Over the years we have rotated through multiple family schedules and routines to meet the needs of everyone in our family.

Our family routines are organized on our visual schedule that hangs on the wall in our front entryway. 

It is changed out every day to reflect the schedule and routines of everyone in the house.

Our Visual Schedule

Each person receives their own column of the visual schedule.  There are ten events throughout the day.  (More than ten always ends up being too overwhelming.)

Columns go from left to right, oldest to youngest, starting with my husband, all the way down to Sunshine.

The visual schedule shown in the picture is one from when Sunshine was in her first residential placement. During therapies and chats we would discuss what she would be doing if she were here.

When she did return home, Sunshine LOVED this visual schedule.  

ALL of us love this visual schedule.  There's just something about it that is so comforting.

It makes such a difference throughout the day to know what comes next, but to also know what's going on with everyone else in the house. 

For my husband and I, it's a great way to remember who's doing what when, and who's responsible for appointments and extra curricular activities.

You'll note that the schedule does not include time or clocks of any kind.  We've found that putting times in our schedule just adds to more stress, anxiety and meltdowns.

The kids know the time schedule for the day, but they also know that flexibility in those times is important.

What I love most about the schedule is that I can change it daily to reflect whatever is going on.  It doesn't always stay the same, especially on the weekends.  

If there is an emergency or a chance for spontaneous fun or service, we can change up the rest of the schedule right away without too much work so everyone knows what is happening.

The ability to change the schedule daily, and when things come up, has helped the kids learn flexibility.

Now that we've been using the schedule for almost a year now, my kids can build their own schedule for the day which is so awesome!

What You Need to Create Your Own Family Visual Schedule

We have tried many different display options for our schedule, but the one we're showing you in this post always works best and is most durable.

Here's what you need to create one yourself:

Pocket Chart 

I specifically chose the one I did because of the option to use ten spaces, with room enough for six people.  You can choose whichever style and size you want.  Just make sure the pocket chart fits 3x3" cards without overlapping.

Packaging Tape 

It's inevitable that the weight of the cards will cause the pockets to stretch out. We use the packaging tape to create pockets in the chart so cards don't fall out and lay flat.  Tape is placed in between each column of cards.

Screws or Nails 

Due to the weight of the pocket chart when filled, you'll want to use screws or nails to attach it to the wall.  We personally prefer screws so when pulled on, the pocket chart doesn't come out of the wall.

Screwdriver or Hammer

You will need one of these basic tools depending on if you use screws or nails to attach the pocket chart to the wall.

Family Visual Schedule Printable Pack 

This product has not been released yet. 

It is our goal to release it as quickly as possible. If you are interested in the printable pack, be sure to send us a comment or message to push us along. 

If there are specific cards you're looking for, be sure to leave those in a comment and message to we can include them.

Cardstock 

We always use cardstock to print our visual schedule pictures. Cardstock improves durability which is important when cards are handled daily.

Printer and Ink

Many people wonder what we use to print all of the printables we create.  Our secret is using a cheap portable photo printer.  It can handle the cardstock without issues. The ink is very inexpensive. It has lasted longer than any other printer we've ever had, even professional grade ones.

Scissors or Paper Cutter

You'll be cutting out a lot of cards, so be sure to choose scissors that are comfortable or invest in a paper cutter to make the job easier!

Laminator

To increase durability and to ensure that we can use our printables over and over again, including our visual schedule cards, we laminate everything.  Just like our printer, we don't use anything fancy.  This laminator is great at getting the job done!

Laminating Pouches

If you choose to use a laminator, you'll need laminating pouches. These are our favorites! 

How to Store All of the Visual Schedule Cards

It's one thing to create an awesome visual schedule for family routines, but then comes the reality of figuring out how to store all of the visual schedule cards. 

The task can feel completely overwhelming, especially if you use as many cards as we do.

Here's our solution:

This is our handy dandy Note Card Holder! 

We absolutely love all the room it has to store all of our cards.  We divide visual schedule cards into three sections:

• Daily Schedule
• Eating Out
• Out of Home Activities and Events

Each section is organized in alphabetical order so it's super easy to find the cards we need each day.

The kids take turns returning the cards to their place when we're finished using them.  

I can't stress enough how much everyone in our household loves our visual schedule. It helps to organize family routines and schedules so much!

Everyone loves that they have a column just for themselves, but they can also see what's going on with everyone else.  

All images are true to life, not drawings, cartoons, or PECS, which we feel is really important for all in the house diagnosed as autistic.

Breaking Down Routines and Schedules

You'll notice on our family visual schedule that there are cards that say:

• Morning routine
• Bedtime routine
• Chores
• Play outside

Our kids know what each of these cards mean because we have separate portable visual schedules that break down these parts of their day down into smaller more manageable parts.

These visual schedules are the size of a regular piece of letter paper and include true to life images that are 2x2 inches in size. There are multiple templates to choose from to meet your child's needs.

My kids love that not only do they have a family visual schedule that shows an overview of their day, they also have individual visual schedules and supports to help them through each card on the visual schedule.

Three of our individual visual schedule and supports printable packs are now available for purchase.

Be sure to grab yours today, while you wait for the Family Visual Schedule to be released. These printable packs are a great way to start your journey with visual supports.

Morning and Bedtime Routine Visual Schedules and Supports for Kids

Chores and Practical Life Visual Schedules and Supports for Kids

Outdoor Visual Schedules and Supports for Kids

Meal and Snack Time Visual Schedules and Supports for Kids

We have used all of these visual schedules and supports for kids in our home with huge success. Stay tuned for more details about the Family Visual Schedule and other visual schedules and supports printable packs coming soon!

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Answering the question of what to do with a RAD child is impossible. Caretakers are then forced to take a different approach learning What NOT to Do with a RAD Child.

Parenting a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder or RAD is no easy task. What's up is down. What's backwards is forwards.  What's usually right can be so incredibly wrong.  

This often leads caretakers to feel exasperated and confused.  

No matter how much research you do, how many specialists you talk to, and what you try, it often does not work.  

Thankfully this is a much easier question to answer as a parent who's been in the trenches for over a decade.

What NOT to Do with a RAD Child

1. Don't try to care for a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) alone.

This is number one on the list, because it's so dang important! 

DO NOT TRY TO DO THIS ALONE!  

Caring for a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder takes a team of caregivers, therapists, doctors, other specialists.  This is especially the case if you are a single caretaker.

You will not survive this journey alone. 

Caring for a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder is the hardest thing you will ever do. 

Without support, it WILL destroy you.

How to Single Parent a Child with Reactive Attachment Disorder

Be aware that a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder can often triangulate caregivers, pitting them against each other.  

Stay united and support each other during this difficult journey.

Be aware that there may come a time when you are going to need to make TOUGH decisions that you will not be able to make on your own, because of the love you have for your child.  

Having doctors, therapists, and other specialists on board to help with those decisions makes all the difference.  It relieves the caregiver of the heavy burdens that these decisions carry, which is extremely important.

2. Don't try to control your child.

In the midst of all of the chaos that occurs while caring for a child with RAD, it can be so easy to want to control her in as many ways as possible.  This may come in the form of micromanagement, punishments, negative consequences, incentives, and/or reinforcers.

The problem is none of these processes will work due to the brain damage that a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder has.  

RAD: Behaviors and Consequences

The more you try to control the child in any way, positive or negative, the more behaviors will increase.  This will then lead to you losing your mind, which we definitely don't want. 

Instead, follow the child's lead in all that she does. 

Observe what she can handle and what she can't. 

Discuss observations with your child.  

Ask for her input in creating a safe environment.

Provide as much independence as is safely possible.  

In our household, we have found great success with using the Montessori Method both inside and outside of the classroom environment.

Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder want what they want, when they want it, and nothing is going to stop that cycle from happening.  

Reactive Attachment Disorder: How to Address Behaviors

Pick your battles wisely.

3. Don't use any form of physical punishment.

There may be a time when you want to use forms of physical punishment while caring for a child with RAD.  In those moments resist it at all costs. It will NOT help.

Caring for a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder comes with heightened emotions and the eventual development of secondary trauma for you.  

You will develop your own fight or flight response, whether you like it or not.  

You have a breaking point. 

It WILL be challenged in the home.  

Decide NOW to keep your hands off of your child and come up with a safety plan for yourself when you are pushed beyond your limits.

Physical intervention is only used in times when the safety of the RAD child or others around her are in danger.  

If you find yourself already in these types of situations, contact your therapist, doctor, and/or local police to develop a safety plan that all have agreed upon to use in situations like these.  

4 Steps to Managing Aggressive Behaviors in Children

Memorize the steps of this safety plan so that in those heated and dangerous moments, you know what physical interventions are appropriate and which ones are not.

And again, never attempt anything alone.  If you are a single caregiver, call law enforcement immediately and have them guide you through a safe physical restraint process if necessary.

4. Don't dismiss behaviors or underestimate your RAD child's capabilities.

Your RAD child's brain is programmed to survive.  This is how it overcame all that it endured in the womb and/or during infancy and early childhood.  

The damaged brain is willing to do ANYTHING to continue to ensure survival in any way it feels necessary.  

The Worst Cases of Reactive Attachment Disorder

Keep in mind that love is the most dangerous thing of all and the brain will fight it at every turn.

If you observe a behavior that isn't "that bad" or raises concerns but "not that serious," report it. 

Document it. 

Ask professionals what to do about it.  Let your RAD child know that you know about it.

150+ Ways Children and Teens with RAD Push Others Away

Behaviors associated with Reactive Attachment Disorder grow with the child.  

If you do not address an issue now, it will become bigger later, and can often lead to dangerous and unsafe situations for the RAD child and those that care for her.

"My child wouldn't do that!" is NOT a phrase to ever utter.  Be open to being blown away with behaviors a RAD child is capable of.  

This is not because the child is bad.  

It is because of the brain damage, that is not the child's fault.  

5. Don't tolerate abuse of any kind.

Whether your child with Reactive Attachment Disorder is physically, emotionally, and/or verbally abusive to themselves or others, it is important to report it, document it, and ask for help each and every time.

How to Document Your Child's Behaviors for Professionals and Specialists

Abuse does not just effect the abuser and/or the victim. It effects everyone who witnesses it, including other children and adults that may be in the household.

It is a natural caregiver's response to say that you can take it, and if you just endure this long enough, things will get better. 

It's natural to want to protect your RAD child from the consequences of her actions.

It's natural to want to blame yourself for your child's behaviors.

But the truth of the matter is, your child needs help. At times this help may be more than you can give.

When Do I Consider Residential Treatment for My Child?

Help may not come immediately.  

It may take reporting abuse several times to make a case.  

But in all situations it MUST be reported to protect you and everyone else in your family.

6. Don't blame yourself for your RAD child's behaviors.

Fact: You can do everything right when caring for a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder, and still have everything go wrong.  

You can not control your RAD child's behaviors and choices.  

This means you can not blame yourself for her choices.

And believe me, she will make sure to let you know that she feels EVERYTHING is your fault.  

Reactive Attachment Disorder Fits: Did I Do Something Wrong?

This may be through words, physical assault, passive aggression, or other behaviors.  

But please listen to me.  

Your RAD child's behaviors are not your fault!

At times a caregiver's guilt prevents them from seeking the help the RAD child so desperately needs.

Sometimes a caregiver's guilt can lead to depression, anxiety, and more.

I Hate My RAD Child

This guilt you feel, that is not your fault, will destroy you if you let it.  

Do your best.

Ask for help when you feel you're coming up short.

Take care of you.

And when you're able to, please also remember that these RAD behaviors aren't the child's fault either.  

7. Don't let your child work alone with a therapist until you feel comfortable.

When working with a child who has Reactive Attachment Disorder, family centered therapy is the very best option.  

Family therapy prevents so many scenarios that may be damaging to caregivers, siblings, and the RAD child.

The Realities of Reactive Attachment Disorder and Mental Health Therapy

Once you have established a comfortable relationship of trust with the therapist, having been open and honest about all that's been going on, with the therapist hearing all sides of the situation, you can choose whether or not you feel comfortable with the therapist speaking to the RAD child alone.

Any therapist who is familiar with Reactive Attachment Disorder will understand your request so long as you are completely open and honest about situations that are occuring in the home.  

If the therapist senses that you're trying to hide details and putting all the blame on the child, this will not go well.  Be open to working as a family unit to improve circumstances.

In the future, if your RAD child is placed in a residential treatent setting, part of that treatment will be weekly family therapy sessions, as well as individual therapy sessions for the child.

When Traditional Mental Health Therapy Doesn't Work

On a personal note, we have found Internal Family Systems Therapy to work extremely well for our family and especially our children with Reactive Attachment Disorder.

8. Don't work with a therapist, doctor, or other specialist you don't feel comfortable with.

Unless your RAD child is in a residential treatment setting, finding therapists, doctors, and other specialists who are familiar with Reactive Attachment Disorder is incredibly difficult.  

If someone you're working with is not familiar with the diagnosis, more harm than good can come of treatment.

You may encounter professionals who feel they have all of the answers and are not willing to work as a team to help your RAD child.  

If you are not on the same page as professionals in regards to treatment for your child with Reactive Attachment Disorder, more harm than good can come of treatment.

Do not be afraid to stand up for yourself and your RAD child. 

Be honest when a relationship with a professional is not working.  You are the expert on your child and her needs.  

If you find yourself in a situation where you are working with a professional that is only making things worse, and are mandated to do so, discuss other options and alternatives with your caseworker.  

So long as you're willing to do the work, they should help you find a better fit, and if not this next tip should help.

9. Don't resist or fight advice given by professionals.

This is by far the HARDEST bit of advice to follow, especially in cases where you find that you are far more knowledgeable than the professional you're working with, when you feel like you're being evaluated as a parent, or when the professional is not seeing the reality of the issues.

Consider follow through on advice given by a professional as documentation that you are doing all you can to help your child.

If you follow through on the advice and it doesn't work, document and report back.  

A Caregiver's Fears When Raising a Child With RAD

You did your part.  You showed your willingness to help your child.  It is not your fault that the advice given didn't work.

The best part about this document and report process, is that you will form a relationship with someone who knows how hard you're trying, and that what's going on is not your fault.  

This person, who is an impartial third party can share this documentation with others, which is priceless when obtaining the correct services for your child and protecting you as the caregiver. 

I highly recommend going a step further and asking questions as often as you can, showing a sincere desire to learn from professionals.  

Again, this shows you're willing to go above and beyond to help your child.

10. Don't throw away important papers and documents.

I can't say this enough! Document EVERYTHING!  

Sure you may be made fun of and mocked, but in those moments when it really counts, you will be so thankful you have saved each and every form of documentation you have.

Save every report and appointment write up.  

Save all documents you've created that log behaviors from home. 

Write everything down.  

Choose to use e-mail correspondence instead of phone calls when possible, and save each and every one.

At some point or another, you will need every single one of these documents.  

Trust me, I already have.

Conclusion

Caring for a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder is beyond challenging. 

This is not because the RAD child is bad, but because the damage done to the brain causes significant impairments which result in extreme behavior.

We make the decision to care for a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder because we love them unconditionally, despite these extreme behaviors.

We want to believe that over time the brain can heal and behaviors will diminish.

At times, this can occur.

But in many cases it does not.  

This does not change our love for the RAD child, it just means that we need a lot of help.

If you're struggling with what to do with a RAD child, change your question and focus on what not to do with a RAD child.

There is hope.

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"My child wants to kill herself!" is not a phrase any caregiver wants to utter out loud, let alone to anyone else.  

But, this situation is becoming all too familiar and can happen to anyone.  

It happened to us.  The most recent incident occured last week.

The key, as a caregiver, is to understand what that phrase means and to follow through by asking yourself one simple question.

Now what?

My Child Wants to Kill Herself! Now What?

Princess has given me permission to share this very personal story. Even in her darkest hours, she has a desire to help others who may be struggling. 

Last Tuesday evening, marked 48 hours that Princess had been isolating herself in her room away from family and all aspects of life she could avoid.  

We made sure to check in on her, call her down to eat her meals, brought school work up to her room for her to complete, and kept tabs on when she went back and forth to the bathroom.  

No media devices are allowed in bedrooms in our home.

During this time, more than anything my husband and I wanted to respect that Princess needed time to herself. She needed time to work through whatever was going on in her head. Princess feels safest in her room and that's where she wanted to be.  

Life is HARD

After all, Princess is a hormonal eleven year old girl experiencing all that COVID-19 has done to ruin her life.  She does not have any opportunities to be independent from her family right now.

Princess has just lost her younger sister.  

We hope it's not a permanent thing and that Sunshine returns to us, but it feels permanent until Sunshine chooses to accept help and begin working on getting better. 

Princess was very close to her sister, so this process is extra hard on her.

It definitely doesn't help that Princess was forced to leave her home and live in a hotel for 5 weeks just a couple months ago due to safety reasons related to her sister, while we waited for Sunshine to be admitted into a second residential treatment center.

Any one of these three things is enough to send a typical eleven year old girl into a tailspin, but when you add Princess' Reactive Attachment Disorder to the mix and this being the time of year when Princess just can't bring herself to feel or see the light, life gets really HARD.

Everyone remembers the movie, Inside Out. At the end, Riley's emotions are gifted a new control center with a puberty button.  (If you haven't, I highly recommend watching the movie.) 

Life is HARD for every kid when all of that happens, but for kids with Reactive Attachment Disorder, who's brains have been damaged... 

When that new control center comes, the brain wreaks havoc and spins out of control.  

It has to relearn EVERYTHING. This means living through the trauma once again and then sorting out what all of it means in a new way according to how the brain now works.

It's around the age of twelve, that Reactive Attachment Disorder behaviors hit the fan, and often call for a lot of support and intervention.

A Breaking Point

We've tried multiple times to help Princess over the last few weeks, but most often it wasn't received well. 

And when it was, things only improved for a day or two before Princess decided that isolation was a safer option for herself. 

The problem is that when Princess isolates herself for too long, the dark becomes too big, and she can't see past it.  

After 48 hours, I couldn't take the isolation any longer.  Princess' brothers were concerned. 

Dinomite mentioned that he was worried that Princess might decide to be unsafe and self-harm, as this is something that has occurred in the past this time of year.

After a family meeting, it was determined that we could not let Princess isolate any longer. We needed to see where her head was at, and determine if she was okay.

Princess made it clear that she was not excited to chat with us, but at the same time she seemed calm.  So we asked her where she was at.  

The Confession

I've never met a child so skilled at screening what they say before they speak, to ensure that they don't say the wrong thing.  

If Princess doesn't want you to know about something, she's REALLY great at hiding it with her words.   Fortunately, mom knows all, and has many tactics after years of experience with this. Lol.

Out of concern, my husband and I explained to Princess that we were going to remove some items from her room for safety reasons.  Everyone in the family was worried about her right now and she didn't seem okay.

Items included all sharp objects, anything metal, plastic bags, necklaces, and anything that could be used to strangle herself, like shoe laces, bathrobe ties, etc.

We were also going to turn the door alarm on so we knew when she was entering and exiting her room, especially during the night hours.

To my surprise, Princess had no issues when we mentioned any of this.  I noticed a smile on her face and asked her about it.

After speaking round and round, Princess couldn't hold it back any longer.

"I want to kill myself."

Princess had been contemplating killing herself all day, formulating two plans as to how that might be accomplished. 

Before that she had been contemplating running away.

She was so relieved that we were removing unsafe items from her room. 

Our Princess didn't no how much longer she could go on feeling the way she did without acting on the thoughts in her head.

At this point, my husband, a retired mental health therapist and experienced emergency mental health screener went through a series of questions with Princess, to see where she was at, and if in fact she could be safe in the home.

If you do not have experience and training in these scenarios call your local dispatch center, the suicide prevention hotline, or your local emergency services board for help.  

Princess was more than willing to commit to a safety plan and seemed okay, despite her thoughts. 

We were so relieved.

If there's one thing we want to avoid at all costs, it's time in a hospital right now during COVID-19, and reliving any part of what happened with Sunshine over the past year, with Princess. But, if that's what she needed, we wouldn't have hesitated to do it in a heartbeat.

Princess happily helped us remove all unsafe items from her room. The relief that radiated from her is indescribable.

And though, she's still really struggling a week later, and we continue to be on suicide watch, Princess continues to follow the safety plan.  

We are now focused on getting her the help that she needs.

Depression doesn't just disappear once a child agrees to a safety plan.  

It it a constant battle that needs the love, support, and assistance of caregivers and professionals for an extensive period of time.

So Now What?

As with all mental health crises, where one has a desire to harm themselves or others, (and at times acts on it,) the confession and commitment to follow a safety plan is just the beginning.  

1. Find a Therapist

Whether you end up in the ER or not, a child's desire to kill herself means that she needs help.  The first step in obtaining this help is to find a therapist.  

As a caregiver, you will need a third party to help with the situation.  This is not something to try handling on your own, nor should you.

We had been mentioned going to a therapist for weeks. Princess downright refused to see one. 

But about a week before she wanted to kill herself, she came to us in tears, asking to see a therapist. She felt things were getting bad enough that she needed one.

Mental health therapy when done correctly by trained, certified, and experienced individuals is 100% healthy.  Seeing a therapist doesn't mean that you are bad or broken.  

Obtaining help from a mental health therapist or counselor is empowering.  

It is noble.  

It is brave.  

We have worked hard to teach our children these concepts.  

Getting help during a crisis is so much easier and effective when all parties are all in and willing. 

Do all you can to speak about obtaining help through mental health therapy in a positive light, so if the time comes and someone needs it, you have one less obstacle to work through.

Princess is now waiting for insurance to approve the therapy, and she's ready to go. 

We are thrilled that she is going to be working with the same therapist that Sunshine did at home.

2. Call your Child's Primary Care Physician (PCP)

A mental health crisis almost always includes a discussion about medication.  Whether it's ultimately agreed upon for use, or it's a last resort that you want to avoid, your child's pediatrician needs to be involved in the conversation from the beginning.

If your child's PCP doesn't feel comfortable treating mental health issues, she will refer you to a psychiatrist who can.

Whether you end up working with your PCP or a pediatric psychiatrist, it's important to remember that you need that third party to document what's working and what's not. If medication is recommended, it's coming from the doctor, not just Mom and Dad.

As parents we want to protect our children from everything.  We have a biased view on these matters one way or another.  A doctor's expertise and experience is necessary to help us make the calls that are needed in those tough moments. 

3. Continue with the Safety Plan

It can be so easy to see a few good days and think that your child is better after a mental health crisis, but trust me when I say that is not the case.  

Obtaining help from a therapist and doctor takes time.  

It's been one week since Princess said she wanted to kill herself. 

Our appointment with the doctor is two days away.

Our assessment to initiate therapy is three days away, with a two week waiting period next.

We have a long ways to go before we can even begin working with others to help our daughter.

Unsafe items will remain out of Princess' bedroom. The alarm will remain on her door.  Safety protocol has been put in place in other areas of the house.

This is not a punishment, this is purely about safety.

4. Do All You Can to Help Now

Once you've called the doctor and been referred to a therapist, now is the time to start working on things at home that are within your control as a caregiver.

Exercise and/or diet are a great place to start!  

We've been sure to get Princess outside for a couple of hours each day.  

Discussion about more healthy eating options is occurring.  

Sleep is being monitored. 

Princess is taking charge of making sure she's getting enough rest, drinking enough water etc.

The Important Things to Remember

It is so important to understand that depression is not the child's fault. 

Depression is not something they asked for, nor is it something they can stop from happening.

Those with depression often feel that others would be much better without them.  

They often feel that no matter what, they can't do anything right.

Though your child may not believe you in the moment, be sure to tell her just how important she is, how much she is loved, and how you are willing to support her through what she's experiencing in every way you can.  

Then follow through.

I know Princess will get through these hard times.  Though this may be something that she struggles with for an extended period of time, with support from a loving family, she can feel better. Your child can too.

For those who would like to follow Princess' journey or receive more support for mental health situations regarding children, be sure to sign up for our FREE newsletter by clicking the link below.

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We work hard to create a Montessori friendly and minimalist environment in every room of our home, including the living room.  

The living room in our home is THE CENTER of all of the action.  It's the first room you see when you enter our home past the front entry way.

It's used for play.

It's used for entertaining.

It's used for relaxing.

It's used for movies and gaming.

At times, we even eat our meals in this room.

So, let's start a tour!

A Minimalist Montessori Home Tour: The Living Room

Our living room is quite small.  (Trust me when I say it looks bigger than it is in pictures.)  The only seating is our sectional sofa.  When all six of us are home and want to enjoy a movie or have a conversation, Sunshine brings the bean bag from the front entryway to join us.

The pillows are a comfort necessity. We purposely use indoor/outdoor pillows as they're easier to clean, more durable and sensory friendly without buttons, snaps, zippers, sequins and more.

Our coffee table is actually an activity table with storage carts underneath.  We keep a kid friendly table mat on the table to prevent damage while playing. The carts store a plush blanket for everyone in the house to use while enjoying time in the living room.  

We are a family who enjoys playing board games.  Each week during learning, Friday is known as "Game Day," which means instead of our usual Montessori work, we play board games instead.  The kids look forward to it every week.

The games are organized from easiest to hardest.  Sunshine's games are on the bottom shelf.  She knows she can only use games on her shelf, as the others are too difficult and can often lead to negative behaviors.

Princess' games are on the middle shelf.  The boys share the top shelf.  My husband and my games are on top of the bookshelf, with some overflow from the boys.

Above the bookshelf is an original painting by our dear friend Esther Stringer.  My husband is a huge fan of original art and loves to display it in our home.  This painting is extra special as it's where we were married.

The only other wall hanging we have in the room is a canvas print of a painting by Minerva Teichert.  My husband is a huge fan of art, so we try to include it where we can in our home as it brings him joy.

We store the kids' toys in another corner of the room.  Each soft wool weaved basket stores something different.  The baskets were purchased at Pottery Barn Kids, but are no longer available. There are animal figures, LEGO pieces, Barbies, My Little Ponies, and more!  Next to the couch are the girls' doll houses.

The girls usually move the portable houses to the activity table or open space on the carpet, along with the large basket of doll furniture and dolls.

 All of our media entertainment is stored in the last corner of the living room.  What you see is all that we own.

Due to our home being out in the middle of nowhere, we do not have Wi-Fi, which means no streaming of entertainment, unless it's through our phones or iPads.  

Below the tv you see our cable box and the boys' Xbox with controllers.  On one bottom shelf all of our DVDs and Blu-ray discs, stored in portable cases for easy access.  We just throw away the cases that come with the movies.

The second bottom shelves stores the boys' Xbox games, along with a few other misc. media items.

As always, I make sure to have at least one plant in each room of the house.  In the living room there's one large one in the corner, and two tiny plants located on top of the play shelves, and over the TV.

The only other decor in the room is a picture of each of the kids and a space for a family or sibling picture.

We absolutely love our living room. It's simple, peaceful, and so much fun!

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