You Can Learn From Your Kids Too

As they say it “there is no age of learning”. And, yes it’s true to every bit of it. But it’s also true that there is no age of teaching. Your kid can be your mentor too. My kid teaches me very basic lessons of life every moment, of course unknowingly.

I would like to share an incident here which recently happened to me.

So things went like this. It was a usual morning. “No milk” tantrums by daughter were being thrown. I was making up stories of fairies so that she finishes her glass of milk quickly. Following the routine, we were getting late for her online class.    

I told her that there will be a stone painting activity in her online class. She, enthusiastically, went to get the laptop from the room. 

The good thing about kids is that they are always eager to learn new things. My daughter never missed her online classes during the 2020 pandemic. At the age of only four years, she made sure to learn my laptop password, so that she can unlock it. I placed the laptop on the table and she made herself comfortable on the chair. She entered the zoom meeting password and began with her online learning. 

This reminded me that I have to provide her with stone before her activity begins. So, the whole house searched and began to find a stone so that she could paint on it. I could not find it anywhere. She could understand it from my face while singing rhymes along with her teacher and class fellows. I was worried about her disappointment that she could not enjoy her favorite part of the class.

I went out on the balcony and started my search again in the planters. Then, I heard her voice “Mumma, bring me a potato, we don’t have stone at home”.

I rushed to the kitchen and gave her a potato. She painted it under her teacher’s instructions. And I sat in front of her in amazement. 

So, that day my daughter taught me how to be creatively sound. You will always fall short of resources. But, if you have a strong will to do something, you will find a way. Here are some suggestions to make your kid more creative:

1. Let things get messy: I know creativity leads to a messy house. But, calm yourself with this thought “Oh my little kid”. Avoid shouting at all. Be patient if your kid has created a mess. Parenting is a job of constant guidance. You will have to teach your kid how not to be messy. It’s the same way how you taught him to hold the spoon. Remember? 

Another thing which came handy in my case is giving my kid a designated place to sit. You cannot force them to sit at one place. But, try to feed an idea to their brain that particular place belongs to them. This will help in creating a little less mess.

2. Set no boundaries: All kids are creative in their own way. It’s us who restrict their boundary of thoughts. Avoid making fun of your kid’s painting or drawing. Let their imagination flow. 

Don’t expect their art to be realistic. Let your kid be a kid. And, you will be amazed at their thought process. 

3. Don’t expect anything: Always remember that you are dealing with a kid. Try to keep your expectations low. They are in the learning phase so appreciate their efforts. 

Never force them to paint within a particular picture. If the paint goes outside the edges of the picture, then let it be. Neither stress yourself, nor the kid.  

4. Stay positive: Try not to give negative remarks. Appreciation and encouragement is the key you should hold onto. Avoid drawing or helping in their craft activities. Let your kid use his creativity. 

5. Reward them: Always reward your kid for his efforts. Be it a peck on his cheeks. A kid never expects expensive rewards. Your love is the best reward for them.

Priya Mundada is a mother of 4 years old and Ph.D in Environmental Engineering. She has worked as an Assistant Professor. She runs her own business.

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Mom Store.