My three children are going back to school next week – one to a new grade, the other to a new school, and my daughter to her first college dorm room. Do you have any advice on what I can do to make the transition easier for them?
A new school year can be exciting and scary at the same time, bringing new opportunities and challenges. During a new school year, change affects our children in multiple ways, so keeping the flow of energetic support constant and stable at home is important.
With these three simple guidelines, help younger children, who begin and end each day with you, feel grounded at home, as they enter the new school year:
1. “Match” their room to who they are today. Are the décor and furniture age appropriate? For example, if your child is twelve and Barney posters are still on the bedroom wall, it is time for a change. Is the bed long enough or the desk big enough? A bed that is too short or a desk that is too small, suggests stunted growth and an inability to “stretch out” in life. If change is necessary, make sure you talk it over with your child first!
2. Get rid of “old” energy. Everything in your child’s room—furniture, clothes, toys, and even random objects—holds energy. To reduce the energetic “noise” and support being present, remove anything that no longer fits, is broken, or is no longer used or needed.
3. Create a system for morning flow. Things can easily get hectic as you are trying to get out of the door in the morning. To avoid starting the day with “challenging energy,” setting the tone for the rest of the day, take a few minutes to create a system that everyone can stick to. Create a “grab and go area” for all your children’s school-related items and start the day with more focused energy.
Going Away To School
If your child is college bound, you can help them set up their studio apartment or dorm room with feng shui concepts. One of the challenges is ensuring that the space is inspiring, yet supports rest. The goal is to create a space where sleep, study, and play are all supported. Here are some guidelines to achieve this:
To Sleep Better
1. Put the bed in an empowering position. When lying in bed, your child should be able to see the door without having to crane his or her neck. Yet, the bed should be placed so that it avoids the direct “path of the doorway,” any area in the room that is directly in line with the doorway. Determine this area by standing at the entrance and imagining a bright light the width of the door shining into the room.
2. Choose calming sheets and bedding colors. Choosing peaceful designs and colors that you can find in nature—calming greens, blues, yellows and earth tones—sets the intent for restful sleep.
3. Be conscious of the area around the bed. The area immediately around the bed should also be calming and peaceful, so hang active images away from where your child sleeps.
To Study Better
1. Put the desk in an empowering position. This means the desk should face the door, or if that option is unavailable, then place a mirror on the desk so your child can see any activity behind him or her.
2. Organize the desk area for success. Place a good reading light on or near the desk. Rather than use the desk for storage, create proper storage in the form of shelves and drawers.
3. Place a bulletin board over the desk. Placing a bulletin board over the desk creates a place for your child to note important deadlines, put inspiring photos, positive affirmations, and visuals of any goals he or she would like to accomplish.
The beginning of the school year is a high energy time, perfect for creating a space that supports your children’s endeavors, while leaving room for growth and opportunities.
Alice Inoue is a life guide that uses the modalities of feng shui, astrology and spirituality in her work. Her offerings include award-winning, mind-body-spirit themed books, as well as a series of feng shui instructional DVD’s. For more information visit www.aliceinspired.com.