What is in Your Kids Bedrooms?

I had some time while hubby was in Texas for a couple of weeks to sit back and observe things.  The house, the kids, our routines, what’s working, what’s not… that kind of thing.  One thing that really struck me in need of change is my kids bedrooms.

There was not a lot of time to prepare when we learned the agency had found two children to bring into our home.  Maybe a long weekend?  Not that it would have mattered much in terms of decorating since Hubs likes off white walls, off white carpet, neutral neutral neutral.  I really was doomed from the start.  I just didn’t know it.

My youngest is an artist.  Can you imagine what her off white walls and off white carpet look like?  Now that she is a bit older I set her up an art area in the basement so that the paint, markers, glue, glitter, playdoh, etc. is not even allowed in her room anymore.  We will be painting in the spring… a nice shade of “bone” for sure.  Not sure what will become of the flooring.

My Son is older and his room has less obvious stuff.  You look around and you see a TV, a hamster cage, a homework area, school supplies, textbooks, and bunk beds.  Pretty clean.  It is what you don’t see that scares me.  Candy wrappers, peanuts, pasta, bread, slim jim remnants, wrappers, dishes, and crumbs of all kinds in every nook and cranny.  His top bunk needs caution tape wrapped around it for all the toxic stashed food he has up there.  I put him to work cleaning out all the hot spots but come spring his room is going to need an overhaul too.

Both my kids want a laptop computer in their rooms.  My daughter, at 9, is way too young.  Neither are responsible enough to take care of one.  We don’t have the money to accommodate that wish, anyway, so obviously, that is not going to happen.  But take away all those reasons.  I still don’t think I would do it.

Computers are awesome and I would love for my kids to each have their own so that they could do their homework, access their classroom online, research things that interest them, etc.  But the internet just worries me too much.  I know there are locks and safety features but the fact that some very bad and scary stuff is just a click away is too much for me.  We have a computer in the living room that everyone can use and I can see the screen at all times.

I know as my kids get older I will have to modify this policy, but I can’t imagine what age that will be.  Where are your computers?  How old was your child when s/he got a computer with internet in their room?