Little Artists and Authors...

Leland drawing one of our favorite mountains to hike back in Idaho.

Written Mar 29, 2016

Excitedly he handed me the envelope.  "Read it, Mom," Leland said as he stood eagerly for the words to form on my lips.  

"Duh Mof?"  

"Yes," he beamed.  I opened the envelope to find a beautiful painted picture shaped like a butterfly.  That explains the request to borrow my hair dryer (he likes to blow dry his wet painted pictures).  As I pondered on the phonetic spelling, I began laughing out loud.  I see!  "The moth."

I made a mental note to work on the "th" sound with Leland later, but for now gave him a big hug and thanked him for the note.  As he scampered off to draw and write some more, my heart filled with gratitude.  I love this stage of learning to read and write when they are sounding out words and unabashedly writing notes and books and anything they can think of. It is such a delight to get into their little minds and understand what they are thinking about.

About four years ago when Sennika went through this stage she asked me in her tiny voice, "Mom, how do I spell 'I fly through the Universe looking for adventures?'"  She was writing and illustrating a book about her being a super hero and already had the picture drawn and colored for that page.

So I began, "Capital I, space, f, l..."

Although all at different stages right now, all 3 of the big kids keep paper and writing utensils on hand.  Right now Gavin is writing words with bubble letter monster faces and another joy lately has been to make "build your own monster" sheets.  He puts the body part options running along one side and the color options running along the other.  Then based on which you select, he builds your monster in the center of the page.  He is so involved throughout the day, it isn't unusual for him to keep a stack of paper and a pen always on his person to capture the creative ideas that pop into his head. Sennika has been working on "Senderella," her own version of Cinderella, but as the main character herself.  She spends a part of each day writing and drawing and coloring in her book.

Don't even get me going on all the paper dolls they have made.  Sets of Disney characters or princesses or the time they made an orphanage.  Each one drawn, colored, and cut out by Sennika and Gavin.  Hours of creativity then hours of play.

That is the kind of kids we have at our house.  Mark and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Although the social norm at this time may be to shuttle kids around from commitment to commitment or still their wiggly bodies and questioning minds by placing a mobile device in their hands, it doesn't resonate with the ways we seek to parent.  We believe and protect time to play, to create, to just be free without commitments to run and do sandwiched throughout the day. I saw a saying a while back that completely resonates with us, "there is no app to replace your lap."  We believe in reading good books and spend part of each day reading to and with our children.  We believe in playing with them and spend as much of the day as possible engaging in their creative play with them leading the games.  "Play is a child's work" also resonates with our parenting style.  Don't get me wrong.  They all have chores and responsibilities, but it is in play that children review what they have learned, solidify it, and experiment and learn new things. When they aren't doing school work and chores, most of the day is filled with digging in the sand box and building Legos, and drawing and writing or whatever activity they choose to throw their little souls into for the day. 

We will do all within our power to protect this important part of their childhoods and not push them to grow up too fast.  To let them stay little a little longer, yet offering opportunities to learn and grow as ready. With our littlest now more boy than baby, I am reminded once again how fleeting this precious time is.  I won't be getting hand written notes with phonetic spelling for many years more. There are some days I wish I could make time stand still.  I know I can't.  Instead I do my best to soak up the deliciousness of the giggle, the excited look on his face, the proud moment as she rushes in to show me.  These moments of wonder. The opportunities to listen and to be a part of their life.  The pivotal moments to teach, to counsel, to strengthen our relationship.

I cannot say it enough, but I truly love my job.