Showing posts with label low self esteem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label low self esteem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label low self esteem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label low self esteem. Show all posts

Inspiring Kids to be More Creative can Boost Self Esteem

 Different Ways to Inspire Creativity in Your Child 

As a parent, it's often challenging to see your child struggling, especially with their creative endeavors. It's essential to inspire children to explore their passions and interests. For young girls, especially, it can be difficult not to get pulled along by peers and lose sight of personal interests and passions. One way to help all kids find their voice and unique passion is to inspire their creative flow with lots of creative activities. Encourage your boys and girls to try something outside of their comfort zone!


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different ways to inspire creativity in kids
School plays are a creative outlet that builds self-confidence
 and life long friendships.


If you follow along on this blog, you know that kids being creative is our lifeblood. Kids Creative Chaos is not only our name, but our mantra. Creativity is often a chaotic event, but it needs to take place! Never choose a clean house over letting a child explore their creativity. Squelching creativity can have unwanted outcomes. Empower your kids to be themselves, explore their creativity, and improve their self-esteem in the process! And never, never, fall into the old stereotypes of labeling activities for boys or for girls. Without even knowing it, you can be killing a child's self-worth and dreams. As we always say, let them try, try try!

Inspiring creativity is a challenging tasks for most parents. Kids often choose not to do something simply because their parents have suggested it. Other times, they may feel insecure about trying something new. Try to encourage different creative pursuits as an outlet for self-esteem, fellowship, and mental health. Here are a few simple ways on how to cultivate your child’s creativity. 




Musical Creative Expression for Kids
Mayhem in a school band production.


Introduce kids to different types of crafts


Introducing your child to different ways to be creative allows their mind to develop away from the rigid confines of the creativity taught in many schools. It shows children the art of critical thinking and developing passions beyond the ordinary. Ask your child what interests them, but also give them options and ideas to inspire their creative and critical thinking.


If you wonder what this might look like, consider introducing your kids to different expressions of art that inspire creativity. For example, listen to music with them, discuss musical instruments and let them try one. Many cities have musical petting zoos or other opportunities to test an instrument.



Activities for Creative Expression



Creative Expression and the Arts for Kids
Jake in an adaptation of Brother's Grimm.



You can also show your kids different forms of creative expression with painting and other arts and crafts. Allow them to play and explore. The earlier kids start experimenting with creativity, the better chance it will have an affect on their emotional stability and self-esteem. So, be sure to take your kids to museums, the theater, and to music concerts to inspire their senses and allow them to engage in all sorts of artistic pursuits. If you want to learn more about that, here's an article from Berkeley on why the arts matter.


On a side note, always remember to read with your children and encourage critical discussion on the book and its themes. A child with a curious mind will find it easier to access their personal creativity. 



Surrealist Art Activity for Elementary Children



Give Kids creative gifts


Giving a child and exciting gift that isn't clothes or a video game, might inspire them to think creatively or get actively moving and making art. If you're struggling for ideas for your daughter, there are many gifts for girls to choose from that don't need to sit within the confines of gendered stereotypes. For example, you could buy her a zine-making kit. Firstly, making things helps kids to be more creative, but secondly, creating their own magazine can encourage kids to use their voice for good. Zines are a great way for children of all ages and genders to write and be creative. Click here for gift ideas that are targeting boys but can work for either gender. My daughter always hated to be excluded from toy cars, trains, and Transformers and my son loves to use hot pink as an accent color for sunglasses, hats, or other accessories. He gets a kick out of people giving him a hard time. Self-confidence at work!




Books about the Arts for Kids



Allow kids to explore 


Finally, one of the most important ways to inspire creativity within your child is to allow them to explore on their own. For a child, exploring comes in many shapes and forms, from creative play to fashion. If you want your child to develop a unique identity and a sense of themselves, they have to learn what they like and don't like.



See how we encouraged our daughter to dress however she pleased.



Kids have to try out activities and get things wrong. Making mistakes is an excellent way for a child to learn, and this can also be applied to their creative endeavors. So, give your kids some paint or a dress-up box and encourage them to explore. Then, stay engaged in their exploration and find out more about what they are doing and why, but never force it- being an over zealous parent can backfire. Play it cool, and watch your kids have fun with the skills you helped to create.



Recommended:


Rhythm Discovery Center Indianapolis, Indiana


Get Musical Instruments on Amazon


Book Tips for Kids






It is Better to Try and Fail Than Never to Try at all: Lora's Law #10

Quote: It is Better to Try and Fail Than Never to Try at All


It seems all you do is try, try, try, and never get anywhere. You have to keep trying to succeed. If you are too afraid to try, you will always feel like a failure. There is no try- only do! You can do it, we say that every day. We keep trying to be a success, but maybe we already are, because we aren't afraid to try. Stay positive, and share this quote to keep motivated. It is better to try and fail than never to try at all. Enjoy!


Book Review: My Big Bottom Blessing by Teasi Cannon

Angie's Corner                                               Book Review: Teasi (pronounced Tee See) Cannon has a master's degree in pastoral counseling from Liberty Theological Seminary and is a sought-after speaker who loves to help women remember who they are in Christ. "My Big Bottom Blessing" is available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble in paperback or for your Kindle or Nook.

Book Review Teasi Cannon My Big Bottom Blessing
Book Review: My Big Bottom Blessing

My Big Bottom Blessing
How Hating My Body Led to Loving My Life

Published by Worthy Publishing~2012


I reviewed this book for Handlebar Marketing. Once I saw the title and what it was about I couldn't wait to read it. This was a very easy and thought provoking read. Ms. Cannon talks about her struggle with the self defeating thoughts she had dealing with her body image and weight while trying to live a Christian life.  It contaminated her everyday life because she chose to believe those thoughts. Then one day, while away at a Christian seminar with her husband, she was able to realize her actual true self worth and started fighting back at the self defeating thoughts, slowly diminishing them from her thought process.

While not everyone has to deal with weight issues, I feel a lot people have those same self defeating thoughts in their life about something; I know I do. This book asks the hard questions. At the end of each section is a questionnaire that gives you a process so you can start thinking more positively about yourself and start quieting those thoughts that can hold you back and contaminate your life. This will be a book I keep on hand for my daughter as she is reaching the age when she will start to compare herself to other girls and I want her to be able to accept what she looks like and how she is with a positive outlook instead of a negative one.