working space for the kids

Working from home the past three years has been for the most part - a chance to be a part of two worlds. In the beginning, the kids were confused as to when and how often they could come in and be with "mommy" - Noah would waltz right in to inform me which of his cars had a flat tire, and Ava would want to type on my computer or spin in my chair...

Last Fall, Ava started to pout when Aaron would put on her coat. Noah would wait by the door (he loves to be outdoors) while Ava agonized over the idea of having to go outside. "You've got to be kidding me!" she'd say with arms in the air and curly hair flopping over her face.


We've tried different approaches to this design, from locking the door to even hiding in my office - But I realized that Ava yearned for a place of her own at home - aside from her bedroom where she dreams, reads, and has tea parties - she wanted a place, at home, where she could "work" and create "like Mommy" - so we let her be a part of this transition and help bring her vision to life...





You've probably seen some of Ava's recent art studio pictures from previous posts like this one- but I forgot to post this one, where Ava was so excited to receive my old computer, she fell asleep at her desk waiting for Aaron to finish setting up her "account." This desk was Noah's changing pad table - which I found at a flea market for $10 painted already in nursery colors of yellow and blue. So we pulled it out of storage and bought a quart of high-glossy red for the new art studio's table. After Aaron stripped it down to the grain, I fell in love with it the way it was (even with the remnants of the pale yellow), and shelved the red for another project...



At first I was hesitant to hand down my old computer to her at this age, but we gave it a try, and I'm happy to report that this was another way for her to secure some independence - challenge herself in a fun way, and even learn how to manage her time responsibly.



Ava and Noah's studio gives them a place to get messy, creative, and even escape- the kids are masterminding treasure hunts, winning computer games, and assembling wheels to rocket drills. (Thanks Daddy!)

But what I love the most about this change last fall, is that I get surprises like these - waiting on my desk...



now, onto finding a bigger office space for me than this desk....