There is nothing more upsetting for children (and their parents!) than having trouble sleeping through the night. Nightmares, aches, and restlessness can all derail your kid's rest—as can an unfavorable bedroom environment. As a feng shui consultant, I often field questions from my clients about how to tweak children's rooms so they're more conducive to sleep. Here are the 10 things I always recommend:
Ideally, kids' bedrooms should have rather low ceilings. Otherwise, your child will feel as if the room is too big for them, which could give them a sense of being lost. If you have high ceilings, consider creating a dividing line that is roughly 1 to 2 feet above your child's head—it could be a decorative garland with letters from their name, or a string of soft lights. You could also split their wall into two using different colors of paint. I often recommend white on top and a pastel shade on the bottom. If the ceilings are really high, moldings around 6 to 7 feet from the ground can symbolically reduce their height. Another option would be to safely hang a canopy, either above the play area or above the crib or bed.
Go for lower furniture and rugs. This is another way to bring the energy lower to the ground. Tall armoires can be frightening to a small kid. (Just imagine if we had to sleep next to an armoire that was two times our size!) So always remember to opt for smaller furniture—about half the size of what you would put in an adult room—when you can. I also recommend finding furniture that's rounded, which is both a safety measure and a symbol of softness. Finally, rugs that are inviting, soft, and playful or pastel-colored will encourage the child to play on their own in their bedroom and help them develop confidence and independence.
Opt for soft colors. Pastel and cream-toned walls can help promote calm and relaxation. Colors like peach, pink, pale yellow, brown, beige, cream, or taupe make us feel cozy and safe. Their crib and bedsheets should have a similar palette, and maybe some simple, playful prints. While a lime green or sky blue accent wall is OK and can be good for the child's creativity and playfulness, the overall palette shouldn't be very bright. An electric blue or a bright orange wall will disturb the child's sleep tremendously. Similarly, bright colors and patterns for the bedsheets are not a good idea. I often see people make the mistake of letting their kids pick their bedding at the store: All the bright Disney characters may be fun to look at, but they are too energizing for sleep time.
Edit down the toy collection. Declutter. Which means not owning too many toys in the first place… Bright plastic toys that the child doesn’t use should be the first ones to go. I was shocked when I started decluttering that my kid actually was happy about throwing away and donating some of his toys: He was so pleased to be able to find his favorite toys more easily! Don’t project on your child the fear of scarcity. They don’t have our same adult fears; most children are not wired to feel the fear or missing. When they are over a particular toy, they don’t look back. Let them put together their donation bags and don’t become emotional about what toys they are getting rid of.
Reposition their bed. Turn their bed in the optimal direction, “the command position”: The child’s head should be pointed to a solid wall, not a window, and she should be able to see the door from her bed. No surprises if someone comes in, she will be able to see them come in, without twisting their necks. Move the bed from underneath any beam or sharp angles in the ceiling. The bed or crib should have a headboard, and ideally a headboard that is solid, no bars. A child needs all the support in the world to develop a healthy sense of security.
Choose soft lighting. Bright lights are a no-no in kids' rooms! Keep things dim, and have some options handy for if your child goes through a period when they need more light: A nightlight that they carry in bed, a soft nightstand light, a soft lampshade for the ceiling light, and a reading light for nighttime books.
Number 7 addresses bed size for optimal comfort for your child. Best to find a bed that is not too big (the kid's size, but a big bigger). This is especially important when the child transitions from a crib to a toddler bed. My favorites are convertible cribs that turn into small kids’ beds. The idea is to give the child a little independence by removing the side of the bed, but also by keeping his/her bed, the child will be able to transition gradually into the toddler age. I’ve seen countless parents invest in a twin-sized bed for their 2/3-year-olds with the same result: the child feels lost in a twin bed and can no longer find their marks.
You've heard it before. No electronics in any kid room of any age: no TV, no game consoles, no laptops or any electronics is a must at night if you want your child to have great sleep and to thrive in school. It has been documented that too much screen time can impair sleep and diminish focus. This can be a challenge for parents because exhaustion is also very common in parents of very active children and of children who have trouble focusing or sleeping. But in the long run, limited screen time and no electronics in the bedroom at night will benefit the child’s development. Similarly, wifi should be turned off at night.
Invite your child to bond with nature: Add a playful tree wall sticker or tree wallpaper to a small child’s bedroom; it will encourage healthy growth. Children under 6 years old love to see playful representation of trees because they are still very close and attune to nature. This bond with nature is especially important if you do not have a garden. The wall sticker should not be taller than 4-5 feet.
And finally, one of the most important things to do if your child is having trouble sleeping is to listen to their fears in earnest. Instead of discarding their fear of ghosts as unreal, for example, validate them by asking questions. Most times, you will find that they are actually not scared of the presences they feel around them; they are just curious. However, if your child has nightmares and night terrors because of ghosts or monsters, you can create a little ceremony with your child to make the presences go away. Smudging or space clearing with sage is a great option. Smudge around the room and in every corner while reciting affirmations that will make the child feel secure: "Remove any negative energies from this room and invite positive energies, so my child can sleep peacefully tonight and every night." Do not forget to bathe and open the windows after a space clearing.
Good luck implementing all of these tips or some of them. Take your time to do each one and see the results take shape. And please reach out to me with any questions or just to let me know how it’s going! You can also sign up for my very complete course on how to nail your home Feng Shui in less than a week.
Happy sleeping to your child and to everyone in the family!
Much love,
Marianne