I’m an interior decorator and when my granddaughter was born I couldn’t wait to do her room. Unfortunately, there were strict rental restrictions about redecorating so we had to wait. But in the meantime, Jenna was exposed to various decorating situations – her favorite TV show when she was 3 was Trading Spaces. She had definite ideas about color – or lack thereof. Anything white or beige wasn’t a color. She made that perfectly clear. Her favorite decorator on the show was Genevieve and that was because she always made a statement.
Yeah, so I got a phone call one day from her mom (my daughter) and it was clear that I was in some kind of trouble.
Her: Mother? Jenna is grounded from watching Trading Spaces.
Me: (not sure how to react – how in the world does a 3 year old get grounded from watching Trading Spaces????)
Her: You won’t believe what she did…
Me: (I somehow think this has something to do with me and it’s not good)
Her: I went upstairs to her room because she was being very quiet and GUESS what she was doing??????
Me: Um…I don’t know….reading??
Her: She was PAINTING her white furniture with a PURPLE felt marker!!!!!!
Me: really? (um, this is NOT good)
Her: She said to me “The White HAS to go”.
Me: Ok – so maybe you might want to check on the carpet – she told me it had to go, too.
Her: GRRRRR
So a couple of years later I bought her paint, a Trading Spaces shirt (signed by Genevieve and Hildi no less) and helped to paint her furniture properly. All is forgiven - and Jenna still hates anything white.
