When I came downstairs today the kids were making me these books. Hubby was getting ready for work & they were hard at work themselves. My oldest was leading the charge, he wanted to get it done before we left to take him to school. It was an intense session of creativity at hand.
I love that they are creative & looking to explore the world around them in all sorts of ways. I keep a scrap bag of paper & craft bin for them to work with. All papers in this bin are approved for using in crafty ways. Making books is the big thing right now. My oldest out of all the kids is the kid most into making books, writing them & illustrating them. The other kids are also getting into the process. I believe that it’s a good way to help kids develop a love of reading, writing, & art without it being high pressure. It’s just fun to do, learning without it being “I HAVE TO LEARN WHAT??”
They all had HUGE (I mean HUGE) smiles across their faces as they showed them off. Yet while I was really impressed with their books & hard work, I’m going to be honest my excitement was damped when I realized that the paper they were using was a batch of important papers I had set aside the day before. Papers that my Hubby had, completely by accident, placed in the scrap paper bag. Normally not a big deal since he had put them in last night. I would have just pulled them out this morning when I realized the mistake. However, this morning my children beat me to the punch.
I can redo the papers, it’s NOT the end of the world. But man it’s hard to continue looking super excited when you realize what has just happened and you can’t burst their bubbles because it was an accident. But just to make sure there isn’t a next time with papers I actually need I will make sure any & all important papers are put away immediately. And that there are still lots of papers available that won’t cause my eyes to get wider by the second in loving dismay as I flip pages with increasing recognition that the work I needed is on the other side of their own beautiful hardwork.
At least I got 3 really cool books out of the deal.
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LOL! Wow! After the sick feeling went away, I’m sure you enjoyed those great books!
I hate when the kids draw on important things. You don’t want to be upset, but at the same time…you’re right…you got three beautiful books!
When I was a kid my sisters and I had an old typewriter that we used to produce story books and “newspapers”. My favorite? An illustrated story on why George Washington cut down the cherry tree. Can you tell what we were learning in school then? It’s great that despite age differences your kids can do these types of activities together! Perhaps investing in an old typewriter could be good for them too? And just think, not a computer!!
As an artist and writer wannabe, creative kids really jazz me up! Love to see kids involved in their one imagination and creativity!
my daughter does this a lot as well – I save them ALL
Sounds like you’ve already put the mishap into perspective. Very cool kids you got there!
Ouch! But, it sounds like you have a sense of humor about it….or at least, sharing with us takes some of the sting out?! :>:> We chronically have paper messes here. Thankfully, the kidlets do not go after them. We’d be in trouble if they did! I come from a long line of family members with ‘issues’ with paper messes…..several generations, in fact! I look at them, turn around three times, hope they are gone, and nope, they aren’t. Then I start singing and dancing and pretending I’m Mary Poppins and….nope, they don’t disappear that way either. Hmmmmmmm…………. Children’s handmade books?? Maybe that’s even better than I first thought!! :> Sorry about your important papers, you are welcome to some of ours, and just love your childrens’ creative spirits! :>
My kids love to get into important papers and draw on them. I even try to HIDE the important papers but they still always find them…and color on them…or my son loves to turn them into paper airplanes.
I’ve found stories and other things I’ve written with water colored masterpieces on the other side. Sometimes I’m successful at keeping as cool as you. Other times…not so much.
Down the road, all that will matter is the books.
Oh those look so so sweet! We have a tub in the basement with this purpose too. It has ribbons, glitter, glue, stickers, paper etc so it is all in one place. (the art tub). I just love to see what they come up with and it is beyond great on a rainy day! BTW – come over to my bloggy today…I have a surprise for you!!! smilinggreenmom.com
Oh dear! You’re very understanding, I’d have garotted my husband….not the kids of course… :O)
What a patient mom you are and your kids are just sweethearts making you those books!
(Just stopping by from Lolli’s–what a great blog you have. )
Stephen King said he wrote “The Shining” because of an incident like that. He came into his office to find his eldest child had colored and written him notes all over his manuscript. And all King could think was “I could kill this kid.” Even though he knew it was totally irrational and all the stuff was “I love you, Daddy” and hearts and such.
I think it’s great that you didn’t let on and just let them enjoy their accomplishment.
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