Behind every great nursery is a parent with great vision. Let's face it, our baby's first bedroom is definitely a reflection of who we are and has a whole lot less to do with, well, with our children and who they are (who the heck knows who they are at 2 weeks old, anyway??) But have you ever stopped to consider how the kind of nursery you created for your baby actually reveals quite a bit about your parenting style? Yep, for better or worse, nurseries are sort of like handwriting or your beverage of choice -- try as you may to pretend you're all cool and collected, that martini, or uh, quadruple padded crib in this case, gives you away.
You've created the "perfect" nursery for your little sweetie. You spent weeks or even months obsessing over paint swatches only to realize the ideal color is a mix of lavender and pink that doesn't exist. No big whoop, you create it yourself. Each piece of furniture in your baby's room resembles something seen in Vogue Bambini because you basically modeled his or her entire room after that of some Norwegian prince's. You are a strict parent who doesn't have trouble telling your little one, "Because I said so." Every color of the rainbow is represented on his or her dinner plate and you are serious about perfect table manners and not eating anywhere but at the table -- mainly because all of the rugs in your home are spotless and white.
Your baby sleeps in a bare bones nursery. With the exception of a crib, rocking chair, and maybe a stuffed animal or two placed in the spare room of your home, your child's nursery is as minimal as you can get. You didn't change the color on the walls -- a neutral beige -- because you'd just have to paint it again when your child becomes sick of baby blue in three years. You are a logical parent who is more hands off than most. Even when he or she is a newborn, you talk to your baby about his feelings and explain why you can't go to the park that day. You don't force yourself to be the "ideal" parent and feel comfortable taking time for yourself, too.
You have a home office nursery. Along with the crib and a dresser, your baby's nursery holds a filing cabinet, a desk where you work (quietly) while she's napping, and maybe even a treadmill. You might live in a big city like New York or Los Angeles, where space is limited, or you may just believe a baby doesn't need all that space to himself yet and that there's nothing wrong with sharing. You value close connections with relatives and believe the family that plays, studies, and works together stays together. You strive for balance in your life and don't feel guilty about working.
You have a "who needs a nursery?" nursery. You believe that, until he or she is old enough to sleep in a bed, there's no point in having a nursery! Maybe you are co-sleeping with your little one, or perhaps you've placed a crib in your bedroom. Assuming you do not live in an expensive city or are in the process of moving out of a small space and into a larger one, you are likely a responsive parent who is extremely nurturing and aware of your child's needs at all times, maybe to the point of overindulging them. You may have trouble accepting their desire for independence as they grow older, but maintaining a close emotional bond is more important to you.
What kind of nursery do you have? Does the description fit you?
Image Via Chad Kittel/Flickr