Is Your Bedroom Off-Limits to Kids?

Jumping on the bed, pillow fights, watching Mom and Dad’s TV, eating crackers on the duvet. Sometimes I feel like my bedroom is less of a retreat for us grown-ups and more like a fast-food restaurant playground. But what can I really do about it? Could I seriously make my bedroom off-limits to the kids when we live in such a small space?

Thinking back to my parents, and then my grandparents, their bedrooms were all off-limits to us as kids. My Mom and Dad tried their best to enforce this, but occasionally we’d come in for a snuggle in their big soft bed or to try on Mom’s shoes. My grandparents, on the other hand — no one was allowed in their room. I think I can count the number of times I saw my grandmother’s dressing table — with her hairbrush, mirror and comb set perfectly laid out on a crocheted handkerchief — on one hand.

However, I never even thought of doing the same in my home. Until a few weeks ago, that is. I had a new neighbor come over to visit for a cup of tea and a getting-to-know-you session. My three year old came out of my room, proud as can be, yelling “look Mom, I’m a forklift!” carrying an entire drawer from my bedside table, complete with…well, erm, very personal items. He plonked the drawer down in the middle of the room and ran away, while my poor new neighbor looked on in horror. Two thoughts crossed my mind at that point: “1. Well, she is really getting to know me now. And 2. Perhaps we should think about having the kids not go in there.”

But what can I do? We live in a 4 room apartment. Blocking off access to our bedroom means the living space for my kids is reduced by 25%. Do you live in a small space? Is your bedroom off-limits to kids?

And while thinking about it, don’t forget to check out the perfectly dreamy bedrooms in the My Bedroom Retreat competition. Sigh. One day!

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