Dearest Daughters,
They (whomever they are)(probably self-proclaimed parenting experts without kids of their own)(or child development academics)(or artists with special ideas about children and art)(anyway), they say to avoid praising artistic results, especially in young children.
I'm supposed to emphasize the process of art. And praise your efforts. Not your results. (Certainly a theme in this household.)
And I've done so. No one can accuse me of denying you artistic experiences, of not letting you play with mushy toilet paper or goop or play dough, with pudding, with dirt and water, or mud, with rain and food coloring, with paste and mixed media, or cardboard boxes. (Hey People, if you've been reading awhile, click on some of those links for a walk down memory lane! There are photos, and a couple of videos in there too. My how they've grown!)
I've done all the right things, including not pouring over and hanging up every little scribble you've created.
But, I'm a parent, dang it. And I'm a little bit artsy-crafty, meeee-self. So, sometimes I'm just proud of you. Or amazed by you.
Despite all my attempts to encourage process, to keep art open-ended, to not lead your towards any idea of what your creations "should" look like, you keep producing these darn tangible results. One: because you're awesome. Two: because you're you. And you is a lot like me.
So, even though I've never put a piece of paper and crayons down in front of you and told you to draw a robot or yourself or a chicken. Even though I've never drawn a robot for you. Or instructed you how to use lines and shapes to make a robot.
YOU PAINTED A ROBOT! WHEN YOU WERE TWO. AND A CHICKEN! AND YOURSELF! AND YOU ROCK! (AND I CAN ONLY SAY THAT HERE. OR ELSE THE ART-PRAISE-PROCESS-CHILD-DEVELOPMENT-PARENT EXPERTS WILL GET ME!!!!)
So, I present to you... not plastered on my physical walls, but here, on this virtual wall of sorts...
Babybel's Digital Gallery, The Early Years
Love you no matter what, even if your robot is wonky, even if it's perfect, even if you send your sister to the moon on a rocketship,
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