Getting your future child’s room ready before they come home can require some thought. The adoptive parents that I know are split down the middle about when to start getting ready. About half waited until they were very close to travel, because seeing a room all ready to go with no child in it was depressing. The other half started shopping and decorating before their official application was even submitted. They felt like the preparation helped calm their nerves and provided them with a tangible outlet to help get through the wait. Either way, do what feels best for you and your family and have fun preparing for your new arrival!

Here are some ideas about how to prepare your child’s room:

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  Find out from your agency what the look and feel of your child’s baby center is like. They will likely only know neutral colors and metal cribs with bamboo mats, but it can’t hurt to try and replicate some of what they are used to.
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  Be especially mindful of your decorating in older child adoptions. They have grown very familiar to their Vietnamese surroundings and the shock of a new decked out room in America may make them smile at first, but they may not be able to process it. The inability to verbalize or even pinpoint their discomfort could lead them to feel overwhelmed and scared in a space that should be their safe haven.
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  Try to stick to soft colors and minimal decorating. If you fall in love with a bright bedding set and an electronic mobile, put them away until your child gets used to their new room and is showing signs of adjusting to their new home.
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  Try and find out if your child slept with any music or background noise such as television and if lights were left on at night when they slept. You can then try and replicate their surroundings at home to ease their transition a bit.
  

Related Links:
The Adoption Wait and Ways to Pass the Time