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Brush in Hand
A New Dad's Painting and Decorating Primer By I.J. Schecter
Remember who won between the tortoise and the hare. Resist the urge to get the job done quickly. Instead, be deliberate and thorough. Paint corners and edges first, proceeding next to the broader strokes. Start high and work your way down, which makes it easier for you to counter dribbles and runs. And especially, be mindful not to soak your brush with too much paint. Slapping excess paint on the wall will make it look like a person with soup running down his chin.
Once you feel the job is complete, do a full inspection to make sure. You might find you've painted unevenly in a certain section, left paint on the ceiling or even forgotten a spot altogether. Be comprehensive in your search, and address any issues immediately. Then give yourself a pat on the back.
Decorating Ideas
OK, now the room is painted. (And if you say so yourself, it looks pretty darn good.) What should you place on the walls to stimulate and entertain your little one? Here are a few ideas: - Things that bounce, spin and dangle.
You don't need a fancy gyroscope to stimulate your newborn. Simple objects that bob gently up and down, twirl slowly or dangle from the ceiling work just fine. - For instance, you can design a simple black-and-white bullseye pattern on your computer, print it on both sides of the paper, then attach the paper to a hook with a piece of string so it sways slowly above the crib. Later, when complexity is more appropriate, buy tissue or construction paper in several colors, affix several pieces together in a simple design, and you have a new mobile tailored to your infant's expanding mind.
- Stellar stuff.
At your local science center or astronomy store you can buy a package of fluorescent stickers in the shapes of stars and planets that will cost little. Place some of the stars on a cone-shaped piece of that construction paper you bought, then hang it somewhere close to the crib (though not too close, since newborns can't focus on objects close up). A few months later, start placing the stickers on the walls and/or ceiling. They'll accompany your baby as he drifts off to sleep and, later, will fire his imagination.
