This week, my 5-year-old son, Max, and I decided to dive into a little arts and crafts session (which he humorously refers to as “arts and craps,” and honestly, I can’t bring myself to correct him). He had his heart set on making a snowman, but after countless snowman projects, I suggested a Valentine’s theme instead.
“How about we draw and cut out a big heart?” I proposed. “Then we can decorate it.” It may not be the most Pinterest-worthy idea, but he’s only five, so he has no clue.
“Sure,” he replied slowly, grabbing the marker.
“Just make sure it’s big enough for us to cut out and decorate,” I encouraged him.
He nodded, tongue poking out in concentration as he got to work. But what he produced on the construction paper resembled something more akin to a sad, old fruit than a heart.
“Sweetie, do you need help drawing a heart? Let me show you how,” I said (the classic last words of a well-meaning parent). I tried everything: dashed lines for him to connect, guiding his hand, even drawing it out for him to trace. Twenty minutes and 30 failed attempts later, I started to hear the familiar chorus of “Mom Voices” in my head, each one chiming in as I struggled to teach him this simple task.
The Voices in My Head
There was the Mean Mom voice: “Seriously? Why can’t he get this? He’s failing at arts and craps!”
Then the Guilty Mom voice chimed in: “This is my fault. I should be spending more time with him. I’m just not enough.”
The Tired Mom was barely holding on, whispering, “Can we just watch TV instead?”
The Cheerleader Mom was enthusiastically cheering on, “If you can’t do it, no one can!”
The Lushy Mom (also known as Chardonnay-nay) glanced at the clock, wondering, “Is it too early for a glass of wine?”
And then there was the Melodramatic Mom, who was practically in tears, lamenting, “I can’t even teach my kid to draw a heart! I’m hopeless!”
Finally, the Think-Outside-the-Box Mom broke through the noise and suggested to Max, “How about trying to draw an uppercase ‘V’? Now, add two little mountains on top. Yes! You did it, buddy! You drew a heart!”
And he did! He actually created a heart. Although, by that point, he was too wiped out to continue with the rest of the craft, and I was secretly relieved since I was already running late for my date with Chardonnay-nay.
Additional Resources
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Conclusion
In summary, parenting often leads us down unexpected roads, filled with laughter, frustration, and creativity. Sometimes it’s less about perfection and more about enjoying the journey with our little ones.
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