Most of us have grown up with very set ideas about what is 'suitable' for girls and boys, from colours to toys- even down to the way each gender is allowed to display emotion. It's only been in recent years that all of that has been turned on it's head, and more and more parents are giving their children the freedom to be who they want to be- without being constrained by gender. More extreme cases are often criticised, with some parents refusing to even refer to their child as 'he' or 'she' until they're old enough to decide. But in most practices, it simply means letting them be who they are, and grow up without negative gender stereotypes that can affect us later in life. For example, did you know that suicide rates are higher in men, because boys tend to be raised believing that opening up about their feelings or being upset isn't 'manly'? Did you know that millions of women across the globe are held back from achieving their career dreams, due to stereotyping- suggesting women can't (or shouldn't) do certain kinds of roles?

We are becoming more and more open minded as a society, which is only a good thing. The equal pay act for example was passed in 1970, and the law against racism and all forms of discrimination was passed in 2010. In 2014 gay marriage was legalised, and more and more of our members of society are being protected and represented. But there's still so more that needs to be done, and actually a lot can be down to the way kids are raised early in life. Going back to what's 'suitable' for boys and girls, if we stop restricting our childrens' likes, attitudes and future goals based on their gender then we can help to create a better world. And one small yet significant way we can go about this as parents is by creating a bedroom that reflects who they are as a person, and not just their gender. This is the place that your child will learn and grow, and the space is a big part of their lives. Here are some ideas to think about.

If your child is a boy and they ask for blue then that's great, or if they're a girl and want pink then go for it! But it could be fun to ask what they'd prefer- that way it's a colour that they genuinely like and not just one that's assigned due to their gender. A good tip is to actually paint the room in a neutral colour scheme- white, cream or very light grey all work well, then add colour using accessories. This can make the room look spacious and bright, and you can introduce whatever other colours you want with curtains, bedding, rugs and wall prints.

Another fun way to decorate a kids room without going down the pink or blue route is to pick a theme. How about tropical island, forests, oceans or space? You could even use it as an opportunity to make things educational. Taking the space theme for example, you could hang some prints on the wall with pictures of different planets and include some information about each. It's something you could easily make yourself on Photoshop and have printed at any print shop.

Instead of going with a princess bed for a girl or a race car bed for a boy, something classic that doesn't reflect a gender could be a good choice. Look at Room to Grow’s collection of mid sleeper beds for example, each could easily be used for either. You could then finish the look with some neutral coloured bedding, or something that comes in a style that suits your theme. You can find all kinds of wild and wonderful choices online these days so you won't struggle finding exactly what you're after.