The creative is the place where no one else has ever been…What you’ll discover is yourself. ~Alan Alda

This is dedicated all who tirelessly pursue the creative process. I hope you’ll take a moment to respond with your insights and ideas, and your creative inspirations!

Creativity involves learning techniques and exploring pathways and discovering one’s unique passions and gifts. For some, creativity is a state of being in the world.

Have you ever experienced a moment of inexpressible, ineffable… something… while immersed in a creative process like singing or drawing or writing?  I say these are the magical moments which keep us anchored to our life dreams and overarching goals. These are the moments we wish for our children, and what inspires us to enroll them in piano and art.

My creative course took a turn twenty five years ago, while observing a group of Montessori preschool children at work and play. I had an epiphany about the vital creativity at work in children; creativity which was not bestowed by a teacher but rather discovered, explored and nurtured by the children themselves.

Creativity is about impulse and passion and choice.  It’s about freedom and flow. It’s about beauty. And it’s about keeping the flame alive. Here are a few  practical tips for encouraging creativity in children and families. What are your favorite tools and tricks? Please take a moment to post your comment:

Provide Opportunity and Choice.

When a spark of creativity is ignited, it’s nice to have some expressive tools and materials at your fingertips. By providing a space and materials with which to work, your child can experience the freedom of choosing how to express a creative impulse or idea. I recommend providing a variety of supplies, organized in boxes or baskets, on a low shelf that is accessible to every member of the family.  Here are some of the basics:

• Paper – a wide variety of colors and textures and sizes.
• Easel – great for painting, chalk, and for large collage projects
• Magazines or catalogs; photos – great for collage
• Pencils, markers, crayolas and/or oil pastels, and chalk
• Paints (such as tempura and watercolor)
• Scissors – different types, including those with fun-shaped edges
• Glue – squeeze and stick varieties; and a hot glue gun for older kids.
• Clay – Earthen or Fimo (polymer clay) for sculpture
• Popsicle sticks – or craft sticks – great for a variety of projects
• Seasonal items, like autumn leaves, holiday wrap, glitter, stickers… anything goes!
• Cloths or rags – a basket full for clean up – and a place to put the dirty cloths
• Plastic or vinyl placemats – to protect works spaces from paint, glue, glitter etc.
• Aprons – one to fit every artist in the house

Establish and Uphold Clear Guidelines of Use.

No parent wants to find tempura paint on the ceiling or clay in the carpet.  Simple guidelines/rules are necessary for maintaining order and keeping everyone safe, but should not inhibit creativity.  These three simple rules allow the individual a large measure of creative liberty within clearly defined limits:

1.      Respect for Self

2.      Respect for Others (anyone around me)

3.      Respect for Environment (immediate, local and global)

Any activity or creative expression that is not respectful of the individual, others, or the space (environment) should not be allowed.  If a material is purposefully misused – like when paint appears on the ceiling, walls or in a siblings hair – it should be removed for a time, and brought back only if the child agrees to use it appropriately.

Demonstrate Basic Techniques: Creative people have mastered specific techniques that allow them to express their unique spirit and creative process. Take the time to demonstrate the basic use of each artistic tool – i.e. pencil, scissors, paintbrush, clay, glue, etc. – before inviting the child to use them independently.   Once the techniques have been demonstrated, the child may explore other ways to use them, or use them in combination.

Respect the Creative Process at Work. As anyone who has ever observed the activities of very young children can attest, they are process-driven creatures.  It’s not at all unusual for a child to spend 30 minutes creating a painting, only to leave the finished product behind, forgotten. This is the natural course of things for the young child, who moves with ease from one activity to the next, immersed in the process of exploring and becoming. It can be difficult for an adult to imagine a child being propelled solely by their own curiosity and inner guidance, and yet when left to their own devices, they are.

Invite Open Dialogue. Children, like adults, don’t always want to talk about their process… and that’s ok.  Trust that your child’s creative explorations may take them to places you have not been. Get curious and, when they do share about their experience, do your best to listen without judgment. Judgment, whether positive or negative, stifles creativity.

Offer Observations and Avoid Praise. The well-meaning adult who swoops in to praise  a child who has produced a product is establishing a pattern of unhealthy dependence on adult approval.  Such a pattern is easily established and difficult to break. Some experts suggest that children who receive regular praise from adults are less confident, less independent, initiate fewer activities on their own, and take fewer (creative, social and intelletual) risks.

However, well placed and objective comments about the child’s process can have the opposite effect, supporting the development of healthy self-esteem. The difference is that praise is totally subjective and places a judgment on the child, while objective comments make meaningful observations of the child’s process,  inspire greater introspection and allow the child to gain confidence in his true abilities. Here is an example of the difference between subjective praise and objective comments:

• Subjective Praise: “Wow! You are a great artist!”
• Objective comment: “ I notice you used a lot of blue.”
• Objective comment: “I see a pattern of lines and circles.”
• Objective comment: “You worked for a long time on this painting!”

Get Friendly with Error and Avoid Judgment.

Judgment stifles creativity. Humans learn and progress through exploration, experimentation, and by making mistakes and trying again. From this perspective, errors are good indicators of positive progress! Mistake is not a dirty word, despite what we may have learned in school, and Right and Wrong are subjective terms. That one person (even if that person is a parent or teacher) does something in a certain way should not preclude another person from trying it another way.

Explore Your Own Creative Process. Allow your child to see you experimenting, exploring, and expressing your own creative spark.  Paint, draw, and build crazy sculptures and colorful collages.  Have fun!

A favorite collaborative activity: Commemorative Collage

• Gather family members around an open workspace at a table or on the floor
• Invite every family member to cut or tear out photos (from magazines or catalogs) which depict what they like about life, family, etc.  Remember… there are no right or wrong answers or images!
• Once everyone has selected a few images, take turns affixing (glue or glue stick) the images to a small or large poster board.
• Words can be added as well; older family members can write for those who don’t know how.  The words can be absolutely anything anybody wants to say about family.  It only has to make sense to the person offering it.
• Choose a common area in which to post the collage, where every member of the family can see and enjoy it.  Someone might even choose to add another image later on.
• This same activity can be done with family photos or memorabilia to commemorate a birthday or holiday, or the passing of a favorite pet.
• Suggestion: Ring in the New Year with a family collage to commemorate 2009!

Enjoy! Until next time,

Delila

Today I got a question from a mama who is growing weary of the daily struggle with her young daughter, who insists upon wearing shorts and tee shirts to school.  Mom is concerned that her daughter won’t be warm enough, now that brisk autumn weather is upon us, but her little one is committed to making her own choices .  How can this mama allow her child the freedom to express her own clothing preferences, while also looking out for her safety and comfort?

As adults we are accustomed to juggling many options, but it’s important to remember that too many choices become overwhelming to a young child.  As parents we can ease the child’s burden of responsibility by  limiting choices to only those that are appropriate for them.  For example, once the weather changes it’s time (for the parent) to pack away shorts and tees and any other seasonally inappropriate clothing until the return of warmer weather. Any item of clothing which is not suitable for a brisk autumn day, or for school, should be removed from dressers and drawers, thus limiting the child’s choices and allowing for greater independence with fewer power struggles. To read more suggestions on this subject, Click Here.

Please post a comment to share your tips and strategies for assisting your child in dressing independently (and appropriately) – or to post a question. Your insights, experience and questions are valuable to the whole MamaWize community so please join the conversation!

Until next time,

~Delila

Hey Wize Mamas,

Subscribing to the MamaWize Blog is easy using the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed. Here is how it works: look at the top right section on any page on the blog, keeping your eye out for the little orange, square icon which looks like this: You’ll see the word SUBSCRIBE beside the icon.  You can click on either.

When you click you will be taken to a page where you can choose the way you would like to receive your updates – such as in live bookmarks (within favorites), Microsoft Outlook, Google, or Yahoo accounts .  Once the selection is made, click Subscribe Now. You don’t have to worry about receiving too many messages; you’ll be informed only when the Blog is updated. You will never receive spam emails.

Subscribing to the blog is a convenient way to get updates about new articles and topics of interest to you. I hope you’ll subscribe, and I hope you’ll join our conversation!

Until next time,

Delila

Wize Mamas,

I just learned the term Body Burden, which refers to the level of toxicity in the body based upon the accumulated chemical burden of  environmental toxins, plastics, and what blogger Kristie Connor refers to as “synthetic grossness.”  While her description may be amusing, the magnitude of this very real problem is not. Check out Kristie’s blog article on Body Burden at www.girlstalkinghealth.com Awareness is key if we are to shift things for ourselves and our children… and for our planet.

Until next time,

Delila

Hey Wize Mamas,

Have the first-day-of-school jitters hit your household yet?

As summer draws to a close, eager children and anxious parents anticipate the first day of school.  Whether your child is starting preschool or heading off to kindergarten, the transition represents an important milestone for the child and the family.

Even with a few solid years teaching experience under my belt, I was not emotionally prepared for my son’s first day at Montessori preschool. I adored the classroom environment and the teacher I had carefully chosen for him; his classroom felt like a home away from home.  Still, when the day came to leave my three year-old at the threshold of his first real experience away from me, I was devastated. I cried that morning and for many mornings after, grieving what I understood to be the first of many steps which would inevitably lead him further out into the world.

Parenthood is both joy and heartache, sometimes all at once.  It seems like just yesterday we passed that first momentous milestone and now another quickly approaches; my son is heading off to high school in a few weeks. As I was pouring over my notes in preparation for fall Parent Orientation, I realized the timeliest tips are useful at any age.

Over the next few days I’ll be sharing what I feel are the most important things a parent can do to ease the transition to (or back to) school:

Preparing for a School:  The Importance of Sleep

While the chronic effects of exhaustion are something to which many busy adults have become accustomed – hey, isn’t it about time for that mid-afternoon latte? –  fatigue seriously affects both adults and children. Fussiness, irritability, and lack of attentiveness are symptoms of fatigue.  Lack of sleep interferes with learning, affects social behavior, and creates an obstacle to success in school and life.

While most people may aim for eight hours of sleep per night, research cited in Newsweek* magazine recommended at least 10.5 hours of sleep for sixth grade children.  Younger children, experts say, need even more sleep for optimal health and development!  Research also indicates that when parents provide consistent sleep routines for the family, children are happier, more self-assured, less demanding and more sociable.  Same benefits apply to adults, of course.

Experts offer the following tips for helping children get adequate, quality sleep:

• Set a regular time for bed each night and stick to it
• Establish a calm bedtime routine, such as a warm bath, followed by a short story
• Avoid big meals close to bedtime, and no caffeine within six hours of sleep
• Make evening play relaxing; avoid television before bed
• Create a quiet, dim, relaxing space for sleep. If necessary, use a small nightlight.

Family rituals around bedtime should be simple and calming.  A warm bath, a short story, and little snuggle are all most children need to settle down for a restful night’s sleep. The same sort of routine works wonders for grown-ups too

What is your favorite family ritual? Post a comment to join the conversation!

Until next time,

Delila

*Newsweek, Fall/Winter 2000

Hey wize mamas,

The rains are here for a day or two and the buzz is all about water… but not rain water. The concern about the dangerous toxins present in tap and bottled waters continues to get louder. You’ve probably read the stories… it’s been all over the news.  Many parents worry about whether it’s safe to let our kids drink from public drinking fountains, or if the toxins from those nasty plastic bottles will cause problems long term. These are real concerns.

Water is something I’ve been studying for the past 3  years and, believe me, the concern is real.  There is no new water on the planet and all source water – whether from a mountain stream, a well or the tap – reveals chemical clues to global lifestyles. More then ten years ago, core samples taken from the polar ice cap revealed pharmaceutical residues. But nobody lives there! Right, but remember there is no new water.  It’s all recycled and reused, naturally. What goes up, must come down…

So as parents we need to carefully consider what kind of water we consume and especially careful about what we offer our children. We need a way to filter out all the bad – the viruses, bacteria, pesticides, herbicides and pharmaceutical residues (ack!) – while protecting the minerals which are essential for our health. There is now a way to do this and it’s readily available to most of us.

Alkaline, Ionized water is made using electrolysis. A water ionizer cleans and filters regular tap water, and isolates the beneficial alkaline minerals to create a super-hydrating, super-antixioxidant, super-tasty water for you and your children.

The water  ionizer mimics nature’s process to recreate the kind of water you can find in places like Vilcabamba, Equador and the Hunza in Pakistan. These are high mountain valleys where the native people routinely live healthy, purposeful lives well into their hundreds. Scientists have found that the mineral-rich, alkaline, ionized properties of the water they drink signficantly contributes to their longevity, which is why 1 in 5 households in Japan, and 1 in 8 households in Korea have an ionizer in their home.

The news about the health benefits of drinking ionized water is finally reaching us here in the west. I purchased my water ionizer for my home about two years ago and the benefits have been overwhelming positive for my family:

• My teenage son drinks many glasses of water a day – water is now his beverage of choice.
• My digestion, which has been a chronic challenge throughout my life, is healthy and normal. No more acid reflux.
• I sleep more soundly and awake more alert.
• My energy is increased.
• I crave this water – it tastes amazing and feels good in my body.

If you don’t have an ionizer at home or have access to someone who does, there are  several local (to Portland) clinics and retail outlets selling alkaline, ionized water by the gallon – bring your own container or purchase one when you get there:

Groundspring Healing Center – SW Portland

Phone: (503) 244-1330   www.groundspring.net

The Center for Natural Medicine – SE Portland

Clinic phone: 503-232-1100  www.cnm-inc.com

Healthy Spaces – West Linn, OR

503-655-3565    www.healthyspacesonline.com

Miller’s Homestead Restaurant – Tualatin / Lake Oswego

17933 SW McEwan Ave. (at exit 290, off I-5)      (503) 684-2831

If you would like to learn more about the properties and benefits of drinking Alkaline, Ionized Water: http://www.agelesswateronline.com Click on About Water.

What kind of water are you drinking? What are your concerns? Post a comment to join the conversation!

Until next time,

~Delila

Welcome to MamaWize!  I’m Delila Olsson, a mother, writer, speaker and consultant in the areas of education, parenting and health.  I am also a Montessori educator with many years  experience working with children and mentoring parents and caregivers.

The initial inspiration for my blog came about during a recent late-night chat with a group of women friends, as we were sitting around doing what women naturally do… discussing our families, sharing resources, and brainstorming solutions. I believe it really does take a village to raise a child and to nagivate the inevitable pitfalls of modern living.

This blog will feature articles and discussions on relevant topics such as common parenting questions and practices, educational philosophies, the pillars of health at every age, and strategies for managing the stress of daily life.

This is a place for real conversations about parenting and life in general, and a place where many diverse voices will join in and share.  Thanks to Jen, Amy, Seana and Jeanne Mare for your encouragement to start blogging and to Dia, the wize mama who came up with the name!

What parenting topics are most important to you? Post a comment to join the conversation!

Welcome to our village.

Until next time,

~Delila