Nurturing Creativity in Children: Part 2

Today I am going to continue discussing how to nurture creativity in our children.  I am thrilled you are visiting today! Hop on over here to read Part 1, and here to read Part 3!

* Focus on the purpose behind the mess. Almost all creative endeavors involve some degree of mess, noise, or both! For some moms, this is a real challenge :).  To further complicate things, some projects are ongoing and need to be left out during completion. Take a deep breath, do what you can to confine and assign creative work spaces, but remind yourself of what is being accomplished in the mess. Even if there is no real "end project" in sight, there is a valuable process going on as your child creates. After all, there is a huge difference between your child leaving their dirty socks in the middle of their floor ( laziness) and your child needing to dump out the bucket of Lego bricks so they can see what parts they have available (creativity). The time for cleaning up will arrive eventually, but to paraphrase my favorite home designer Alexandra Stoddard's comment about her daughter's room, What creative child wouldn't have a messy room!?

*Encourage initiative, allowing success and failure to occur naturally.  If your child has an idea, let them run with it! I am reading a fantastic book by Kurt Timmermeister entitle Growing a Farmer: How I Learned to Live Off the Land. When speaking of purchasing his farm he says, " I bought this land and transformed it because no one said that I couldn't." I love this!  So much could be accomplished in this world if people would stop discouraging others from trying new and challenging things! And it starts with allowing our children to test out their ideas and plans. One of the most creative individuals I know was allowed to totally transform her backyard to her liking with construction and engineering projects.  Her birthday gifts were things like ropes, pulleys, and duck tape. Figuring out what to do with them was up to her!  She has also sewn elaborate costumes, made her own clothing, and produced films of her pets. When she has an idea there is no one to stop her! As a result, she has developed a wide variety of skills and has full confidence in expressing her creative gifts. Sometimes things don't work out quite the way she had hoped, but this is part of the creative process ( not to mention part of life in general!).  Don't try to block failure as your child attempts new things. I have one child who has to pay for her own basketball fees and she loves to come up with creative ways to earn money. Some of her ideas have worked very well and some have flopped. Having the freedom to try  her ideas had developed  confidence and has actually reduced her fear of failing. She's learned that some of her ideas are great ideas and, when an idea hasn't worked out,she's learned that it is not the end of the world. She remains always ready to try something new! Preserving the fearless desire to try something new is a huge part of nurturing creativity in children.

*Don't insist that your child always do things the way you do them. This judgement call can be a bit tricky because there are times when technique totally matters. For example, no one wants to have to re-learn the correct hand position when learning to play the piano. ( Believe me... I speak for experience!).  However,  there is great value in letting a child figure out the the best way to approach a problem or project.  This kind of creative thinking will give them both experience and confidence that will serve them well as adults.  It teaches them to consider their options, think about their strengths, and manage their time. Some individuals just naturally will do things in a unique way. One of the most skilled knitters I know knits in a really wacky way.  It is not at all how it looks on the how-to-knit videos, but it works for her and her sweaters are breath taking. One of my children unloads the dishwasher in a way that makes no sense to me, but the job still gets done.  I have also found that children who feel free to try out their own ideas/do tasks in their own way are also the ones who feel most free in asking for the " how-to" advice of others.  Funny how that happens, but it is true!

Well, be looking for the third and final part of this series later this week!   Be sure to check out my current ( and wonderful) read, Growing a Farmer, on the Amazon link below, as well as a wonderful book by designer Alexandra Stoddard! Thanks for stopping by Pleasantburg!
This post is linked to Far Above Rubies and Growing Home: Teach Me Tuesdays.

Nurturing Creativity in Children: Part 1

I am going to spend a few days discussing  what parents can do to nurture creativity in their children.  I think we are all more or less "born with" our own unique amount and variety of creative gifts. However, it is obvious that children are much more creative than the average adult. Children have more leisure time and more opportunities for creative moments. Children also have more courage in expressing their creativity and place more emphasis on the process, as opposed to focusing merely on the end product. As parents, we need to utilize this valuable stage in our children's lives. The atmosphere in our homes can either encourage children to continue in life-long creativity, or it can cause them to neglect the expression of their unique gifts and  perspectives as they become older. Over the next few posts, I hope to provide you with some tips that will enable you to draw out and encourage your children to thrive as they think and express themselves in creative ways. Let's get started!

*Provide children with abundant down-time.  When I was in high school I read David Elkind's book, book The Hurried Child for an education class. Even at the tender age of 17, with my very limited experience with children, I could see that his words were true.  Children cannot flourish when they are hurried to grow-up quickly, or when they are hurried from place to place throughout the day.  If children are going to develop their creative gifts they need leisure time. Not time-in-front-of-a-screen leisure time, but hours on a back yard swing or unstructured time in the playroom to putter around...thinking and playing time! My youngest daughter spends her free time in the afternoon dressing up like historical figures. Breakfast conversation often centers around who she is going to pretend to be today.  Harriet Tubman, Annie Oakley,Corrie Ten Boon, an immigrant from Russia, an Amish girl, and many more, have been researched on the Internet or in books with mom at the start of her play time. Closets are raided, dress up boxes are emptied, opinions are gathered, and then...the historical figure appears and heads off to the backyard for her adventures. I never would have thought to have her do this. It was the product of her having time alone and needing to figure out what to do with herself. In developing our children's creativity, we are teaching them to be boredom-busters!

This type of down-time is not something that creative people out-grow. Creative moms can become instantly energized after a few creative moments, either alone or with their children. And the gift of time to explore, think, and develop creative skills is of great value to our teenagers as they transition into adulthood. My oldest son, who spend many childhood hours creating elaborate stories to "play out" with Legos, unwinds from a long day by puttering around with his filming equipment, or building a new kind of tripod he read about in the Internet. My teenage daughter Peace developed her love for photography by spending time  (hours and hours this summer!) wandering around our backyard, photographing things I had never even noticed. It may have looked like she was wasting her time and being quite unproductive, but she was learning, experimenting, and creating. She was learning how to be busy and content at home, and how to bring joy to others by sharing her gifts. This creative process would never have occurred if we had been spending our afternoons running around to various activities and lessons. Whatever your children's age, do not neglect the importance of down time!

*Arts, not crafts. As I mentioned above, a creative mom can gain a great amount of energy from doing creative projects alongside her children. I love getting out the easel and painting with my younger children.  I am in no way a painter, but there is something about all those lovely colors and a preschooler's excitement that gives me a whole new perspective on my day.  However, as we seek creative projects to do with our children, a distinction must be made between an art and a craft. An art is open ended, a "here are your supplies, see what you can do" sort of thing.  Even if you are doing something like a sewing project that has a pattern, let them choose the fabric combinations, the buttons the thread colors, the type of stitch...this is the creative part of the project. Step-by-step projects that produce identical results may have their value, but they do not develop creativity.

More to come...have a great day being creative with you family!
Join me at the Hearts 4 Home Link-up and Ramblings of a Christian Mom Thursday(Almost Friday!) Blog Hop!!
Check out the Amazon links below to Elkind's book, as well as the easel and paints we use in our family!

Plucking and Planting: Late August in the Urban Garden

The Lord blessed us with a great year in our little urban garden! We have enriched the soil with worm castings for the first time, eaten our first watermelon, picked dozens of zucchini, experimented with companion planting, grown our first heirloom tomatoes, enjoyed the wonder of homegrown potatoes, savored fresh green beans, had smoothies packed with back-yard-chard ( Swiss Chard!)...not to mention  experienced countless moments of joy in watching little seeds turn into plants, and then into food.  I absolutely love gardening.  As a result, this time of year, the "plucking up" time, is always a bit depressing.  No more daily watering; no more puttering around in the dirt and sunshine;no more lush greenery when I step out my back door and when  I pull up into our parking place.  *sigh* 

Cherry tomatoes...a huge hit this year!  We acquired 7 bushes at 50 cents (!) each from a local grower.( Thanks, Mom!)  Lots of yummy homemade salsa this summer!

Lillian Yellow heirloom tomatoes. I purchased one plant from a local back-yard grower for  one dollar.  This has been the best producing full-size tomato plant this summer. In fact, I still have about 8 tomatoes ripening!  These are tasty and are quite beautiful when dried in the dehydrator! 

We didn't have one problem with disease with any of our heirloom tomatoes this year.   The Lillian Yellow was planted with two varieties of basil, and directly beside four pepper plants.  All flourished, which makes companion planting worth trying again, in my opinion!

 Well, this year I am being proactive about dealing with the no-garden-anymore- blues. I am reading all I can about fall gardening in our zone and the news is good! While I have grown both lettuce and Swiss Card in the fall and winter before, I am going to try it on a much larger scale this year.  I already have 18 cups of seedlings adorning my kitchen window sills! Hopefully, I can put these out as full plants when I am also putting our new seed and have a "staggered" crop this year. I purchased seed from a local "feed and seed" store and have been very impressed with how quickly they have sprouted indoors.  I spent three dollars on three scoops of seed and will be thrilled if I can provide an entire fall's worth of greens for my family from our garden!  I am also reading all about greenhouses.  Starting plants from seed in those chilly no-gardening months...hmmm.... :)

a tiny squash...but he grew it himself!!!

This post is linked to The Homestead Barn Hop. Come on over and see what other gardeners are writing about!

You can join me at Raising Homemakers and Far Above Rubies ( click image below) for their link-ups as well!

Math Facts... and an (unrelated) inspiring link!

 We have enjoyed getting back into the school routine this week. According to my daughter, one of the best parts of starting a new school year is that the math facts are all addition and are all easy!

Her comment reminded me of our favorite way to practice math facts. I just copy her drill sheets, slide them into page protectors, and clip them in her 3-ring binder.  I pop out the appropriate sheet when it is time to practice and, with dry erase marker in hand, she is ready to go. No more endless copying of sheets or buying drill workbooks!  My eldest son used this same concept when practicing his Latin declensions.  His co-op teacher had them use fine point Sharpie Markers, and then they would use a Magic Eraser to clean the page protector. Either way, it is a great way to stay organized, conserve paper, and save money! In addition to pen and paper drill work, there are some great folder games, board games, and songs that focus on fact memorization. Try several different things to see what works for your child. Shake things up from time to time and do something different and fun. Even a simple thing, like letting your student pick the color pen they want to use, can help keep fact memorization from becoming too boring.

To change subjects completely, a blog reader sent me the most wonderful link. Do you remember when I wrote about a book entitled The Boy From Baby House 10? It is still the best book I have read this year. And everyday I still think about about and pray for disabled children/former preemies worldwide who need families. It is a powerful book. Click here to see a wonderful story about John reuniting with an old friend from his orphanage in Russia ( courtesy of the Yankees!).  I know you will enjoy watching what God can do with "unsalvageable" children!

One Verse at a Time

*** I am pleased to announce that Pleasantburg Blog now has a Facebook page!  I have also added a way for you to subscribe to posts via email (see sidebar on right).  We are in the midst of getting a new school year rolling, so posting may be a bit sporadic for a few weeks. By "liking" us on Facebook or subscribing via email you can be assured that you will never miss a post! ***

Last winter I ran across an old video of my now eight year old daughter.  She was three, in braids and fuzzy footed pjs, and she was sitting on her bed reciting the entire 13th Chapter of 1 Corinthians from memory. She has learned the entire passage without our knowledge, merely listening to us work with her older brother everyday on his memory assignment. Amazing, and so very sweet. As soon as I saw this video I felt the need to repent.  If I had been diligent in daily memory work with her over the past five years, she could have probably learned the whole New Testament by now!  I  decided right then and there that we would, one verse at a time, learn an entire chapter of scripture during our second semester of school. I choose James 1 and guess what? With God's help we did it!  And do you know what else? It wasn't that hard!!  No fancy " Bible memory system" was required. No one moaned and groaned.  We just sat down everyday at a designated time (before history, in our case) and recited what we had already learned a few times.  Then we said a new verse a few times.  Then we said it all together a time or two. Finally, I would pick one person each day to say what they could by themselves, with  prompting from Mom when necessary.  There was no pressure associated with any part of the process. I figured that even if they for some reason didn't/couldn't learn it ( and our 4 year old doesn't know it all), it was certainly a benefit to all of us to just hear  those first few verses of James 1 read every day!

Over the past few months verses from James have been frequently quoted from our church pulpit.  Even my littlest one has noticed and has smiled knowingly at me, mouthing that he just heard a verse from James. (Don't think for a moment that those little wiggly boys aren't hearing what is going on around them!) I have had the privileged of hearing my older children remind one another about truths from this passage.  I  have been richly blessed as I have reminded myself to "count it all joy" in the face of trials. With the beginning of this school year we are moving on to James Chapter 2. I would highly encourage you to take a few minutes each day and work on a passage of scripture with your children. Keep it light with no pressure, but do it everyday at a designated time. You will be amazed at what can be accomplished in a short time. God's Word is living and active. Pour it into your children's minds and hearts today!

This post is linked to Our Simple Country Life's "Hearts 4 Home".  ***** Special Note! Esther is featuring Pleasantburg Blog this week in her Hearts 4 Home Link-up!  If you have never visited her blog, stop in and say hello! She's a country girl and I'm (currently) a city girl, but we have lots in common! I am honored to be chosen as this week's feature blog! ******

Surviving or Thriving? Back to School Reminders for Moms...Part 3

Welcome to Part 3 of the Surviving or Thriving series!   Today I am covering three of my favorite reminders : Tie Some Heartstrings, Keep it Light, and Pray! 

Tie Some Heartstrings. Years ago I received email reminders throughout the day from Kim of Large Family Logistics. In addition to reminding me to do things like clean up the back yard, spend 15 minutes of phonics time with the littleone, and organize my desk, I was sent a reminder to "Tie Some Heartstrings". I love the imagery of that phrase. Our children, our husband, and even our friends and neighbors, need to know how much we love them.  They need verbal and tangible reminders of our affection for them.  Study your loved ones and learn how to minister to their hearts with encouraging words and deeds.I once read an article stating that nurses, teachers and housewives often suffer from burnout because the consuming and endless nature of their tasks end up outweighing the time they spend on relationships with those they serve.We cannot let this happen in our homes! Yes, your work is endless...but, in a way, that leaves you plenty of time to prioritize showing love to those in our care.  You may never really get caught up anyway :)...and even if you did would it truly be all that fulfilling? Focus on what is truly important and show an abundance of love to those around you!

Keep it Light. Last fall a friend and I were at a ladies' retreat with our teenage daughters.  Late in the evening someone said something quite funny and my friend and I began laughing hysterically. Very soon we noticed our teenagers staring at us with shocked expressions.Laughing that hard is not something we do everyday! Most of the things we deal with day in and day out are not funny. However, this is no excuse for letting a heavy atmosphere creep into our homes. I find that one of the best ways to lighten the mood in the home is to do something unexpected. In our house, we occasionally will rap. Yup. God has placed us in the city and we can hardly open the door without hearing someone's car booming out rap music ( thankfully we usually cannot understand the words!).This often leaves me internally screaming, "ARGHHHH!!!! Melody? Harmony? Where are thou!?" So we, world's most unlikely rappers, overcome our circumstances by creating corny, wholesome numbers of our own. I "rap" phone messages to my beloved a few times a week. When I feel like I might start yelling about a messy room, I... conservative, quiet little introvert that I am...will rap the urgent request to "Let the Tidying Begin!". The big kids roll their eyes, but they are smiling, and the little kids are laughing. The pleasant mood of the home is preserved.  I am sure you have your own (much more dignified and distinguished) way of keeping the mood light, but do not underestimate the power of a smiling, laughing, unpredictable mother!

Pray.  Cast all your burden upon the Lord, for he cares for you ( I Peter 5:7).   But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.( James 1:5). 

Not much more to be said than that!  We have a Lord who cares for our every need and is ready to give us the wisdom we need for each and every situation during the upcoming school year. Don't be afraid to leave the school area for a moment or two  (take the little one with you if necessary) and go pray for a few minutes in your room.I do this often, and the funny thing is that my children seem to think I am in my room eating M&Ms :).  I like to kneel, not because there is anything magical about a particular posture while praying, but just because it reminds me of my dependence on the Lord and that if I humble myself He will lift me up.  And He does! Go to Him often with your cares and don't try to manage them alone!

My prayer is that each one of you will have a most blessed school year ahead! 

This Week's Dinner Menu (with Gluten-Free Options)

A few yearsago I became very organized about my menu planning and shopping, but all that kind of  fell apart when the words "gluten-free" became part of our daily vocabulary. I have really missed those prepared shopping lists and menus! All the hassle and changes of the past year and a half has been completely worth it, and now  I have settled into a new set of meals we can eat. I am eager to get back to a more systematic approach to meals. To begin with, I need our weekly menu somewhere besides the bottom of my grocery list! Since a few people have suggested that I include some posts on gluten-free eating here, I am going  to share our weekly dinner plans with you. Here's is what is on the list this week:

* Black Beans and Rice with Garden Salad

*Beef Soup ( made in crock pot) with Open Faced Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches (on homemade whole wheat bread or GF bread. Our favorite  GF Rudi Bread is on sale week...woo-hoo!)

*Chicken Taco Casserole with Corn on the Cob and Garden Salad

* Pasta topped with Alfredo Sauce and Stir Fried Chicken/Garden Veggies; Bread and Garden Salad  (GF Pasta for those who need it)

* Lentils and Rice with Asparagus

We omit cheese/dairy and corn products for those in the family who need it, which is fairly easy to do with all of these meals. Happy Eating!

Surviving or Thriving? Back to School Reminders for Moms...Part 2

Today I am going to continue my series on Back to School Reminders for Moms.  Each day, in the middle of all the situations where the Lord has placed us, we have the chance to thrive. However, if we do not make careful choices when it comes to our attitudes, and if we do not fix our eyes on the Lord and His strength, we will find ourselves merely surviving in midst of our day to day responsibilities. As I said in Part 1, these posts fall under the category "Preaching to Myself". When I relate a personal example I am not somehow suggesting that I have arrived in these areas. I am merely remembering God's faithfulness in the past and providing my experiences as an encouragement to you as you consider your school year ahead! Let's get started with Part 2!   

Give Your Limitations to the Lord. All of us face situations that cause us to feel limited. Seasons of poor health, financial difficulties, inadequacies in a particular subject matter, a baby in the hospital, pregnancy complications, general lack of outside support, cramped living conditions...these are just a few of the difficulties our family has faced in our thirteen years of home schooling. And do you know what? With each situation the Lord has been faithful and shown His power in our weakness! Give your limitations to the Lord and gather up your faith in his goodness and love for you...He will provide! Perhaps he will provide a way out ( like an awesome Algebra 2 teacher!), or maybe he will provide a way through ( like the time he caused our favorite babysitter to be on paid leave from her nanny position just as I was trying to juggle parenting a hospitalized preemie and caring for 4 children at home...did I mention she was a certified teacher and helped with their schooling as well as general child care? Only God could come up with such timing!).  Maybe the Lord will sustain you in a supernatural way that causes others to see you in your trial and give glory to Him. Regardless, His power is made perfect in weakness ( II Cor. 12:9) and you can trust Him as you face difficulties.

Don't Be Afraid to Find What Works for Your Family.  I spent several of my early homeschooling years trying to imitate the methods of a friend that  I greatly admired. I gradually realized that not only were our children very different , but my friend and I were very different, too. In fact, I really think our "different-ness" in personality is what gave us such a rich friendship.  However, when it came to schooling choices she could  just read the scripted math lesson and her children understood perfectly, and I needed to cut up apples and draw diagrams...for my students to learn,as well as to keep myself from falling asleep with boredom :).  God gave your children to you...he picked you for them! When it comes to schooling choices and decisions related to parenting ( extra-curricular involvement, bedtimes, daily routines and so on), be inspired by those around you , but be yourself and don't be afraid to be unique in your approach! 

In addition, do not neglect the option to change things for a season in order to gather yourself and pray through your choices.  Our family did this in the two years following the birth of our preemie.  In a year's time we had a pregnancy with bed rest, a preemie who was in the hospital for several months, a baby who didn't sleep/had therapy appointments every week/breathing treatments every few hours/frequent ER visits, and a job change/out-of-state move. After much prayer, we enrolled our oldest two children in Classical Conversations for 7th and 8th grade after our move. Co-ops are not my thing (although we loved the CC program overall),  but for that season of "recovery and reorganization" it was just what we all needed.  It didn't last forever. Talk with your husband, seek the Lord, and allow yourself the freedom to make changes if needed!   

Well, it is time to get my day going here... be sure to read Part 1 and Part 3  if your time allows. Have a wonderful time preparing for your school year!  

Surviving or Thriving? Back to School Reminders for Moms...Part 1

"Back to School!!!"  The words bring a range of emotions to the hearts of mothers worldwide. Excitement,  apprehension, a twinge of  sadness...all jumbled together with a million practical concerns.  Regardless of the schooling option they embrace, moms everywhere will be facing new unknowns, new routines, and new challenges as they consider the year ahead. The next few posts will fall under the category of "Preaching to Myself".  This will be my thirteenth year of homeschooling, but each year bring with it a fresh realization that I am going to need the Lord's help...every day, in a serious way... if our family is going to thrive.  Far from becoming more confident in my own skills, each passing year causes me to feel more dependent on Him. He is the only one who can lead, guide, provide, sustain, and grant us all joy in the year ahead. And while I love home schooling, the reminders I will outline are for any mom...working, stay at home, single, home schooling. God can give you the grace to make your home a pleasant place during the busy school days ahead, no matter what your situation!

The "reminders" are no particular order, but I will start with a big one: Keep God's Word in your mind throughout the day.  When things get stressful, when you are not sure how to handle a situation, when you know you are starting to lose proper perspective, when despair is creeping into your mind,when you have a victory, use God's Word to keep your thoughts in the right place. I keep a list of Scriptures posted inside the door of the cabinet where we keep our school supplies.I probably go to that cabinet 40 times during the morning, and each time I see God's love letters to me, encouraging and admonishing me to run the race for His glory and in His strength.  In years past, I kept a list inside my kitchen cabinet door and would run into the kitchen every now and then to refocus. I also keep my Bible open at the school table after our morning family devotions. Having God's promises and reminders of His character at my fingertips when I need them ( and often before I need them!) is invaluable. Other moms keep a Bible open in each room, a Bible propped up my the kitchen sink, or a audio Bible going in some part of the house or in the car. Choose what works for you, but make it easy to encourage yourself with God's Word.  And guess what? Your children will be watching you all the while and noting God's faithfulness to you!


Have a plan to care for your basic physical health. Let's be honest, if your family is like mine, no one is going to remind mom to take her vitamins each day! We need a simple plan to care for our health. Otherwise, even our most basic needs can get lost in our responsibilities. When tempted to let my physical health slide, I always think of the airline stewardess reminding me to put the oxygen mask on myself first, and then on my child. I cannot remind my little one to drink his water if I am dehydrated in a hospital somewhere! My basic list includes drinking enough water, taking vitamins daily, walking several times a week, having healthy/easy to prepare food at home, and getting proper rest. My plan? Vitamins before bed, water throughout the day, walks with an individual child in the evenings ( or around the interior of our home/exercise video/backyard walk with a younger child...see note below), organized shopping/food prep (with teenagers alongside me), and in bed before midnight.  Nothing complicated or expensive, and no real need to be separated from my children ( just in case that is your excuse!) , but so important to identify those needs and  be intentional about keeping care of ourselves.
*A word about exercise: where there is a will there is a way. Pray about it! Years ago I had young children, little support in the way of local friends and relatives, a husband who worked long hours, and no real area to walk outside around our home. I ask the Lord to show me a way I could get the exercise I needed. I began turning on a CD for an hour a day and walking inside our home, around ( and around, and around ,and around) the tiny kitchen-living room-entry way loop. Our children still talk about it! It reduced my stress, improved my sleep, and gave me something very fun to do with my little ones each day.Today I love to pop in a Leslie Sansone Walk at Home video on cold and rainy days when I can't get outdoors.  On nice days when I can't leave the home, I will often briskly walk around our back yard in the afternoon while our little ones play. If I can leave the little ones with daddy, I will  take an older child on a walk around the neighborhood with me so we can have some time alone.  Although there is certainly nothing wrong with belonging to a gym,on't buy into the  idea that you need a gym membership to get the exercise you need! Ask God to show you creative solutions when you hit a roadblock!


Be sure to check back in for Part 2.... and enjoy getting ready for your  school year!