It is finally the week to work on my teenage daughters bedroom. She packed up all her items and stored them in her closets, she vacuumed the rug and rolled it up to put in the closet as well. She swept and mopped and even got her younger siblings to help wash the base boards for her. Then she went to work washing off the mural art work her and friends did in her room over a year ago. I think this was a specially hard choice for her as only one of those friends is still local and she has a had time these days with friends moving away. Such is the life of military families sadly. I have to say I was a bit shocked when she told me she washed it off. I know she loved it and the memories made the night her and friends made it during a sleep over. She asked that we get more of the washable paint so that on another sleep over another one can be made. That is very reasonable and very doable!
The drama comes however with room color choices. I know this is her room and I am trying hard to respect that but goodness she needs to #1 make up her mind and #2 be reasonable and #3 let mom catch up to these new changes. She went from my little girl that loved all things bright blue to my little vampire loving girl that wants all things dark. Having gone through that phase (if one can call it such) myself I get it. I just perhaps did not expect it either so soon or so strong. I guess I should have though.
Her room is going from bright blue, bright green, and purple to…. I am really not even certain and tomorrow is painting day! She has asked for many colors so far from black, to gray, to burgundy to purple to deep red. Does she want the purple like Jenn’s purple Bar stools or the purple from Barney on TV? Does she really think painting the ceiling black is going to be easy? She wants to paint all the trim in the room a dark color as well. Granted I have dark grey walls in my own room and dark purple curtains as well but the ceiling is white, the trim is white, the doors are white and there is white and purple in my bedding. It is dark enough to be restful but bright enough to not look tiny and to be productive in if needed.
What about furniture for it? She has not picked anything yet and that would help with color ideas right? Does she want funky retro chairs or wooden or metal? Colors? I tried to explain with all the dark cold colors she is going to want fluffy comfy roundish furniture to balance things out and in lighter colors to pop. She does not seem to agree. In the end it is her room though I might make her pay for her furniture and the extra lighting with her allowance as such a dark room is going to need more specially because she does do homeschool work in it at times. One needs to be able to see and focus when doing school work right?
In the end I think the issue is with me more than it is with her. I want to think of myself as an understanding and supportive mother but I find it hard sometimes to be such. Being a parent is hard, one of the hardest parts is letting go of who you thought your child would be and helping them embrace who they are in any given moment. How many times though I must wonder am I going to end up painting her rooms? I have to laugh about it else I might give up on helping her all together. She is worth every effort of course, though one Mommy only has so much time, energy, and money to go around!
Photos soon!
HAHA I went through this stage as a teen! I had a pitch black room and even laid down black tiles! Blackout curtains, and a black and red bedding set! I know it’s hard to let her do it, but I just say be happy she has individuality and can choose what she likes =]