Childhood Rooms, College Dorms, And Why Your Child Might Be Needing Both For A While

 When your kid gets into college, it can feel like everything changes. Suddenly, they’re not your baby anymore – they’re a fully-fledged young adult getting ready for a life that, for the first time, isn’t under your control. From helping them to stock up on dorm essentials to packing them up and driving them off, it’s an emotional process. And, when you get home, it might not be long until the extent of this change leaves you wondering – when exactly should you repurpose your child’s room?

After all, the only thing worse than not having your child around anymore is having an unused room that constantly reminds you of that fact. In reality, though, most parents who have been there and done that would advise you against taking any drastic action for at least the course of your child’s college studies. Here, we consider just three reasons why that might not be such bad advice. 

Ensuring a safe space for them to return to

College can be a difficult adjustment for any parent, but it’s a whole lot harder for children who are suddenly out in the real world alone. No matter how keen they were to break free, they’ll inevitably miss home once a few nights or weeks have passed. By making sure that they always have a familiar and welcoming space to return to when that homesickness reaches its peak, you therefore automatically make this transition that bit easier, providing them the recharge they need to stick at the studies that mean so much to them. 

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Preserving potentially valuable items for their future

College is all about your child’s future, but when they’re fresh out of the door and their room still just looks like a mess to you, premature clearouts could do some future damage of their own. Remember, one person’s trash is another’s treasure, and toys kept in good condition or just left in their packages can soon become more valuable than you’d anticipate. After all, toys from your own childhood, like this GI Joe 40th anniversary or all of those replica Barbies you didn’t think twice about, can now fetch nearly $100. By keeping all of your child’s belongings where they are until you’ve had enough distance to see their potential, you could therefore secure a them a nice little lump sum, or just some great toys to pass on to their own kids. 

Letting know they’re always welcome

Getting rid of your child’s room the moment they’re out of the house could also leave them feeling a little welcome. That’s a  mistake if you want to see your child again this side of the next decade (or at least the next term…) and is something you can avoid by simply leaving things as they, and letting them know without question that you’re always happy to see them. 

Whether you’ve got your eye on a home gym or a hobby room at long last, it’s worth remembering these pointers before making a mistake you’ll regret. Your child will certainly thank you for it!