way to get what you really need.
5. There are at least three million baby products out there and as a new or expectant parent, it's easy to think you need them all. Talk to other moms and dads. You might think that fifty-dollar diaper disposal system is a "must have" until a mother-of-two tells you she never used it. (Hey, she might even be willing to give it to you!)
6. Designer bedding ensembles. Fancy satin pillows. Yes, your baby deserves the best, but save the luxury linens for your room. Pediatricians and sleep safety experts advise against the use of blankets, quilts, pillows, and stuffed animals as they pose a suffocation risk. A crib with a firm mattress and snug fitting sheet is simply the safest choice. Keep baby warm with a zippered sleep sack or snug-fitting fleece pajamas. To be sure, always check with your pediatrician or health care provider.
7. Framed artwork can be expensive. Instead, find colorful pictures or photos of family and friends. Have them enlarged at your local copy shop or photo lab and mount them to inexpensive foam board from the craft store. Hang these safe, lightweight objets d' art with removable Fun-Tac and you'll never have to put a nail in the wall.
8. One-of-a-kind lamps can be pricey. Dress up a plain, inexpensive lamp or lampshade with paint, stencils, stamps or ribbon. Avoid beads and buttons which can be a choking hazard if they become detached.

• Make a small room appear larger by angling the crib in the corner.
• Light colors have a way of opening up a room – whether it's a soft wall color, furniture finish or window treatments.
• Make ceilings look higher by painting them a light color or with vertical stripes on the walls.
• Mirrors reflect light and add depth to a room. Consider an armoire with a mirror for added storage with style.

1. Setting up a snowman-making contest in which they both compete and judge. Teaching a younger sibling how to make snow angels. Insisting they are not cold even though their lips have turned blue.
2. By appointing you as their own personal entertainment director and asking "What are we going to do next?" about a hundred times.
3. Sledding with the neighborhood kids, then inviting them all back to your house for hot cocoa (and dry socks).
4. Building an impressive igloo, then searching for the sleeping bag and a lantern.
5. Curled up on the couch in their jammies, a stack of favorite movies, and a mug of hot cocoa.
6. Making up new games, coloring, drawing, writing a story about a family of snow-people, building a snowman and dressing it up in your old clothes.

2. What are your child's favorite subjects or activities?

1. Gym, after-school sports, student council, debate team.
2. Show-and-tell, drama club, dance class.
3. Socializing. Lunch, recess, passing notes, after-school clubs. Prefers working in a group.
4. Science, social studies, animals, plants and bugs. Often prefers working independently.
5. Naptime, reading, math, may also prefer working independently.
6. Art, music, creative writing, English.

3. You are not happy about something your child has done (at home or in school). How do they respond when you confront them on the issue?

1. They are quick to get angry and will vigorously defend their side of the story. If friends are involved, they will defend them, too.
2. They try to divert your attention and gain your sympathy by being overly dramatic (often, a tearful monologue followed by a tearful apology.)
3. They generally do not like conflict so they try to resolve the situation quickly by apologizing, being agreeable or making a joke. They usually don't hold a grudge for long.
4. They listen, seem to feel genuinely sorry, and may spend some time seriously thinking about the situation or want to discuss it further.
5. They immediately admit the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
6. They quickly tell you a highly detailed, yet highly improbable story that conveniently explains the whole situation (you don't condone lying, but give them points for creativity). Or, they clam up and say nothing at all.

4. What do you think best describes your child's idea of their dream bedroom?

1. The biggest, best and latest TV, sound system, video gaming system, computer, wardrobe, etc. Maybe a dance floor and disco ball. Lots of space for lots of friends. And everyone is invited!
2. A stage and a spotlight. And a red carpet with paparazzi taking their picture. And their own entourage. And magazines with their picture on the cover.
3. After Disney World, it would be the second happiest place on Earth. There would be rides, cotton candy, and free admission for friends and family.
4. A tree house in the jungle. A hut on a tropical beach. The zoo.
5. Neat but cozy. A place for everything and everything in its place. Lots of nooks and crannies and cubby holes. Plenty of ways to just chill out – giant beanbags, a cool futon, even a massage chair. If they love water – an aquarium or even a built in pool would be cool, too.
6. A place where they can fully express their creativity without worrying about making a mess or making too much noise. Plenty of art supplies, musical instruments, etc...

5. You and your child decide to do a complete makeover on their bedroom: new theme, new paint, new furniture, new everything. What best describes how your child approaches this project?

1. Everything makes a statement. They know exactly what's "in" and they know exactly what they want. It's cool, it's trendy, it's "my way or the highway" all the way. Compromise? What's that?
2. They have some very big, over-the-top ideas that are highly personalized. A custom shade of pink for the walls. A room designed to look like a basketball court (with regulation net and trophy case.) Their name in neon lights over the doorway. Well, why not?
3. They have fun creating an upbeat and cheerful room. They like sharing ideas with you, but they also consider their friends who will be spending a lot of time in the room, too. If one idea doesn't work out, they don't get upset, they just think of something else.
4. They put a lot of time and thought into figuring out what they want in their room. They definitely have their own sense of style, but they are not concerned if it's the coolest or the trendiest. They choose simplicity over showiness. They want a space that feels calm and natural.
5. Their taste isn't too out of the ordinary. They may seem mostly interested in storage and organization (places for their stuff) and their own comfort. As long as that's covered, everything else is negotiable. In fact, they're happy to leave most of the decorating decisions up to you.
6. They have a million and one ideas (some a bit unusual) and have a hard time deciding. They change their mind often. If they can't find the perfect lamp/mirror/picture frame/pillow, they make it. Being unique is very important to them. Their style is more "creative chaos" than "classic casual".

• Never place crib next to a window or near a window treatment with dangling cords.
• Keep crib far away from anything that the baby can pull on top of him/her (cords, lamps, decorations, etc.).
• Never place crib near or next to a radiator or heat vent.
• Do not place the crib directly below a ceiling heat or air conditioning vent – this will prevent them from getting too hot or too chilly, or breathing dust from the vent.

• Place non-skid mats beneath area rugs.
• Have all the baby care essentials (diapers, wipes, creams) conveniently located right where you need them. You won't want to turn away from your infant to grab something, even for a split-second.
• Tuck lamp cords behind furniture or under the carpet.

• Make those inevitable late-night feedings more comfortable with a comfortable glider or rocking chair.
• A night-light or rheostat (dimmer switch) will allow you to feed, rock, comfort and check on baby without turning on a bright light.
• Babies go through about a dozen diapers a day, so consider setting up two diaper-changing stations, one in the nursery and one where you spend the most time with your baby. All you need are a basket of supplies and a soft pad or blanket.

• Start by creating three piles labeled: Leave It, Love It and Let It Go.
• Let It Go: Stuff that goes. Here is where you decide what to donate and what to discard. Some organizational experts say this should be the biggest pile!
• Love It: Stuff to save. If you or your child has a hard time letting anything go, try this trick: keep only the items that represent important events or milestones in your child's life. Carefully label and store them in clear plastic containers to prevent moisture damage and toss in a cedar block to keep pests away.
• Leave It: Stuff that stays. Let your child help decide what's important enough to keep. 'Tweens often want to keep a beloved childhood toy (like a stuffed animal) but they don't want friends or older siblings to accuse them of "being a baby." In this case, suggest an out-of-sight place they can stow the item.

• Be Internet Savvy – Kids today are sometimes more familiar with the Internet than their parents. By being in the know, you can help protect your children from the dangers, and share in the many benefits of the Internet.
• Be Open – Explain to your child the risks on the internet and your concerns. Let them know that supervising them isn't an invasion of their privacy; it's for their own protection. Encourage them to come to you if they come across something that makes them feel uncomfortable or scared.
• Personal and Private Information – Explain why it can be dangerous to give out personal information on the internet and exactly what you mean by personal information. This list should include (but is not limited to) their name, photos, email address, home address, phone numbers, social security numbers, age, and school.
• Inappropriate Material – The Internet is a vast resource for useful information. Unfortunately, even innocent keyword searches can bring up websites that contain explicit sexual, violent, and hateful information. Most Internet Service Providers (ISP) offer free, downloadable filters that prevent access to these sites and limit SPAM (junk email often containing inappropriate content.)
• Harassment – Chat rooms and message boards sometimes attract people who choose to harass others with insults, threats or by spreading rumors. Most websites with chat rooms or message boards provide information for reporting these people. If your child receives harassing or threatening emails, report it to your ISP.
• Financial Information – You should not allow your child to make purchases on the Internet without your permission. Credit card purchases should only be done on a secure server or with an internet payment service like PayPal. Never give credit card or checking account information over email. Look for icons indicating that the website uses software ensuring secure transactions. Explain to your child what can happen if credit card information falls into the wrong hands.
• Get a Free Email Account – Consider obtaining a free email account for your child from a provider such as Yahoo or Hotmail. These types of accounts limit SPAM and do not indicate where your child lives, as a local ISP email address can.

• If you can spare the space, move your office into the closet! Slide the desk inside, open the door and roll your chair right up. A wide, flat "shelf" installed at the right height can also serve as a desktop.
• Set up filing cabinets, fax machines, printers, paper shredders and other equipment in the closet. This not only saves space, it's safer and quieter.
• Try a narrow corner desk.
• Conceal clutter with a roll-top desk or a secretary-style desk with doors.
• Switch from a desktop computer and monitor with a separate hard drive to a more compact and portable laptop.

Safety

• Keep wires, cords and cables bundled and hidden behind the desk.
• Use a surge protector and do not overload outlets with multiple plugs.
• Keep office supplies out of reach or under lock and key.
• Use a magnetic, chalk or dry erase board instead of a corkboard with pushpins.

Two To A Room
So, your new baby is going to share a room with an older sibling? Some kids are thrilled with the idea of sharing their room while others require a bit of convincing. Here's how you can temper your child's territorial tendencies:


Starting Off on the Right Foot

• Let your child know the plans as soon possible so they have time to adjust to the idea (don't be surprised if this takes the full nine months!).
• Make your older child feel important and involved. Tell them how happy the baby will feel because their big sister or big brother is there with them.
• It's normal for your child to feel upset or say things mean things ("I don't want a baby sister!"). They probably feel like they have no control over the situation, which would be frustrating for anyone. Acknowledge their feelings and don't insist they roll out the welcome wagon.
• Assure your child that the baby is your responsibility, not theirs. A six-year-old could easily be stressed out if they mistakenly think they're on baby-duty at night.
• Try to involve your child in the major changes or at least give them advance notice. If possible, allow them to choose their side of the room. Ask them to pick out some special things for the baby's side, like a mobile. Knowing their opinion matters can help them feel more in control, which may make it easier for them to accept (and maybe look forward to) their new roommate.
• Have the new addition sleep in a bassinet in your room during those first few wakeful weeks or months. The last thing you need now is a cranky, sleep-deprived pre-schooler (in addition to your cranky, sleep-deprived self.) Make the transition once baby is sleeping soundly through the night.

Space Savers

• For children 6-years-old and up, who can safely sleep in a top-bunk, consider a loft style bed with room for the crib underneath.
  Never allow an infant to sleep in a bottom bunk or to share a bed with a sibling.
  Pediatricians and sleep safety experts agree the safest place for babies to sleep is in a crib, on their back.
• For your older child, a bed with under-bed drawers provides under-bed storage space equivalent to five dresser drawers.
• A dresser with plenty of deep drawers can work for two. Put the older child's clothes in the lower drawers so they can help themselves.

Safety

• Make sure your older child understands why the new baby is not allowed to have blankets, pillows, toys or stuffed animals in their crib. Consider attaching a mesh crib tent over the crib or a crib screen to prevent hands and toys from squeezing between the bars.
• You've always encouraged your child to share. For now, tell them why it's okay to not share their toys with the baby. Provide a personalized toy box and explain that this is where big kid toys with small parts belong.

...two old toys for every new toy.

...broken toys (beyond repair or not worth fixing).  

...board games missing so many pieces they're no longer playable.

...toys and books they've outgrown or lost interest in.

...broken pieces and random parts that don't seem to go to with anything (and just end up clogging the vacuum cleaner).

...sentimental or valuable items you want to save for "one day".

...dried out markers, paints, Play Doh, glue, etc.

...anything sticky, smelly or just plain gross.

Finally, a word of prevention: Birthdays and holidays mean kids are often overwhelmed by a flurry of new books and toys. Consider rotating a few in and out at a time. That way they always have something new to play with, and you keep the clutter to a manageable minimum.

Here's how:

• Take a close look at every room in your home, not just the rooms where your child spends the most time. 
• Supervision. Whether in the house or in the yard, there's just no substitute for the watchful eyes of a responsible adult. Always strap your toddler into their car seat. They may protest (loudly), but you know what's best. 
• Safety experts recommend that you stoop to your child's level – literally. Sit on the floor in every room and look at the world from his point of view.
• Install child safety locks on doors (including the refrigerator and oven), low cabinets, and drawers. Child safety locks are especially important on drawers without drawer stops because they can easily be pulled out and dropped on little feet. All Young America drawers are equipped with heavy-duty drawer stops. Every year, thousands of children are injured by falling furniture. Even a twenty-pound child can topple a heavy piece by pulling, hanging or climbing on it. That's why all Young America furniture over 40" tall comes with a free tip restraint kit. These kits can be used to securely anchor any piece of furniture in your home. 
• Don't assume that just because your child couldn't do it yesterday, they can't do it today. Toddlers are observant little sponges. For example, they've been watching you turn door handles for months now. Assume they're just waiting for the opportunity to try it out, preferably when you're not looking.
• Be especially cautious when you have company or are visiting other people's homes. It is easy to get distracted with guests. Consider assigning someone to watch your toddler at all times. 
• Continue to use outlet covers or safety plugs in electrical sockets. 
• Your toddler may develop an interest in pulling plugs out of sockets and putting them back in again. If you can, plug electrical appliances out of your child's reach. 
• Blind and curtain cords pose a strangulation hazard. Cut them off or keep them securely wound up and tied out of your child's reach. 
• Make sure your child's toys are age-appropriate. Many toys marked "3 years and up" have small parts that a toddler could choke on, cram in their ears or poke up their nose. A good rule: if it fits inside a toilet paper roll, it's too small. To prevent choking, insist that your toddler-on-the-go sits while eating. Snacking and running don't mix. Make sure the doors to your home lock from the inside with a key kept out of your child's reach. 
• Swimming pools should be fenced in and locked. Plastic pool covers are not enough to prevent injury or worse. Hot tubs should have hard covers that lock.
  

2. Smooth Surfaces Unless an "antique finishing" technique has been applied as part of the design of the furniture to give it a casual lived-in look, wood surfaces should be well-sanded and smooth to the touch. Splintering or rough surfaces is not what you want near your child.

3. Drawer Dovetailing Unless the design dictates otherwise, as is the case with some drawers with curved shapes or edge moldings, you should expect what is called English dovetailing. This form of joinery comes straight from the proven techniques used to create some of the finest English furniture antiques ever produced and dates back all the way into 17th century furniture craftsmanship.

4. When it Comes to Kids' Furniture, Quality is Synonymous with Safety Look for safety features in your furniture like automatic drawer stops, tip restraint devices and leveling devices.

5. Mortise and Tenon Construction The oldest and most time-tested methods of case construction and joinery are utilized in Young America furniture. Mortise and tenon and hardwood dowel construction provide rigidly built craftsmanship for years of use.

6. Combining Solids and Veneers The construction of stylish, quality kids' furniture requires a certain mix of solid woods and wood veneers. Posts, drawer fronts and moldings of solid wood provide weight and scale for furniture along with interesting shapes for design flexibility. On the other hand, wood veneers complement solid wood construction by providing warp-free, flat, smooth surfaces for dresser and chest tops and panels. To learn more about the Solid vs. Veneered Wood Construction click here.

7. Wooden, Dust Free Drawers with Automatic Drawer Stops Drawers should be made of wood; not printed paper material. Drawer sides, backs and bottoms are sanded smooth for splinter-free surfaces to protect clothing and delicate fingers. Young America drawers feature a patented automatic drawer stop and glide quietly on a center guide for years of use. Dust panels separate one drawer from another and seal its contents from dust.

8. Sturdy Beds and Bunk Beds Built for today's kids with multiple storage options for versatility and years of use, beds should be constructed with solid posts with steel bolts or hooks that securely affix bed rails. Proper spacing of spindles and slats is a must to prevent small limbs and heads from becoming entrapped creating dangerous safety hazards.

9. Mattress Support Systems Sturdy wood slat platforms included with Young America beds support mattresses. There is no need to buy additional box springs or bunkie boards.

10. Safe, Quality Finishing Materials Staining and/or painting wood is no small part of the furniture manufacturing process. In fact, it may well be among the most important and safety conscious. A more than 20-step finish process using lead free and formaldehyde free finishing materials are formulated by trusted companies who understand the care that must be given to their chemistry.

• Best case scenario: both siblings agree on a single theme or look for the room. Realistically, when it comes to dual-personality décor, you can forget about coordination. Even a professional would have a difficult time designing the perfect compromise between a reptile-obsessed twelve-year old and a seventeen-year-old aspiring ballerina. Let them choose a side and make it their own. 
• Not only can a room divider help put turf wars to rest, it visually separates two otherwise clashing design themes. A quick fix: Hang a curtain down the center of the room. Attach a clothesline from wall to wall, a few inches below the ceiling. Use clip-on curtain rings to slide the curtain back and forth. You can also use shower curtains and rings for a fast, no-sew solution! 
• Kids of any age need time alone in their own space. Get the roomies to agree to a schedule so they each have the room to themselves for 30-60 minutes a day, or every other day. 
• If you can, set up separate study and homework areas. 
• Get lots of containers and clearly label them with each kid's name so there is no question over whose stuff is whose. Establish community property. What can be shared and what's off limits? Have them make a list, sign it and post it where they both can see it. 
• Establish a "you break it, you buy it" policy. If one sibling uses something that belongs to the other without their permission – and damages it – they can work to earn money toward fixing or replacing it. Restitution should be reasonable and age appropriate. The goal is to teach them responsibility, not how many loads of laundry it takes to buy a new Xbox. 
• So you have a champion mess-maker and neat freak? The tendency is to force the messy kid to clean up their act but this rarely works. Instead, encourage Sloppy Joe to simply contain their mess. Literally. Provide them with large clear containers so they easily can stash their stuff before it threatens their more civilized counterpart's side of the room. Don't insist that everything be folded and placed just so; encourage any step in the right direction. Of course, it's perfectly reasonable to draw the line at garbage, food, dirty dishes and smelly laundry. But if the mess grows out of control, (jokingly) grant the neater sibling permission to "clean up." That might be all the motivation your messy kid needs.
  

• Colorful kites and fabric balloons
• Go celestial with the sun, moon and stars
• Airplanes
• Bright butterflies, birds, bees and ladybugs
• Let magical fairies dance from colorful ribbons
• Circus animals, clowns and acrobats flying through the air
• Scenes from nursery rhymes and fairy tales (e.g. the cow jumping over the moon)
• Dangle simple shapes in bold, contrasting colors and patterns
• Drape fabric through rings and let it billow from above