The Top 10 Ways
to Nurture Creativity in Your Children and Yourself
copyright 2003 Kelly Jo Murphy
Certified Parent Coach, Artist, Silly Little Girl!
www.parentingforpotential.com
 There
are many things that you, as a parent, can do to nurture your
children's creativity. Each of the
following ways are about you nurturing your children's creativity,
but they can just as easily be used for yourself or the child
in you wanting to come out and play!
1. Freedom
First
and foremost is to give her the freedom to think, to feel,
to be herself. This can only be when your child feels secure
in her environment, when she feels it is OK to be herself.
Give her the time, space and materials to create to her
heart's content. Children tend to be more creative when
parents give their children a great deal of freedom.
2.
Be an example of a creative person in action
You
are your children's primary role model. Let her see what
it looks like to be creative. Some of the attributes are
easy going, non-authoritarian, open to new adventures and
activities, risk taking, following your own interests and
passions.
3.
Respect
Respecting
that each child has the right to be herself and believing
in her uniqueness builds your child's confidence in herself.
She then feels capable of taking risks and being original.
Respect her imagination and fantasies. They are where creativity
begins.
Here are some examples of comments that nurture the
creative environment:
"It's fun to try it different ways"
"Tell me about it"
"Let's try it anyway"
"Have you thought of any alternatives?"
"I see you are having lots of fun"
These
comments focus on having faith in your child and that it
is ok to do it HER way.
4.
Emotional Detachment from the outcome
Detach
yourself from HER outcome. Her creative endeavors are hers.
Take pride in your own work, let her take pride in her own.
5.
Based on values not rules
Too
many rules are stifling to creativity. But, if you base
your actions on what you value, be an example of those values,
and let your children decide their behavior according to
those values, creativity will flourish.
6.
Achievement not grades
Encourage
your children to do their best and accomplish wonderful
things. Rote learning and high grades are not as important
as imagination and integrity in developing creativity. Creativity
is developed in her achieving what is important to her.
7.
Appreciate creativity
Encourage
inquisitiveness and a sense of wonder. As Albert Einstein
said, "I have no special gift, I am only passionately
curious." Appreciating and acknowledging your children's
creative attempts and endeavors fosters more of the same.
8.
Have a vision
Envision
her as the wonderfully unique and original person she is.
Take your cues from her interests and passions. See her
as capable of doing great, creative things.
Have confidence and trust that she is fine doing things
her own way, doing things that might be different than the
"norm." That vote of confidence allows her the
freedom to be more creative.
When you expect your children to be creative, they will
be. The self-fulfilling prophecy is a strong influence on
your children's behavior, including creativity.
9.
Maximize success
Give
your children every opportunity to develop new interests,
see new things, experience something different, build new
skills. And when she expresses her original ideas about
those new experiences, go with it.
Let
it be ok, let it be great, let it be the "norm"
to express herself in whatever way feels good to her. Success
breeds more success. Creativity breeds more creativity.
10.
Have fun/a sense of humor
Laugh,
have fun, laugh, have fun, laugh a lot. Did I mention laugh?!
:) Humor is a key ingredient in creativity. Laugh at situations,
events, yourself. Lighten up and get silly!
Creativity is within each of our grasps. It is within each
of us waiting to be discovered. Let it out, you and your
children CAN nurture a lifetime of creativity!
Enjoy!
*****************************************
Kelly Jo Murphy is a Certified Parent Coach, Artist, Wife,
Mom and an all around silly little girl. She
helps parents add more fun, ease and fulfillment to their
parenting and their own lives. To sign up for her
FREE ezine, send an email to Parenting_for_Potential-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
www.parentingforpotential.com
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