A couple weeks ago, I was working with a group of second graders in an art class. I love art, obviously, so I was excited to see what was on the agenda. The students were to recreate a picture from Eric Carle’s book, Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me. It required some painting, drawing, and gluing. It was going to be a sticky mess, but I was game for it. I thought they would be too. NOT the case. I immediately heard: I hate art…I suck at this…draw this for me…this is too hard…and so on. These were seven year olds, mind you.
Now, I do have an education background, so these complaints were not totally new to me. Plus, there is the possibility that some of these kids would have rather done their own thing, instead of following the rules of a structured art project. I can totally relate. But, these comments sounded different than just a bunch of creative geniuses wanting to go rogue. They sounded like…adults.
Much like how I imagine adults would have been in this situation, these kids couldn’t let their guards down and have fun! They were too worried about do it “right.” And doing it “right” is not conducive to the creative process.
Creativity is not a dichotomy of good or bad, right or wrong. But that’s the way it seems to be presented. It’s this all or nothing way of thinking that contributes to the decline of creativity with age—the idea that if we aren’t “good” at something, then we shouldn’t even try. Unfortunately, our kids pick up on it, too.
I know what some of you may be thinking; Well, some kids just don’t like being creative. I’m not sure that’s true. It is in our human nature to be creative. What is true. is that not all children express creativity in the same way. And that’s a good thing.
But just because some kids choose singing, playing sports, or writing as their preferred form for creative expression, doesn’t mean that they can’t also explore other avenues. Again, there seems to be a duality of only this or only that. And they are getting this way of thinking from adults.
For example, when I went back to grad school for clinical psychology, a classmate of mine asked me what I did when I wasn’t in school. I showed her my art and told her about my business. She said, “ OH MY GOSH! These are amazing! You are in school for the WRONG THING!” These comments (meant as compliments) felt extremely limiting. I am more than one thing. And although I know this now, it took me a long time to give myself permission to pursue multiple interests.
Creativity is the catalyst that helped me release the limitations I set for myself. It helped me see my life as an unfolding process—rather than as a bunch sequential boxes that need to be checked. This is why I want to advocate on the behalf of children everywhere.
Let’s give our children permission to try new things, make mistakes, and have fun. The creative process is monumental to growth, imagination, problem solving, and ingenuity. If we want our kids to possess these skills, we have to give them the space they need to explore.
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