Yesterday after school, Reese and I had to make her paper basket for her bunny hop party next week at preschool. I followed the directions and turned the paper bag into the basket for her. It was time for her to decorate. I gave her the crayons and the fun stickers I bought and the only directions I gave her was to make sure her name was on it.
While I watched her I thought of all the other school projects we did together for school; her Letter R poster when she was the letter friend of the week, the homemade Christmas ornament for the tree at school, the valentine’s day box for her treats. I let her do them herself, the way she wanted to as long as it followed any directions or guidelines that was provided. She was proud of them. She loved doing them.
As I watched her I knew that I could step in and make her name look really cute, but that’s not the way she wanted it.
I could have drawn some fun Easter objects on it as well. But that’s not the way she wanted it
I could have lined up the stickers of the eggs with the googly eyes so that they were straight, but that’s not the way she wanted it.
I know some of the other kids’ baskets (because I have seen their other projects) will look flawless; fancy stickers, beautifully traced drawings, perfect coloring, glitter in all the right places. But I guarantee you it was not the kids’ work and I bet some of them were not even how the kids wanted it.
But Reese’s will be just the way she wanted it.
It’s so hard to let them do it their way but so much better for their creativity! Way to go, Mom! (And good practice for the bigger projects later on!)
This piece made me a little teary-eyed actually. First, I love the repetition of the “I could have…” part. Second, I love the ending line: But Reese’s will be just the way she wanted it. Third, I love your approach because I’m the exact same way with my kids. Sometimes I feel like my husband is looking at me strangely, like “you’re a teacher and you’re going to let her turn THAT in?” But he doesn’t understand – that’s just the way she wanted it.
Kudos to you for worrying more about what your kid wants than what other people will think when they look at it!
I love this Slice because I think it is so important that parents allow their children to create on their own and feel like they are capable!! Good for you- letting Reese make her bunny basket just the way she wanted it!!
I love the repetition of, “That’s not the way she wanted it.” And good for you for stepping back and allowing your daughter to have her own thoughts, ideas, and work! YAY!