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4 Musts for Guiding a Highly Creative Child

You know the type — the curious collector who turns stacks of melted cough drops into a sculpture, the engineering enthusiast who begs daily to re-wire the vacuum cleaner, the tormented tot who counters every boundary you set with an all-caps, “WHY?!”

For those of us who are parenting a highly creative child, we all know how tricky it can be to guide them in a direction they’re not already willing to go. After all: that’s what makes them creative! They have a swirling, endless sea of ideas swishing through their brain at all times, and they want nothing more than to dive into each and every one of them. In today’s post, we’re sharing 4 methods to keep in mind as we harness this creative energy in these early years so our children can use it to their utmost benefit later.

 

The good news is…

First things first: your highly creative children are 100% right where they need to be, right in their own home, learning alongside an invested parent. Research suggests that a kids’ creativity is not only neglected in traditional school settings, but is often actively punished and seen as engaging in misbehavior. Here’s why: in a classroom setting where conformity is essential to keeping 20-30 kids on task, anyone thinking out of the box is easily pegged as a troublemaker.

So remember this: by teaching your child at home, you get to give him/her something different – something that sparks a built-in creativity, rather than extinguishes it. That’s a beautiful thing!

On that note, here are 4 things to keep in mind when teaching and parenting a highly creative child:

 

  1. Bending a rule is not the same as breaking a rule.
    Many of us were raised in a household where “Because I said so” was a final matter. But for creative children who are prone to pushing boundaries in an attempt to discover something new, authoritarian-type maxims don’t line up for them. Be open to bent rules. Does this mean we let our kids run the show? Absolutely not! It simply means we need to figure out what feels permissible and what doesn’t.Example: If the “rule” is that read-alouds happen around the breakfast table first thing in the morning, but your child would rather listen to Pinnochio upside down in the pine tree, consider the request. Is it a deal-breaker? As long as the reading gets done, does it matter where, how, or when? Can the rule be bent? Only you can decide. Stay flexible to the possibility that a more creative solution might be a better fit for your child, and whenever possible, incorporate his/her feedback.
  2. Start with why.
    Most highly creative children will be looking for a reason why something matters. Why should they care, why is this important, why are we spending time on this? This means that a learning-related question like, “How many apples do you see?” will rarely generate compliance or curiosity. Instead, try leading with a scenario that holds meaning and offers context to your child, e.g. “How many apples do you see? I need to know if we should order more in our CSA box.” This alternative offers a tactile reason that’s worthwhile to your child. Often times, if the creative child is given a “why,” he or she will happily move onto the “how” – one of their very very favorite questions to figure out anyway!
  3. Less is more.
    There’s a school of thought that a creative child must be offered a slew of resources and supplies to busy his/her brain and keep that spark alive. But for a child with so many ideas already, a high sensory set-up can feel overwhelming and actually stifle their natural-born curiosity. Stick with a few basic supplies like cardboard, markers, tape, scissors to let the mind – NOT the materials – lead the way.
  4. Allow the rabbit trail.
    Highly creative children don’t often follow a linear learning process, and that’s 100% OK! If you’re on a nature walk and your goal is to talk about squirrel hibernation, but your child stumbles upon a snake skin and it’s all he or she wants to focus on, go with it! Rabbit trails are such an important part of a child’s education because they offer a connection to something new, while allowing further, deeper exploration of any given subject. Most creative children see connections EVERYWHERE, so make room for a lot of rabbit trails along the way. Remember: some of the best lessons come without a lesson plan.

YOUR TURN: for those of you parenting a highly creative child – what works in your home? We’d love to hear your personal experience! Email hello@othergoose.com.

 

p.s. Our highly-creative children LOVE these custom-designed Discovery Pages! Try a pack out today.