So here's LD, making a little something for my treasure-y artwork collection.
As a parent, can you witness your child put paintbrush to paper without getting a little misty-eyed?
I'll tell you, I can't. I simply can not. It fills me with joy. Probably because I'm a left-wing, support-the-arts type. But also because seeing my kid's imagination begin to soar is like a drug. It makes me high. Giddy. It's cool is what it is.
And also, kids engaged in activities are kids that leave me the hell alone for a sweet second.
So, I love it when my kid gets all creative and artsy. I'm not sure if he's any good at it but I love that he seems to get a kick out of doing it.
I had a friend whose (genius) daughter drew her first face at around 18 months of age. I was astonished. And jealous. It took LD an age to work out which end of the crayon to write with. Ummm, dude, it's a crayon. Both ends work.
No, I made that bit up. Not the geniusy daughter bit. That's totally true. But LD knew how to work a crayon, he just didn't really dig drawing until after his second birthday.
See here how he's made up for lost time? What is it about photos of faces and kids with pens? They have to draw something coming out of the nose. It's like Defacing 101. Kind of cool though considering at LD's age, I'd expect nothing more than mindless scribbles. The kid has defacing skillz.
And how awesome is this? I wanna say that this is a ghost. But I can't remember whether LD actually told me that or whether I've just decided that's what it is. Either way, I love the shit out of this drawing.
A while back I came across this scene.
It appeared painting had turned into a spot of finger painting. That's cool. I'm all for exploring your creative potential.
But what, pray tell, had become of the little artist?
And that was the day I learnt that painting is not a good activity to set up Child A with so as to put Child B to sleep without being interrupted by Child A. Not a good activity at all.
So my little artist and I had a little chat about where paint belongs. Namely, on the paper and not on the face. I felt the chat went well but short of having him sign an agreement in blood, how can one really be sure that their small child has comprehended much less agreed with the little chat? It's tricky. To reassure myself that we have been on the same wavelength, I often prompt LD to say, "Yes, Mumma" when I've finished speaking. How this helps with the overall comprehension, I can't say. But it feels like the right thing to do.
Okay. So, do you see what's happened here then?
I feel like maybe when LD said, "Yes, Mumma" after our little chat that he didn't really mean it. Although in his defence, our chat was about paint and not textas, faces and not wardrobe doors.
Far be it from me to crush the spirit of the artist within. For the record, I'm a big fan of LD's work. And I can see how the constraints of the easel could push a little man to extremes. Creativity can not, nay, MUST not be contained and all that. But seriously, we rent this joint. So I can't be having this shit.
There was a heart stopping moment when I took to the texta with spray cleaner and a sponge and NOTHING happened. I was ready to sell my little artiste. But thankfully, the Magic Eraser worked like….well, you know.
We had another little chat. And for now, it seems to have worked. But maybe that's because LD is sufficiently exercising his rebellious side by pissing on our carpet. Yeah, that's rented, too.
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