Gotta find ways to get out of the way

My kids live to have people over. I usually like my space. My time. My privacy. I like to be.. alone with them. And the classical music. Well, today the school's weren't open due to a strike. And I love my kids. .. and my neighbours kids too.. So we invited some extra's over for a little artistic exploration. Bought supplies and snacks and opened the door. I had in my mind quiet children gluing and colouring. I thought they would sit. . . for a long time. I thought I would stand and sip the latte that I had just lovingly made for myself from the stove top and my own little non-machine milk frother that I am very excited to have, and I would observe these little geniuses. I would make no rules. I would have no opinions. I would only comment and say, "my, my, how wonderful it is to be creative."

 Now, you might think that we didn't have a good time. We did. But it wasn't what I expected.

For a couple of days Noah has wanted to make a ghost truck. He loves the word "ghost" and I think he thinks ghost trucks, even though they are police trucks, are bad. So I thought I'd make a ghost truck with Noah while the rest of the little angels pushed their artistic boundaries.

And then it happened. Everyone wanted a truck.

We didn't have enough boxes. Trucks take time. You need big scissors because the cardboard is thick.

I didn't sip anything. I made cardboard truck bodies and gave suggestions. My friend who had come over with her kids, whom I imagined would get to sip something with me while we chatted and mused over our children's wonderful giftings, also had to build a truck. Firetruck.

You know, even though it wasn't what I expected, I had fun, and so did the kids. There were no rules and it was a big mess, but I had counted on that.



I think I was re-minded that IF we start everyone on the same page with something doable, and yet scope for the imagination (of course with no rules that you MUST do what we are doing), there is a better chance of me being able to step out of the arena once everyone gets going and hope that they will work independently. It's not that I didn't want  to be involved, but I wanted them to discover what they could do. I didn't want to create dependence on adults.. which.. there was too much of.

Still, magic happened. It was when Kiara's pink jeep (my suggestion), suddenly became an ice-cream truck (her idea), and Noah's ghost truck suddenly became an inspired ice-cream ghost truck.... It was a stroke of genius and I could see triumph in Kiara's eyes when she took what I had started, and made it completely her own.. and Noah's ghost truck was transformed from sorta boring, to completely original and he was more than pleased that he now possessed something he loved on so many different levels. Suddenly kids were motivated and gathering around. Helping. Passing tape. Glue. Giving ideas. They were alive.


And I could finally get out of the way (well, as long as cut more ice cream cones, please).

 I love what happens when we open the door and make room for the unexpected. I love that this is learning.

Firetruck (with an ice cream cone on the other side)

Ghost truck (ice cream cones all over)