Issy's Grammie and Grandpa gave her a scrapbook for her birthday. A Hello Kitty scrapbook, complete with book, cool paper, borders, scissors, sticker, glue, ribbon, sparkly pen and even a glitter pen. Pretty awesome. She got to pick it out, so she knew that she was going to get it and every time we would talk about her birthday she would mention her scrapbook that they were giving her.
Of course, she wanted to start on it pretty much right away. And because she has two brothers and a sister that would loooove to get into her stuff, I managed to hold her off until the time was convenient.
And so she started. And I have to tell you, I am not a control freak, but I have a really hard time with my children doing artsy things in a way that you wouldn't conventionally do them. Things are supposed to be neat. And symmetrical, or at least tidily asymmetrical. I have a thing about symmetry, actually. Always have. As a child, I would pull out the tooth on the opposite side of my mouth so that it would be symmetrical. But I digress....
Where was I? Right, symmetry. Anyways, I have enough self-awareness to know this about myself and instead of just taking over the scrapbook and doing it the "right" way, I let her go to it. I made a suggestion here and there, since she has never done it before, but she did it by herself.
And it is beautiful.
Of course, she wanted to start on it pretty much right away. And because she has two brothers and a sister that would loooove to get into her stuff, I managed to hold her off until the time was convenient.
And so she started. And I have to tell you, I am not a control freak, but I have a really hard time with my children doing artsy things in a way that you wouldn't conventionally do them. Things are supposed to be neat. And symmetrical, or at least tidily asymmetrical. I have a thing about symmetry, actually. Always have. As a child, I would pull out the tooth on the opposite side of my mouth so that it would be symmetrical. But I digress....
Where was I? Right, symmetry. Anyways, I have enough self-awareness to know this about myself and instead of just taking over the scrapbook and doing it the "right" way, I let her go to it. I made a suggestion here and there, since she has never done it before, but she did it by herself.
And it is beautiful.
Sometimes my way isn't the best way, I guess
3 comments:
This was a really good post. I really enjoy your writing style. "Things are supposed to be neat. And symmetrical, or at least tidily asymmetrical." That revelation about your teeth-very funny too. I am blogging these days, and it seems that we were both inclined to tangents last night. TEC 107, when we were on wheat crew was such a monumental letting go weekend for me. It was my first time on wheat crew that I had nothing to do with the banner. And it turned out to be the best TEC banner ever. Unfortunately, as Erika will testify, I took a step backwards in the control-freak dept. on the banner this summer. Oh well. We keep trying.
Having kids sure forces you to "let go" in a sense, huh? In addition to making you realize things about yourself you had never thought twice about before. :) I'm totally with you on the symmetry. Why should there be room for interpretation when symmetry is so neat???
Art is about self-expression. But I like orderly self-expression. :)
Good job for letting her go at it alone.
Census Guy-I had no problem with you stepping in when you did so let it go man :)
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