Your Kids' Creativity

As parents we want to make sure we are providing for our kids in all ways.  Not only does that include food and money, but also play activities such as games, sports, etc.  It's important that parents play games with their kids and goof around with them.  There are times, however, where parents can take this too far.  Parents mean well, but we can make our kids' lives too rigid and planned.  I know I can be guilty of this as I will sometimes feel bad if I'm not playing with them at home or helping them with something they're working on.  However, I have to keep reminding myself that it's good for kids to have time each day that is not rigid and planned.  It's important kids have alone time in which parents are not directly involved.  It's important kids have the opportunities to use and develop their creativity.

It's all about finding the right balance.  And when that balance is found (don't ask me how, because I question every day whether we've found that balance with our kids), it can be truly amazing, or at least I think it can.  The other day I wrote about my daughters dressing their stuffed animals up as stuffed animals.  Other times they'll talk about and create their own science experiments.  Other times they are developing their own skills of working together to solve a problem or work out disagreements.  Granted, mommy and daddy often have to settle these disagreements, but depending on what's going on with the disagreement, we'll let them work on it for awhile before interrupting.  

There's no magic pill to parenting.  I wish there was.  All parents make mistakes.  All we can do is work to recognize those mistakes and do better the next time.