Paper Snowflakes
Today, I’d like to ruminate on the power of good memories, at least one, from my childhood.
I will start in the present time. Yesterday, with two of my grandchildren, we made paper snowflakes. It was fun not only for me to show them how, but to watch their eager attempts to create their own. One is 5 and 1/2, the other is 3 3/4 years old. I had to help with some aspects, but they were able to use (safety) scissors fairly well. The older grandchild morphed into making confetti, which further on turned into a wild throwing of paper, and when cleaning up (sweeping), it got wilder. They started adding jackets, socks, boots, mittens, and toys to the paper piles. [Not sure I handled that well, but they had fun.] The younger grandchild was a lot better with scissors than I expected. I made some snowflakes, too, and we taped them on the wall.
None of this would have happened unless someone had showed me how to make snowflakes. In this case, it was my older brother. After perhaps 63 years, I still remember that he was the one who showed me how. Later in life, I often made paper snowflakes in winter, even though much of my life has been lived in the San Francisco Bay area, where there rarely is snow. But they’ve often provided much pleasure and joy.
There are a few lessons that I think are valid to draw from this:
One, children remember time spent with them, doing something together. I suppose these can be positive or negative things.
Two, we can influence children for good or evil, positive or negative.
Three, spending time with children in a positive way is more important than buying them things. Playing with them and interacting, praising them for any positive accomplishment, can be a great encouragement to them. (Some toys that they can interact with creatively on their own, are very useful, though. In general, I avoid most battery operated toys.)
Four, time spent teaching something positive is never a waste.
So, let them know you’re interested in their life, what they are doing, and encourage the good things. Sometime, even when you’re tired or exhausted with the children in your life, make the effort to interact. [But, I would add, if exhaustion is a pattern, get helpers and find creative ways to overcome that.] This can apply to other relationships. It is well worth it.
clarakatalin 