Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” I think that I am going to take this quote to heart. You see, my girls LOVE to create. They love to draw pictures and use crayons to scribble and color everything – sometimes things that are not supposed to be colored like the bedroom door or the toy box.

One way for the girls to be creative without having to worry about them re-decorating the house is to use a Magna Doodle Pad or as the girls refer to them, a “doodle pad”. They will sit for long periods of time drawing and erasing and drawing some more. I enjoy watching them create their artwork, but I think I enjoy them deciding what they are going to draw even more.

You have to think that a 2 1/2 year old is limited by his or her own experience and imagination. So, unless the child has learned about or been to the Eiffel Tower, they are not likely to draw it. Conversely though, we must think that as adults we become conditioned in thinking narrowly, so we are limited by logic. (Though many could argue some never did grow up and are more likely to succeed in their creative thinking, thus the challenge of the quote in the introductory.)

Peanut’s drawing of Mommy.

Twindada and I LOVE to be creative. We love art, music, literature and feel that we should nurture any enthusiasm our children display regarding these subjects. Math is important and so is history, there is no question. As much as I rebelled, I will admit I have used algebra after high school! However, nothing releases passion like creating something all your own. We all can solve the same equation and will come to the same answer. This is good so buildings will stand and airplanes will fly. However none of us will come to the same answer when given a piece of paper and a pencil and told to “Create.”

I think about our Creator. What a blank slate! He could do ANYTHING He wanted and this is what resulted. What was He thinking when He created the rocky, pointed mountains? Did He laugh when He sketched the anteater? Did He cry when He sculpted the first baby that was born on Earth?

Jelly Bean’s drawing of a cat.

To create is to live. As parents, we create life. As parents, we create opportunities. We must nurture these moments and hope that in this way, our children never grow up.