Today’s Homemaker

I have always said it sort of apologetically — “I’m a homebody.” And maybe I have been apologetic about it in the past. But when I read this post, I realized that it’s a good thing, and it’s a trait I want to instill in my children.

I work with kids on a weekly basis, and one thing that surprises me week after week is that they’re VERY difficult to entertain. They sit and stare with blank eyes while you’re dancing across the stage, encouraging them to get up and play and have fun. It’s like they’re saying “Fun? How can I have fun here? There are no movies, no video games. There’s no mall. Where are my favorite t.v. characters? This is not fun.”

So maybe I’m generalizing, making up reasons for the blank stares. I’ve never actually asked them. Well, I have, but they never actually answered–just more stares. Maybe they just don’t get enough sleep and are tired. But the fact remains…they would rather watch me turn cartwheels (figuratively speaking) than get up and use their own imaginations.

Now these are 6-12 year olds I’m talking about. The 3-5 year olds go in a separate class, and thankfully (at least I’m thankful on most days!), they have not yet developed the art of acting bored. So what can I do to keep my kids satisfied with simple things, like puttering around the house?

Here are some things I’m going to add to the afore-mentioned list:

• Construct t.v. time — Okay, let me go ahead and say it–I am not anti-t.v. My husband is an animator, for goodness sakes. Television, movies, and video games can truly enrich your life (and your child’s) if used in the right way. The best way to use them is to watch them/interact with them “on purpose”. This is one of the great uses for TiVo. It allows us to record shows we actually want to watch and skip through the commercials, as if it were a movie. We pop popcorn and drink lemonade. We talk about what we liked and didn’t like. It’s the passive “background noise” that the t.v. can provide that can limit your imagination. When it’s on all the time…when you’re “channel surfing” just to watch something…when you feel glued to the couch–those are indicators that it’s become a passive habit that can hinder creativity and the enjoyment of life.
• Encourage the art of story-telling — My husband (the animator, remember) used to ask me what the real difference was in a novel and a good movie or t.v. show. That was back in the day when I wished we didn’t have a t.v. and was constantly campaigning against it. I tried to explain that when you read a book, you have to use your imagination to develop the characters in your own mind. That’s what stories do…they stretch your creativity and imagination. Here’s a conversation my two year old son and I had the other day:
  

  Him: What’s that? (Pointing to an armoire-shaped jewelry box)
  Me: What do you think it is?
  Him: Ummm…a house.
  Me: Oh, neat. Who do you think lives there?
  Him: Birds
  Me: Are they pretty birds?
  Him: Yep
  Me: Do they like their house?
  Him: Yep
  Me: Cool…I like those birds.
  Him: Me too, mama! I like those pretty birds.

• Go for frequent walks (and not for the exercise) — Being outside helps me to remember the larger picture–the world outside of my little piece of earth. Nature is anti-materialism. It belongs to no one, yet it is for everyone. It’s ironic, but getting out of my home and onto the beaten path (or off it) makes me appreciate that I have everything I need right here.

Now my kids are little yet, so I can’t vouch that my methods are working, but time will tell. If nothing else, we’re making some really great memories.