It's a fine line
There is a fine line between enjoying crafting and being obsessed by it. I know I crossed it several times when my kids were growing up, and they always let me know when I did. I vividly recall one Halloween when I was tearing up white sheets in preparation for us to make little ghosts. I envisioned them poking out of plants, from behind pictures, gazing down from the top of my bookcases. I was assembling all the stuff at the kitchen table...black markers for the faces, stuffing for the ghost heads, shish kabob sticks to mount them on and orange yarn to tie them up. My daughter came in, took one look at the table and said "What do we have to make now?" "We don't have to make anything," I replied smugly, "but your brother and I are going to make ghost heads." That'll show her! "I don't have to help?" "Nope." "Cool," she said leaving the room. A little deflated, my son and I made about a dozen of them before he ran out to play.
As I was putting the little ghostly heads around the house, a few things occurred to me.
1. It's ok if one or both of the kids chooses not to craft. Just because I like making things in no way means that they will also like doing so. Crafting should be something you want to do, not something you have to do.
2. Maybe making Halloween ghosts and Halloween candy and Halloween cookies and Halloween costumes and carving jack-o-lanterns was one too many Halloween themed crafts.
3. And maybe I should go outside and play with my kids. Crafts will always be there...kids won't.
A couple of days later I passed through the living room and saw my daughter looking at the little ghost head peeking out from behind the mirror on the wall. She looked over at me and said "Cool ghosts, Mom." Yes, indeed...and a very cool kid, too.
As I was putting the little ghostly heads around the house, a few things occurred to me.
1. It's ok if one or both of the kids chooses not to craft. Just because I like making things in no way means that they will also like doing so. Crafting should be something you want to do, not something you have to do.
2. Maybe making Halloween ghosts and Halloween candy and Halloween cookies and Halloween costumes and carving jack-o-lanterns was one too many Halloween themed crafts.
3. And maybe I should go outside and play with my kids. Crafts will always be there...kids won't.
A couple of days later I passed through the living room and saw my daughter looking at the little ghost head peeking out from behind the mirror on the wall. She looked over at me and said "Cool ghosts, Mom." Yes, indeed...and a very cool kid, too.
