So, I was surfing around blogs like I usually do when I *really* don’t want to do the housework and happened upon a blog post about nurturing creativity in your children. She asked for comments on how to ensure your children wouldn’t loose their creative tendencies as they grew older. So, I started hyperventilating. So, you mean I have to add yet another thing to my list of things I have to do for my children every day?

Let’s think about it, we already have to: feed them three times a day plus snacks, make sure that each of them has a balanced diet, brush their teeth, teach them good manners, teach them to not talk to strangers (impossible), clothe them, pick up from school, pray with them, read to them, read scriptures to them, buckle them EVERY time you get in the car, bathe them, teach them to read, make sure they have physical activity, discipline them the right way, teach them to work, plus clean the house, run the errands, wash the clothes, nurse the baby, and somehow fit in time for my sewing addiction and time with my husband.

So when I started reading how all these other moms were consciously encouraging creativity in their children, you can see how I would need a brown paper bag to calm myself down. Then, like a ray of sunshine my daughter created this little jewel:

She drew it with chalk, cut it out, and instructed me on how to sew it (and with which stitch). I was amazed.

Then, I caught my 2yo rocking out to Muse using a blacklight as a microphone:

And today, my 5yo and 4yo rescued a gnat from their window sill and gave it a home:

They thought it was a baby bee, so they gave her some bread to eat, a rock to climb on, and a princess magnet to play with. I intervened just as they were brainstorming on a way to give her water. I died just a little when I realized that the gnat was just twitching and about to move on to the next life. But, how creative! Alas, I don’t have to feel guilty about how we didn’t create an opera by singing the whole day, or how I don’t give them new crafting supplies each day so they don’t get bored and loose their interest in art. Seriously.

I don’t supress their creativity and I think that’s enough for now. Some people are widly creative and others not so much. We should nurture our childrens’ strengths as well as giving them opportunities for creativity and such.