28 Jan
2009
Do you have a child who spends a great deal of their free time in front of a monitor? Starting at a very early age it seems most kids spend much of their playtime involved with some sort of electronic device. In moderation I think for the most part we have little to be concerned about. What does concern me though is the lack of time our kids are spending involved in unstructured physical activity. We are also spending less time offering them opportunities to create.
I recently discussed the topic of kids and creativity with one of my online friends and colleagues, Susan Loughrin, an expert in the field. She has agreed to weigh in on the topic for my blog to give us a more in depth look at the benefits of incorporating creativity into our children’s lives. In the coming weeks, we’ll be hearing more from Susan as we explore this topic in more detail.
Creative Journey
We are all creative beings. As we learn and grow, our creative lives move us in so many wonderful directions. Taking the time to nurture creativity in your own life and that of your children is a precious gift.
As busy parents with busy children, it is of the utmost importance that we take the time to reflect and nurture our creative journey. Think back on your last few days. How have you filled your time? How have your children filled their time? If you are like most of us, a big chuck of time has probably been devoted to TV, the computer, video games, shopping, doing dishes, organizing…the busy list can go on.
While these activities give some time to unwind or are necessary to keep the household running, what if you began to rethink this time? Say, allowing 15 minutes for a creative activity? A time of free exploration with no rules other then the time you give to create?
Allowing time to create builds on our sense of self-worth. If we can design something from nothing, or dance and sing because it brings us joy, this can only be good for our lives and souls. What if you could do anything you wished right now? What if your child was given time to explore his/her own ideas and create something wonderful?
Take the time to invest in noticing; really noticing the time you spend on creating. Take the time to notice how your children wish and dream. This takes compassion towards yourself and your children. It is not a time to judge what is good or bad, right or wrong. Rather, it is a time to spend re-evaluating or reorganizing your time and your children’s time to allow for simple joys of being alive.
Set aside time each day to create; time for you, time for your children, and time for all of you to create together. Explore ideas and dreams, challenge thinking, play, ask questions, have alone time, visit places that interest you, dance, listen to music, walk outside…anything goes. Support your dreams and allow your children to be uninhibited. Let go of the rules that may hold you back from exploring.
Looking for some ideas? It can take time to let go of the rules and fears that keep us from creating freely and allowing our children to explore, make mistakes, and create something that brings them a sense of great accomplishment.
It is important to spend time each day exploring, connecting, designing, integrating, and reflecting. This is the essence of creating. Knowing that your thoughts, imagination, and ideas matter builds confidence. Sharing the wonder of the world around us with the freedom to explore individually and collectively expands our willingness to believe in ourselves and our ideas.
What are you waiting for? Jump in and create!
Susan Loughrin
Educational Background:
Susan is currently working as the Arts Consultant at the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District in Michigan. She works with all arts educators (pre-K-12) in Ottawa County providing professional development opportunities and arts programming in the areas of dance, theatre, music and visual arts. She earned a B.S. degree from Western Michigan University in the area of Elementary Education, Music, and Integrated Language Arts and an M.A. degree from Teachers College, Columbia University in the area of Developmental Psychology. Susan also works as a creativity coach and can be contacted through the following links:
Creativity coaching link:
http://www.organicsyes.wordpress.com/creativity-coaching/
Creativity Coaching Association link:
http://www.creativitycoachingassociation.com/findcoach/profile.php?coach=90
Susan Loughrin
ONE Group Independent Representative
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