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- Oh No, The Kids Are Bursting with Ideas!
by Amanda Thompson
Updated: Jan. 31, 2017
Originally Published: March 25, 2011
As a mother, I often feel a pang of guilt when I observe that spark of creativity ignite in my children. When one of them exclaims, “Oh! I have an AMAZING idea!” my heart sinks a little. Theoretically, their bursts of inspiration are joyous. However, the reality is that these moments often lead to a tremendous amount of work for me, a lesson I’ve learned through experience.
Take my seven-year-old, Max, for instance. When he gets a grand idea, it becomes an immediate call for action on my part. His enthusiasm is so intense that it wipes away any patience or rational thought he might have (which, frankly, isn’t much to begin with). He dreams up the most extravagant projects, leaving me to shoulder the responsibility of making those dreams a reality.
I once enrolled the kids in a movie-making camp for a week—what a mistake that was! The camp only stoked their imaginative fires, which I prefer to keep simmering at a low heat. Yesterday, upon picking them up, Max excitedly announced he was inspired to create a stop-motion animation short film.
These particular inspirations are the ones I dread most, as they tend to be the most labor-intensive and require technology that I can barely navigate. I can handle helping him build a Lego Eiffel Tower or concoct a crossover story featuring Harry Potter and How to Train Your Dragon, but anything involving editing software? No thanks.
At 6 PM, Max is ready to dive into his movie project. Yet, we have dinner to prepare, baths to take, and bedtime routines to follow. From past experiences, I know that this endeavor can consume anywhere from two to four hours—definitely not a task to start at nightfall.
These unanticipated sparks of creativity are what I dread. Because when I gently inform Max that there’s simply not enough time to film before bed, he erupts in frustration. Doesn’t he understand that he’s riding a wave of creative energy that can’t be delayed or abbreviated? He’s on fire with the need to create, and bedtime? Not on his radar. The masterpiece he envisions must not fade away before it has a chance to shine.
“You want to let this brilliant creation die unseen?” he asks. And he insists it will only take five minutes. Naturally, I’m a sucker for his passion and, perhaps regrettably, I cherish his ambitious dreams even more than he does. After all, I’ve saved countless drawings of his favorite video game characters. So, how could I say no?
Thus, I find myself past bedtime, furiously interviewing a Lego ninja figure while my four-year-old daughter, Lily, calls for assistance with her own project.
“Mommy, I need help!” she cries, followed by a desperate, “I can’t wipe myself!”
To which I finally respond, “We’re filming in here, sweetie! Max, we need to do another take—wait until I help your sister!”
This is the chaotic path that inspiration leads us down. It’s precisely why I try to keep my kids’ creativity in check unless, of course, they’re inspired to take a nap. Now that would be a stroke of genius they seem to never have.
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Summary:
Navigating the creative impulses of children can be a challenging aspect of parenting. While their bursts of inspiration are admirable, they often translate into significant demands on a parent’s time and resources. Managing these moments requires a balance between supporting their creativity and maintaining household routines.
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