My little girls love doing crafts and projects.
I have to admit that sometimes they want to help and I shove them off, because I’m in a rush.
In hindsight, I realize nothing is more important than spending time with them.
Somehow, I just don’t get it amongst the hustle and bustle.
So now they have taken things into their own hands.
Lately, they can’t stop making friendship bracelets, and they can do this without my help.
Yay for something they can do independently! But, boooooo for the mom (me) who isn’t
engaging with her kids when she gets golden opportunities.

friendship bracelets

This weekend, when we were at Target, my daughter bought a package of silk leaves from
the dollar aisle, with her own money. She told me she was going to make a “fall craft.”
When she got home, she told me she needed to learn how to use the hot glue gun and she
was going to make a wreath. I was laughing and also impressed with her ambition.
But I’m not ready to hand over the glue gun yet,
and I told her she needed something to glue the leaves to.
So we spent some time together.
She traced on some felt I had on hand.
Untitled-1
Then she cut it out.
cutting
Then she used the hot glue gun, with my hand over hers, trying to control the glue webs.
Then she placed the leaves in a few layers.
glue
She loved the result and I helped her hang it on the door.
Then the next time I walked by, she had spelled this out with her “bendaroos:”
door
She was proud. And she didn’t want to stop there.
She brought me this headband that I have never seen before.
She got it out of some craft kit she had, and she said she wanted to decorate it with leaves.
headband 1
She arranged these and we glued it on.
Pretty cool for a little crafter!
headband 2
It is moments like this that I think my kids have a little piece of their grammy in them.
If my mom were still here, she would be doing an educational/creative project with them all
the time! She would encourage their creativity and their desire to develop their talents.
I’m just reminding myself to be more like my mom in this way.
I need to say, “not right now,” a lot less often.
So here’s to turning over a new “leaf.” 🙂