And remember… don’t worry about what your “arts and crafts” look like! (And in my case, my cooking too!)
When I taught preschool, the parents asked why their children rarely brought home pictures/crafts/ etc. when we were working on arts and crafts every day. It’s because I was so focused on the creative process and not concerned with the result. If a child asked to bring something home, I sent it home, but otherwise, we created for the sheer joy and soul-nourishment that comes with creation, with no attachment to the result.
Much of what a I create looks like it was done by a 3-year-old.
But it doesn’t matter… I just love to create.
I’ve tried to instill this in my children as well–just go for it! Get dirty and messy and TRY! Henry is forever asking me to sew clothes for his action figures, knit swords, make a mountain or a lake. I encourage him to try himself, and he actually works on it and enjoys the final result–a cape for his Warrior made of felt and a little thread; a pile of clay becomes a mountain, a felted piece of knitting becomes the hat of an alligator. He is so happy with the final result because it came from his own two little hands.
I have had to apply this same thinking to my cooking as well, when my pancakes look like frisbees and my scrambled eggs look like someone upchucked all over our plates, I let it go, throw it out, and start over again. My kids pat me on the back and say things like “You have other talents, Mom,” or “It’s OK mom, you’re really good at baking cookies,” or my personal favorite, “Let’s ask Dad to cook instead.” (He’s an amazing cook while my talents lie in the area known as dancing around the kitchen doing high kicks and being silly).
I was very tickled by the following post by Franziska Macur called Outcome vs. Output and her battle with the beautiful things on Pinterest. I absolutely LOVE Pinterest but it is true that nothing I make looks Pinterest-Worthy–but I really enjoy the talents of others. But here’s the post: it made me laugh.
