Crafty Cohorts

Welcome to the April 2014 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting Fears

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared stories and wisdom about family pastimes.

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Our family is a family of makers.  We create.  Micah works with wood.  We both cook.  I knit, and sew, and generally craft.  And the kids have inherited the gene as well!  Elliott has lately taken to painting.

Walter’s specialties involve refurbishing items from the recycling into a variety of projects, making jewelry for his doll on the rainbow loom, and weaving pot holders – although he never calls them that.

Sofi cuts, glues, colors, and decorates.  General crafting is a passion for her.  She has recently learned to knit and sew.

 

Sharing my crafting passion with the kids has been very fulfilling for me.  I love watching their ideas develop about how to create things.  I love that they can look at a cardboard box and see a dollhouse, or a stable, or a Dr. Suess Jeep.

I love that they are developing the same passions as I have.  But more than that, I love that they have learned how to think about things in new ways.  I love that they can look at something that most of us see one way and they can see through that to what its potential is.  This is a skill that doesn’t stop at tuna cans or yarn.  It means that as they grow, and face bigger problems, they will be able to think about them in ways that others can’t.  It means that they will have innovative solutions.  It means that when life hands them lemons, they will make lemon meringue pie – probably dairy, soy, and gluten free.  It means that in their jobs, they will be more valuable because they will be able to come up with new ideas that their coworkers or competition can’t.

I love that this is how we spend our time together, and how we are shaping our futures.

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Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• 8 Reasons to Go Camping with Your Kids — The weather is warmer, and it is time to think about taking a break. As you plan your family vacation, Mandy of Living Peacefully with Children, guest posting at Natural Parents Network, explains why you should consider hitting the trails with your kids.
• Crafty Cohorts — Kellie at Our Mindful Life enjoys crafting with her kids, and the skills they are learning.
• 10 Hobbies For Families With Young Children — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama knows that finding hobbies families can do together (with young children in tow) isn’t always the easiest of feats. She has compiled a list of 10 family friendly hobbies that children of all ages can enjoy and that won’t break the bank!
• Helping Himawari — Sophelia’s family at Sophelia’s Adventures in Japan share a passion for helping when a dog is abandoned at the nearby elementary school.
• The ‘Art’ of Having Fun — Marija Smits shares some thoughts on family art and fun.
• How we made our own Family Day — Lauren at Hobo Mama shares how her family celebrates the best day of the week, a chance for connection and adventure and endless possibilities: Family Day!
• Our Family Hobby — Survivor talks about how animal husbandry has become her family’s favorite hobby at Surviving Mexico Adventures and Disasters.
• Sowing the Seeds of Passions — Christy at Eco Journey In The Burbs wonders if her interests, and her husband’s, will shape her children’s passions as they mature.
• Harry Potter Potions Party — One of the best activities Dionna at Code Name: Mama has ever done with her family has been a Harry Potter Potions Party. She is sharing the resources she used to create their potion recipes, the ingredients and tools they experimented with, and the recipes themselves. Feel free to use and adapt for your own budding wizards and witches!
• Pastimes Have Passed Me By — Kati at The Best Things takes a new perspective on projects that never get done.
• Food as a cultural experience for preschoolers — Nathalie at Kampuchea Crossings finds that food is a good way to engage her preschoolers on a journey of cultural discovery.
• 10 Reasons I Love Thrifting With My Children — That Mama Gretchen has always enjoyed shopping, but with a growing family she’s become more frugal and thus, her little ones are now in tow on her thrift store adventures.
• Pastime with Family vs Family Pastime — You can share lots of pastimes with your family, but Jorje of Momma Jorje discovered a family pastime was much more pleasant for sharing.