So many Moms out there are nurturing their children's creativity, empowering other Moms with clever ideas and creating space for kids to flex their imaginations.
Introducing.....THE NOODLE SPOTLIGHT! A new post featuring Creative Moms Taking On The Creative With Their Kids! Come get inspired by amazingly noodly, creative Moms...... and their Kids!
Introducing.....THE NOODLE SPOTLIGHT! A new post featuring Creative Moms Taking On The Creative With Their Kids! Come get inspired by amazingly noodly, creative Moms...... and their Kids!
Tell us about your NOW (Noodle On The Wall) with your child/children?
Think Magnet was published Jan 2012, but was in my brain years before, incubating and keeping me company in the trenches of 3 kids under 3. The writer in me wanted to share, inspire, and make parents laugh. The teacher in me wanted to teach. The mother in me wanted to connect. Good thing the Solid Gold Dancer dream didn’t pan out! There’s a billion blogs out there and does the world really need one more? It didn’t really make sense, but I went for it, promising myself to focus on faces—not numbers.
Think Magnet was published Jan 2012, but was in my brain years before, incubating and keeping me company in the trenches of 3 kids under 3. The writer in me wanted to share, inspire, and make parents laugh. The teacher in me wanted to teach. The mother in me wanted to connect. Good thing the Solid Gold Dancer dream didn’t pan out! There’s a billion blogs out there and does the world really need one more? It didn’t really make sense, but I went for it, promising myself to focus on faces—not numbers.
Think Magnet is a potluck of the learning we weave into our home lives with our public school kids, sprinkled with how we find sanity as parents and laugh at life......and ourselves. I do my best to keep posts short, sweet, light-hearted, helpful and sometimes embarrassing. My favorite part of blogging is the friendships I've made, the fun comments and the thank you emails. Think Magnet is the place where you can walk right in, take your shoes off and look in the fridge. No supermom or superdad capes here. We’re perfectly imperfect.
What role does creativity play in your home?
My goal is to help our children be magnets to learning, be both independent and good teammates, and see learning as never-ending and without boundaries. I want them to embrace their gifts and weaknesses and be able to use both to make the world a better place in their own ways. Oh, and be overflowing with love and be self-sufficient forever by the age of 21. Creativity is the common thread to weave those goals together as we sing kumbaya. Kidding. Kind of. Creativity isn’t something you do or make; it’s who you are and how you think. It’s a life lens and it looks differently for everyone, which is the beauty in it.
My goal is to help our children be magnets to learning, be both independent and good teammates, and see learning as never-ending and without boundaries. I want them to embrace their gifts and weaknesses and be able to use both to make the world a better place in their own ways. Oh, and be overflowing with love and be self-sufficient forever by the age of 21. Creativity is the common thread to weave those goals together as we sing kumbaya. Kidding. Kind of. Creativity isn’t something you do or make; it’s who you are and how you think. It’s a life lens and it looks differently for everyone, which is the beauty in it.
Feet Shadows
What inspires you to take on the creative with your kids?
Creativity makes me gut laugh. It makes me feel alive, silly and young. There are no rules to creativity and no fear. Creativity is a way of thinking. It’s problem solving, imagination and innovation. Creativity actually comes very natural to children. Taking on creativity with your children often means just letting them be and letting them inspire you. A reciprocal flow of imagination and ideas. And, might I so boldly add, my super hot, creative husband inspires me with his goofiness and constant innovative thinking. One third of our conversations start with “What if…”
Creativity makes me gut laugh. It makes me feel alive, silly and young. There are no rules to creativity and no fear. Creativity is a way of thinking. It’s problem solving, imagination and innovation. Creativity actually comes very natural to children. Taking on creativity with your children often means just letting them be and letting them inspire you. A reciprocal flow of imagination and ideas. And, might I so boldly add, my super hot, creative husband inspires me with his goofiness and constant innovative thinking. One third of our conversations start with “What if…”
How do you nurture your child's creativity?
Integrate and individualize creativity daily. Honor it. Never let your child hear you say you’re not creative. There’s a million ways to be creative. It doesn’t come in a kit. It’s everywhere. Fill your home with open-ended opportunities.
Integrate and individualize creativity daily. Honor it. Never let your child hear you say you’re not creative. There’s a million ways to be creative. It doesn’t come in a kit. It’s everywhere. Fill your home with open-ended opportunities.
• Make up your own rules to games or just make up a whole new game.
• Plop some random materials on the table and see what happens.
• Let them help problem solve real life issues around your home.
• Showcase creativity by hanging their creations on the walls, AND, you create things
too!
• Have them create and perform their own TV show.
• Let the kids plan their own birthday parties! Let go and let them!
• Hold up an empty box or plastic container and say “what can you do with this?”
• Tell stories around the kitchen table or set out mix-matched plates and discuss ways
the matching plate-eaters go together.
• Allow them to be mini-chefs in the kitchen, even when you know it's going to be gross.
• Write & illustrate stories and add them to your home library.
• We’ll pose a question and when someone answers, say “that’s one way…what else?”
• Plop some random materials on the table and see what happens.
• Let them help problem solve real life issues around your home.
• Showcase creativity by hanging their creations on the walls, AND, you create things
too!
• Have them create and perform their own TV show.
• Let the kids plan their own birthday parties! Let go and let them!
• Hold up an empty box or plastic container and say “what can you do with this?”
• Tell stories around the kitchen table or set out mix-matched plates and discuss ways
the matching plate-eaters go together.
• Allow them to be mini-chefs in the kitchen, even when you know it's going to be gross.
• Write & illustrate stories and add them to your home library.
• We’ll pose a question and when someone answers, say “that’s one way…what else?”
Pretzel House
- Use a lot of blank paper vs. coloring books.
- Get them a microphone.
- Invent stuff.
- Put them in charge of decorating a mantle in the house.
- Hang up a “think board” (dry erase board) they can brainstorm ideas or projects they’d like to do and then support them.
- Never underestimate the power of tape, boxes, pipe cleaners, shadows, rocks, and foil.
- Have fun, don’t stress. Repeat. Have fun, don't stress.
- Use a lot of blank paper vs. coloring books.
What sticky noodles can you offer other Moms taking on the creative with their kids?
Noodles I throw at my kids often:
“It’s not how smart you are, it’s how you’re smart. It’s not if you’re creative, it’s how you’re creative.”
“Only boring people get bored.”
“Hmmm…sounds like you have a problem, how are you going to fix it?”
“Don’t be shy…just try!”
And, I like to keep it real...sometimes I just order out for noodles. No shame in it. You have to recharge too. You'll be a better parent in the long run.
Warning: Blogs and pinterest can quickly make your pasta water boil over. Simmer down, people. Let other parents inspire you, not bring you down. Pace. Margin. Balance. Al Dente.
Noodles I throw at my kids often:
“It’s not how smart you are, it’s how you’re smart. It’s not if you’re creative, it’s how you’re creative.”
“Only boring people get bored.”
“Hmmm…sounds like you have a problem, how are you going to fix it?”
“Don’t be shy…just try!”
And, I like to keep it real...sometimes I just order out for noodles. No shame in it. You have to recharge too. You'll be a better parent in the long run.
Warning: Blogs and pinterest can quickly make your pasta water boil over. Simmer down, people. Let other parents inspire you, not bring you down. Pace. Margin. Balance. Al Dente.
What is your child's ideal noodle dish?
Well, ahem…in the spirit of being creative….and cheesy.....
Well, ahem…in the spirit of being creative….and cheesy.....
A Noodle Dish For Your Noodle
By Shelisa
Boil the water with a pinch of mess
Plop in some glittered rotini, just take a guess
Toss in some bowtie and ravioli too
Stir in bravery and confidence for a creative stew
Add elbow with your elbow as you giggle
Simmer until everything has a wiggly wiggle
Feel the beautiful boiling beat as you dance
Let the life pasta put you in an imagination trance
Rinse and smile through the steam
Close your eyes and allow yourself to dream
Alfredo or marinara, it’s all in your mind
Whatever you crave is what you will find
Top it with some fresh parmesan and inspiration
Dig in with your fork of innovation
Serve daily to your friends and family
Nourish your soul and live quite happily
By Shelisa
Boil the water with a pinch of mess
Plop in some glittered rotini, just take a guess
Toss in some bowtie and ravioli too
Stir in bravery and confidence for a creative stew
Add elbow with your elbow as you giggle
Simmer until everything has a wiggly wiggle
Feel the beautiful boiling beat as you dance
Let the life pasta put you in an imagination trance
Rinse and smile through the steam
Close your eyes and allow yourself to dream
Alfredo or marinara, it’s all in your mind
Whatever you crave is what you will find
Top it with some fresh parmesan and inspiration
Dig in with your fork of innovation
Serve daily to your friends and family
Nourish your soul and live quite happily
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