Back-to-School Daze

Are your children’s rooms sapping them of the energy necessary to greet the new school year? Here are simple guidelines to help transitioning students snap out of their funk

Wow! It’s hard to believe summer is actually over and school is already starting up again. A new school year can be exciting and scary at the same time, bringing new opportunities and challenges. Change affects our school-age children in multiple ways, so keeping the flow of energetic support constant and stable at home is important.

Recently, I received the following question from a concerned parent: “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?”

I sure do. To help younger children feel grounded at home as they enter the new school year, follow these guidelines:

1. “Match” their room to who they are today. Are the decor and furniture age appropriate? For example, if your child is 12 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,” 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,” set the tone by taking 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. Selecting 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. If that option is unavailable, 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, utilize shelves and drawers.

3. Place a bulletin board over the desk. This creates a place for your child to note important deadlines, post inspiring photos or list goals to accomplish.

The beginning of the school year is a time of high energy — perfect for creating a space that supports your children’s endeavors while leaving room for growth and opportunities.

Alice Inoue is a life guide at Alice Inoue Life Guidance LLC, a company committed to assisting people in living empowered lives. Alice shares her wisdom as a professional speaker and personal consultant and offers a series of instructional DVDs on feng shui, as well as her award-winning books on feng shui, happiness and spiritual life wisdom. For more information, visit www.aliceinspired.com.

Alice’s Nice Advice

Hide visible electrical cords to calm your nerves. They affect your nervous system and can trigger stress reminders and activate undesirable tension. To create instant calm and mental alignment, camouflage them with plants, move them out of site or organize them into neat bundles.