15-Year-Old Daughter Tackles Dad's New Home Office Conversion
After 16 months of working remotely from home, my employer has officially decided to make remote/partial-remote work an acceptable and even preferable option for its employees. This is music to my ears as I’ve really gotten used to not having to commute (40 minutes each way) every day.
For the last 16 months, I’ve been moving around the house, creating ad-hoc computer work-stations, each forcing me to move to a new location for one reason or another. Now that I know working from home is no longer temporary, it’s time to get serious about creating an at home working environment that meets all my needs, and I think I’ve found the perfect spot.
I have a rather large (1600 sq/ft) detached workshop, and within the workshop the previous owners walled in and insulated a nice 20’x20’ room. I believe they used it as a doggy grooming business…yes, it still has lingering wet dog smell. ☹ Anyways, we’ve been using it as a sort of multi-purpose room, where we store gardening equipment, tools, pool chemicals, and paint. We were even using it to host a middle-school LEGO robotics team, which is no longer the case now that our team members have all aged out and are moving onto high-school robotics. Below are some pics of what the room currently looks like. Yes, it’s a giant mess, and yes, I haven’t forgotten about the wet dog smell, but I can see the potential, and I think it would be perfect for my new office!
After getting approval from my wife to use the space, I needed to figure out how I would turn it into my dream work environment. My wife and I have the means to do it ourselves, as she has a bachelors degree in interior design, and I have learned carpentry and basic home remodeling skills from my father-in-law who was a home builder. Unfortunately, we are both lacking the time and frankly energy to take it on right now. This is where my oldest daughter Maya comes into the picture.
Maya is my oldest daughter and spends most of her time in front of the computer creating digital art. It’s kind of her passion right now. Her other passion, or perhaps more accurate, obsession, is the idea of living in a tiny home. She has been obsessing over the idea of eventually moving into one and has spent countless hours researching and designing her future home. What she doesn’t have yet is the experience to build one….hmmm, I wonder where she could gain some experience?? 😊
Yes, you’ve guessed it, Maya will be designing and renovating my future home office. I plan to use this thread to document her journey. I created a Houzz IdeaBook to give her an idea of what I’m looking for, and she can of course use myself and my wife as resources. She has her summer break to complete it…think she can do it?
Current State of Future Office Space
A Few Pics from My Future Office Inspiration IdeaBook
Comments (165)
Missi (4b IA)
2 years ago
PROFlo Mangan
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Dealing with boyfriend depressed 15 year old daughter
Comments (4)Hi Jenn, Wow! I almost could have written this about 4 years ago. Many details are the same: depressed 15/16 year old (that started out cutting herself), then a suicide attempt, and bipolar & borderline personality disorder ex-wife. Eek! You have my heartfelt sympathies so my first advice is DON'T FEEL ALONE! :) and you are not crazy for feeling the way you do. It's hard for the best dad in the world to make up for the possible inherited emotional makeup and the influences of a psycho ex-wife. I dated my boyfriend for 3 years before we got married; after each being divorced once and knowing how hard it is to make blended families work we wanted to be careful. He had custody for 9 months out of the year, the mother had the summers. Most of our problems came to light after we were married. After the suicide attempt the SD stayed 9 days in a psyche hospital for troubled teens. My husband and I were blamed by some of his family and the ex-wife for his daughters problems. Her caseworker at this hospital was horrible as the ex-wife had convinced her we were the root cause of it all and I left in tears one day. Had he not stood up for me to his family I very well may have taken my son and left. But, he did stand up for me and he is a good, good man so we are still together and are now empty nesters. My second piece of advice is counseling - for everyone that will go; you and your boyfriend and especially the SD. But be careful, we had some bad ones during our troubles so make sure you get a good one. Don't be afraid to try another if the first one doesn't work. I guess it boils down to you weighing out what your relationship with him means to you, keeping the welfare of your daughters in mind of course as it seems like they are still young. Sounds like you jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire, so to speak. Not fun. However, kids grow up and (hopefully) start their own lives, so are you better with him or without him? My last piece of advice is pray. Pray and pray some more! Ask other people to pray for you and her as well. And find someone to talk to - a counselor, minister or the like, not just a friend. There is hope. Now at 21 my SD is really growing up and maturing. She has gotten off her anti-depressants and is beating her depression. She has moved away which means she's also far away from her mother who tends to cause problems. We have been taking small steps in the last year to building a new relationship and we are making good progress. Good luck to you!...See Morestep dad and 8 year old daughter
Comments (22)Thank you both for your responses. Amber i do tell my daughter under no cercumstance is she allowed to disrespect him. She has had her privileges taken way on a monthly base. Usually he is the one who picks the punishment and for how long. Sometimes im not exactly sure what all he takes away. The last time he punished er he took everything away from her. She doesnt have tv computer, netflix, going to movies for over six months. I unfortunately did not heard the punishment, because the day he gave the punishment i was recovering from a bronchoscopy. I thought I had heard him say she can not play on anything he bought, but unfortunately i was wrong. She is banned from everything. She can only play with her toys and read books. My husband has always had my oermission to disciplinw our daughter. I've tried very hard not to step on his toe when it came to punishing her. Even though six months of no electrinics is a pretty tough punishment for an eight year old, i've still stood behind him. She had a project last month and my husband refused to help her because of how she treats him. He feels that she wont fail becausebof her age and will give her a grade for effort. I however feel completly different. School work is not something i am going to say no to. No my husband does not have children of his own. Our daughter is his first shot at being a parent. He goes by how he acted as a child and expects the same way, he was a good obedient kid. Myself, on the other hand, gave my parents a challenge. I didn't do bad things against the law but i gave quite a few gray hairs to my mom. I know he cares about her but even i have doubts. I understand how mean she can be, trust me she hurts me the worst when she gets in one of her moods. However no matter how much she mistreats me,im still her mother. I should always be there for her. He is a dad now and he should also be beside me helping her through this. We have tried sitting down with her and explained the things we would be able to do as a family if only she listened to what we asjed her to do. She seems to behave for a few days and goes back to the same way as before. Unfortunately she is half the time with us and half the time with her bio dad so she gets a break from her punishmebt. When she comes back we have to start all over again. I've tried to explain to my husband she is just a child, usually when ahe is not around, but he doesn't follow. To him he just see an evil kid who will not change. He has even said out loud that if she doesnt change that she will one day be flipping burgers at a fast food joint. Anytime i sit with him and talk about her it's always negative. He doesnt even believe her teacher when we were told how smart she is and how polite and respectful she is. I was evwn stopped by the before and after school care staff last week, on how polite and respectful and willingness to help she was....See More17 year old step daughter moved out
Comments (28)The thing is when it comes to physical violence the decision would have been the same whether it were his children or mine. The decision wasn't made for SD to move out because she was my SD...It was made because she was mentally and physically abusive to the other children in the house. If it were my biological children beating on my SD the decision would have been made to have them removed from our home..sending them to their dad's. The blaming me only comes because it wasn't my biological children that were told to leave. I have tried to explain this to SD's grandmother but she says she never wants to see or speak to me again...which is when my husband had seen and heard enough and told his mom that she didn't need to see or speak to him either. She ended the conversation with "Don't worry I don't intend to" This is why I feel bad for my husband...he was forced to ask his only daughter to leave, his mother won't speak to him, which for his small family only leaves his dad (which is very sweet) and his brother, whom his daughter lives with which limits his contact with him. I really do wish there could have been a better ending with this situation...maybe in time there will be. He does adore my four children which says alot about the man. I had four children in five years and my last child was severally disabled which did hurt my first marriage. My son is better now but his conditions took their toll, on him as well as us(his parents). At the time I met my 2nd husband I was very single, my children's BD was having a hard time, and going through nursing school. He took us all in without a thought and loved my children as his own. Now the relationship with my ex and his wife is a very good one which is another hurddle for my husband to overcome...which he did with flying colors. As a family we have nights where we BBQ and my ex and his wife is invited and come over and have a good time..just talking. How many 2nd husband's could handle their wives having dinner with her ex. Not many. Hats off to my husband for being the man that he is....See MoreProblems with 15 year old stepdaughter
Comments (56)Hi Petunia- I saw your posts where you said something like you are afraid you will never meet anyone. I would bet money with you that I am just as much of a home body as you, if not more. *wink* You will meet someone. When you are ready and when you are not looking or expecting it. Sweeby- I disagree with mentioning kids or marriage on the second date. I agree with you on what you are saying but for some reason it FREAKS guys out. Not only does it freak them out but it is in many magazines and articles about dating not to mention it that soon. Again, I agree it shouldnt be that big of a deal. I have to agree with the person who said the ex is not perfect since she wants kids. I also think he is not perfect because he is not treating you the way you should be treated -as the women in the relationship. Its bad parenting by the parent (not the kid) He allows this kind of stuff to go on. I dont care if he feels guilty or not. You are the adult and the women in the relationship. She is the child. I would not allow myself to be treated in any way other than that. When I am not they are placed on the curb. Yes, it stinks and yes it hurts. Once my head and heart are clear and I am on the outside looking in I clearly see things without my heart involved and I realize that I made the best decision. As far as meeting people on the internet. I have met guys on the net and out. It made no difference where I met them, what they did for a living, or where they lived they were who they were and it wouldnt have mattered where I met them. The same people you would meet out and about are the same people that are on the internet. I personally would use a match maker service that you had to pay for. That would weed out some of the people you wouldnt want anyway. Good Luck Keep us updated. Its a New Year and you are going to meet someone special if you let yourself! *wink*...See More
plf12652
2 years agoDan
2 years agoDesk came in today. To overhang or not to overhang, that is the question. What do you think?
nhb22
2 years ago
Ann Head
2 years agomodpod
2 years agoplf12652
2 years ago
Shawna
2 years agoDan
2 years agoOk, looks like no overhang it is. Thanks for the input everyone. Today we finished seeing the tile and purchased a rug. Tomorrow we’ll seal the tile and sometime this weekend we’ll grout.
- PRO
Flo Mangan
2 years ago Dan
2 years agoDan
2 years agoOh yeah, Maya is experimenting with a shoshugibon/painted table that we threw together with some left over lumber. The plan is to put the table against the back of the couch.
- PRO
Flo Mangan
2 years ago 
RedRyder
2 years agoDan
2 years agoDan
2 years agoDan
2 years agoSarah
2 years ago
Sonny 62
2 years agoDan
2 years agoHi Sarah, thanks for putting things into perspective. Lately I’ve been feeling like the project isn’t happening as fast as I would like, but as you pointed out it really hasn’t been that long. And I’m really happy to say that we just finished the brick wall!!
Dana Veach
2 years ago- PRO
Flo Mangan
2 years ago modpod
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Izzy Mn
2 years agoDan
2 years agoDana Veach
2 years ago
cawaps
2 years ago
s y
2 years agoDana Veach
2 years agoJustDoIt
2 years agomodpod
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Laurie Gordon
2 years ago
tartanmeup
2 years agoSarah
2 years ago- PRO
Flo Mangan
2 years ago cawaps
2 years agoplf12652
2 years ago
PRODesign Interior South
2 years agoMissi (4b IA)
2 years ago
Diane
2 years ago
highdesertowl
2 years agoIzzy Mn
2 years agoDan
2 years agoHi Izzy, will do when I get a chance. Here’s some new pics of how I’m hiding the odd ball window. I’ve always loved Jackson Pollock, so decided to give it a try. It’s a 4’x4’ painting…probably not going to appeal to most but it fits my style. :)
s y
2 years agoDan
2 years agos y
2 years ago
DanOriginal Author