Overcoming Myself

I read a fantastic article about the excuses we Moms come up with to NOT spend time crafting with our kids. The excuses Jamie covers are (directly quoted):

1. My child isn’t interested in doing projects.
2. Its so messy!
3. The arts and craft projects never turn out!
4. They can’t do any of the ideas I find!
5. I don’t have the time!
6. I don’t have any of the stuff to do the activities I find.
7. I’m not crafty/creative myself!
8. They’re not learning anything from it anyway…
9. I’ve got a baby. It just doesn’t work.
10. I’m so not organized enough to do this all the time! How do you do it?

I do love doing crafts with my kids, and I have said each one of these at one time or another. I can even add:

11. I’m too tired.
12. They’ll just get in trouble (again!) for not following instructions and ruining the project!
(OK. Yes, I’ll admit… I’m a bit of a control freak.) 

Read Jamie’s article, you won’t regret it. I was inspired to throw together a craft idea that’s been rattling my brain for a little while now.

The heart is made with my thumb prints. My husband pointed out that it is actually 2012. Whoops! lol

• Where the kids interested? Resounding yes! Mostly curious as to what I’m up to… that was cute & fun.
• Messy? a little bit!
• Is it perfect? Nope.
• Did it take long? Not really… including set up and clean up, I’d guess about 30 min.
  (I had to supervise individual hand washing with this one… we used my “real” acrylics. I’m putting Crayola washable paints on my shopping list!)
• Did the kids follow instructions perfectly? Nope.
  (see those weird smudges before each name?)
• Was I too tired? What year is it? Did it matter that I was tired? Well…. I can laugh at myself, at least!