A brainstorm of sorts hit me this morning. Creativity seeds should be planted for children everywhere…
Creativity Seeds to Spark Tiny Imaginations
While I was in the bathroom this morning getting ready for the day, I could hear my 7-year-old daughter’s excited little voice coming down the hall.
“Momma! Momma! I found a creature!”
I quickly finished brushing my teeth, slightly horrified as to what I might see her holding. I had images of mice, spiders and gross slime bouncing through my head. (Can you tell I’m a bit traumatized?)
Before I opened the door I asked, “What is it? Where did you find it?”
Chesney’s ecstatic reply, “I don’t know what it is! Maybe a teeny tiny dragon fly? It was on our bathroom floor!”
I thought to myself, Ok. Could be way worse…
I opened the door to find her grinning ear to ear. She was holding an almost transparent, tiny little seed. I mentally identified it as one of the fluffy seeds that come from the tall zebra grass we have growing in the front yard. But, rather than spoil the fun, I asked her to investigate its origin.
When the look on her happy little face turned into a distraught look of horror I quickly asked what she was thinking.
“Oh no. Mom, I think it’s the tooth fairy!”
You see, the tooth fairy arrived at our house last night. Chesney actually had her grandpa come up and use a dry rag to yank out her loose tooth earlier that evening because she just couldn’t handle waiting any longer. (There was no way I could handle that super squeamish task so, reinforcements had to be called.)
At this point I had to intervene and reassure her that this was definitely not the tooth fairy. So, she finished getting ready for school and we went to the bus stop a bit early.
I gave her small hints and clues as to how to identify her found ‘creature.’ When she looked up and saw the “poofy heads,” as she’s come to call seeds that bear fuzz, she let out a huge sigh of relief.
Crisis averted.
She opened her clammy little paw and watched as the wind took her beloved seed creature to a new land.
More Magical Finds in Nature:
- A tribute to a super cool bug — the katydid
- Our trip to the Little Red Schoolhouse
- Exploring waterfalls at Matthiessen State Park
Let us know if you think of any ways to “plant” creativity seeds.
Mary Alice Long
Friday 10th of February 2012
What a great story Shelley. Chesney has such a sense of wonder. I love that as Mom you reassured your daughter that all was not lost, that the tooth fairy was a-okay! Afterall, its up to us as adults to reassure our children or in my case now, grandchildren, that we are there to help when need be.
Robin
Friday 10th of February 2012
UGH - my heart would have dropped. But then again, both of my boys would have come out of the bathroom running and screaming if they saw something they thought was a bug. Even if it wasn't a bug, there would have been a major melt down.