There was the day I discovered my son could climb out of his crib and quietly shred a roll of toilet paper. Then there was the day I found the same son, different day, sitting outside the open refrigerator. He was playing “play doh” with raw hamburger meat. Or, the time I found him building sand castles…in our bedroom…using the cat litter from the dirty litter box while the other one looked on and clapped with glee. Let’s fast forward to today. It hasn’t changed. My boys are older and the messes are less e. coli laden but alas the messes are still there.
I’ll tell you when I can keep the house clean and orderly–when they are plugged in.
It’s a fight between good and evil—between my OCD for a tidy house and my common sense that my kids need to be able to channel their creativity even if it means complete disarray. I overheard on the Today show that 3 of the best things you can do for your kids is have them play outside, don’t structure all their time, and let them make messes–it fosters creativity.
Greater Good a website focusing on Happiness by the University of California, Berkley, has a series entitled Raising Happiness, Science for Joyful Kids and Happier Parents. They say, “…creativity is more skill than inborn talent, and it is a skill parents can help their kids develop. Because it is a key to success in nearly everything we do, creativity is a key component of health and happiness and a core skill to practice with kids. Creativity is not limited to artistic and musical expression—it is also essential for science, math, and even social and emotional intelligence. Creative people are more flexible and better problem solvers, which makes them more able to adapt to technological advances and deal with change—as well as take advantage of new opportunities.”
The post goes on to list 7 things parents can do to help nurture creativity. The one that caught my eye was about providing “the resources of time for unstructured, child-directed, imaginative play in a specific place where they can make a mess, like room in your attic for dress-up, a place in the garage for painting, or a corner in your family room for Legos.” I think someone is trying to tell me something.
The expression -The days are long but the years are short-comes to mind. In other words, I better get over my need for a mess free house because tomorrow will be here faster than I realize.
Living with Kids: Laura Hall
Living with Kids: Laura Hall
Living with Kids: Rebecca Brown
Living with Kids: Rebecca Brown
Living with Kids: Katy Regnier
Living with Kids: Sara Kahlenberg
If you liked these pictures please check out www.designmom.com, the intersection of design and motherhood. She has a whole section of Home Tours she does entitled “Living with Kids”. LOVE it.
