December 2020 | Page 2 of 2

It was on my list to get Charlie a doll house for her second birthday and I had spied a couple of gorgeous ones on the Internet but hadn’t picked one out. One day while stopping in one of my very favorite Nashville stores, The Getalong, there it was…the cutest little wooden doll house. I asked how much it was and the owner told me…it wasn’t for sale…it was from IKEA! Oh sign me up. I wouldn’t even have thought to look at IKEA for a doll house (they do list it as a doll house/wall shelf on their website) and I was even more pleasantly surprised when I saw the price tag of $34.99. I’ve seen some doll houses for between $100-300 so this was a no-brainer. And even though it has a much lower price tag, the quality and design make it seem like any other expensive doll house out there.

The house was pretty easy to put together as far as IKEA stuff goes (thanks Daddy!). It comes with a green chimney and since I’m not a green kinda girl…I spray painted it white before we put that part on. It does come with holes in the back and hardware to secure it to a wall, but I just keep it on the ground for the girls to play with and that has worked for us- but nice to have the option! The FLISAT shelf would also be a beautiful option for a Montessori style playroom shelf. Natural and able to display toys in a way that makes it accessible and easy for children to play independently.

I got the Olli Ella Holdie doll furniture from online shop Rose & Rex. I’M SORRY BUT IT’S THE CUTEST DOLL FURNITURE I’VE EVER SEEN (I totally admit that I buy some toys because *I* love them! Sorry not sorry.) The sweet little bunnies are from the Calico Critters collection that Charlie got from grandparents and the little peg dolls are a Waldorf and Montessori style doll from Amazon. Charlie likes the little Manhattan Toy Company MiO cabin set next to it too they’re usually next to each other.

And lastly, those little wooden animals (there’s a whole collection)? Just the SWEETEST. Handmade in Russia, but purchased from Etsy. My mom gave them to Charlie for her first Christmas and I just adore them. They come in their own little house and Charlie has loved playing with them so much.

I would love to see pictures of your doll houses or the creative ways you’ve used this IKEA shelf!

This is not going to be a long post because I would never be able to accurately convey how important this book has been to my mama heart. The book speaks for itself. So in short: if you are a parent or would like to be someday, you need this book. As in, get on Amazon and buy it right now. It’s become my parenting Bible. My teacher and guide. A source of comfort as it has confirmed what my heart and soul naturally felt. It’s breathtakingly beautiful. It’s ancient wisdom retold and interpreted in modern language by William Martin. And boy does he do a stellar job. It’s the only book I would say a parent needs. And it would make a beautiful gift for new mamas and papas.

If you’re not familiar, I’ll quote William Martin here for a fast snapshot. “The Tao Te Ching was written more than twenty-five hundred years ago. It’s authorship is shrouded by legend but is attributed to the legendary Chinese sage, Lae Tzu. It is a book of practical advice for leaders and philosophers, attempting to express glimpses of the inexpressible Tao, or ‘The Way/The Way of Life.’ His work has become the most widely published book in the world next to the Bible.”

This version is Martin’s take of the Tao as he reinterprets it for parents. As he says, “The great themes that permeate the Tao, such as unity; responding without judgement; emulating natural processes; and balancing between doing and being are central to the health of loving parent-child relationships.”

The book is poetic, mystical and profound. I promise it will speak deeply to your mama or papa heart. And I promise you will come out on the other end feeling validated and inspired to be the best parent you can be. For me, it’s not just been something to read once. The book is organized in easy to read, short prose and poems so it’s a book to come back to time and time again. Earmark things that speak to you. Learn from it. Let it guide you. Let it make you a better parent. Open your heart to it and keep it by your bed when you’re having a hard parent day and let it calm and comfort you that tomorrow you can begin anew. And above all, let it deepen your relationship with your children.

Using the IKEA FLISAT Wall Shelf for an Affordable Doll House

The Most Important Parenting Book I Own: “The Parent’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice For Modern Parents”

Archives for December 2020