How can I be more creative in my life? Research shows that creativity is declining in today's children. I personally took it as....it's declining in ME, and if I'm a dreadfully dull person, what kind of blobs of nothing are my children going to become? I am the first to tell people that I am not crafty or creative. Is this true? Or am I just not willing to put in the effort to BE crafty and creative? As a child, I was extremely creative. I loved to play pretend and played for hours in my own worlds. As an adult, I survive. I get by day to day the best I can without having a melt down. I do this by making things as simple as possible...and making LOTS of lists. Who finds joy in this? ME. How can I be more creative in my life? What kind of tasks, can I commit to using more creativity? Let's make a list, shall we? An evil chuckle and a rubbing of the hands..
1.The first and most obvious, how I educate my children.
2.The way in which I teach them the gospel
3.In my Primary calling
4.In my piano lessons
5.I can be more creative in my cooking. This one may sound silly, but this family EATS, and eats often. Putting more creativity in my cooking would definitely spice things up in our lives.
6.I can be more creative in decorating my home.
7.Getting the most for my dollar requires creativity :)
What kind of things am I already using creativity in?
1. Hmmmmm.......
I definitely have been exploring being creative when teaching my children. I also, often try to find ways to make my piano lessons more interesting for those who tend to struggle. Oh! Here's a few...
1. I am creative when I make green smoothies.
2. I am creative in my writing.
Yeah that's right...you're all jealous. I can think of other things, but they seem so silly to claim I am creative. Such as: “I am creative when I do my hair....” bleh. I want to think outside of the box, and really put some effort in. So let's look back at my "needs creativity list" and begin to brainstorm some ways to be more creative...with an outline (YAHOO!):
Educating my children:
1.Give them loose creativity items according to their interests during free time. Katrina could have some art supplies (and list making supplies). Payton, some Legos. Bella, some workbooks (she's the odd ball). Tyson, a box of action figures.
2.Don't be afraid to let loose. When doing school, and the children suddenly take interest in something, remember it is OK to occasionally drop everything and do some improv creativity. Don't be so rigid. “No child A, you MUST finish this math problem during math time, or you will forever break away from the assembly line society and live a happy life...”
3.Find creative ways to teach concepts. Use manipulative's, real life scenarios, and teaching as much as possible through actual experience.
4.Let them problem solve on their own. Don't provide all the answers, but rather encourage them to ask questions. Also, provide situations where the family gets together and brainstorms a problem.
Teaching them the gospel:
1.Use pictures and visuals rather than just always reading word for word.
2.Act out scenes and encourage the children to participate in “speaking rolls”.
3.Encourage the children to set up their own gospel study plan, complete with goals.
4.Do hands on activities that enforce that which you've been studying.
In my Primary Calling:
1.Think like a child....what are their interests? What would they find very exciting and fun, and how can you weave that into your lessons and activities?
2.Try to put your own spin on lesson suggestions. Don't always copy someone else's idea. Even better, ponder the weekly theme and come up with your own ideas, rather than immediately looking for someone elses.
3.Seek out inspiration from Heavenly Father. He's blessed me with so many gifts, he definitely knows the best ways I can use them.
In my piano teaching:
1.Ponder the needs of each individual child, and the ways they enjoy learning. Take into account their age, intelligence level, and interests.
2.Take that list, and brainstorm creative ways to help them learn.
3.Challenge them to push themselves. Don't always do what the teacher says...work ahead, and try to learn some things on their own.
4.Encourage them to write their own songs, by writing them down for them as they create them. Let them give them a name and make the “notation rules”.
5.Spend a portion of each lesson playing a game, or “jamming” if you have older students. Make sure they leave the lesson with positive thoughts and a smile on their face.
In my cooking:
1.No brainer here: Try new things, and don't be afraid of cooking new foods.
2.Pick a culture and study what they eat. As a family, plan a week of that “cultures” foods and learn something new each night about that culture as you sit down to eat.
3.Get artistic in the way I display our foods. Buy nicer dishes, and don't always serve everything out of a pot.
4.Give the kids “pretty things” to decorate the table with when they do their chore. Have pretty linens, glasses, plates, maybe even candles. Let them take joy in creating beauty. Don't stress about the extra laundry and dish washing.
5.Work hard on helping the family find joy in making food, and being together as a family. Not just eating it. Teach them to slow down, and savor the bites.
In decorating my home:
1.Finish painting the dang house already.
2.Learn how to sew simple things such as pillow covers and simple drapes. You can Do this...Deep Breath.
3.Study landscaping, pick ONE section of your yard and plant some pretty things. You can DO this.....use a paper bag to breathe in if you must.
4.Get rid of things that don't bring you joy, but you have been hanging on to them, simply because you've had them so long they are a growth on your.....never mind.
5.Let the kids get involved in decorating their rooms. Get them some home magazines and encourage them to make a portfolio of the things they like.
Getting the most for my dollar:
1.Shop Goodwill and DI.
2.Go to yard sales, but have a plan. Make a list of the types of items you are looking for, and try not to buy extra.
3.Don't be afraid to buy high quality if you know you'll use it A LOT. Such as towels. Why one earth do I insist on buying cheap, scratchy towels when I know I'm going to hang onto them FOREVER and try to pass them on to the next generation??
This has been fun! I see so many ways I can make improvements in my life, and I'm excited to give it a try. The next step is to make a plan. Because my non-creative self insists on having a plan, complete with lists, time frames, progress charts....and did I mention LISTS?
