I must admit that I am a procrastinator. I have great intentions to organize my laundry room and file all of my pictures neatly into picture albums and boxes. But, honestly many times these projects do not get finished or sometimes even started. I love reading articles on organization, and as soon as the Container Store opened up in our area, I was one of the first ones there. I have grand ideas of what my laundry room will one day look like, but I haven’t even made the first steps in starting the project. My perfectionist tendencies tend to shine through, and sometimes, if I can’t achieve perfection, I don’t even attempt the task.
How does this relate to writing and helping young writers you may ask? Well… I have been thinking. When my daughters embark on a creative journey of drawing masterpieces or gluing magnificent leaves onto their collages, I want them to enjoy the experience from start to finish. I don’t want them to get caught up on the need for perfection and not even attempt to try. Writing and drawing are creative processes that require motivation, encouragement, and risk.
I want to ensure that I am providing a safe, fun, and creative environment for my children. I am determined to set aside my need for perfection and allow them to express their creativity and enjoy the creative process. So, I am going to shut down my computer, go grab a pile of paper and crayons, and make fall books outside. How can you start writing with your child today? Like the famous Nike logo states, “Just Do It!”
