How To Get Kids To Listen. Really???

First, don’t feel you have to swallow the whole elephant at once!

My sister-in-law, Barbara, raised five boys and managed to keep her sanity. I can’t speak for all she did to accomplish this, but I can speak of one issue she resolved in clever fashion, instead of beating her head against a wall.

When Karen, another sister-in-law,  and I were at her home, we got onto the subject of art. Barbara mentioned that, when the boys were quite young, they all dabbled a little in painting. We were curious to see all the artwork so she led us to where they were put aside. We moved slowly through the paintings, admiring the impressive talents of such young boys. And then, there it was; my own little Monet. I say “my own”  because, no question, I wanted it.

“You did this?”, Karen and I chimed in together. Karen definitely liked what she saw.

Barbara had painted a beautiful vase of flowers in the brightness and lightness of  true Impressionism. And, I didn’t even know she was an artist.

She explained that, back then, she had to do something to stop her boys from scribbling on walls. So, just like that, she became an art teacher (brave mother; she handed them oil paints.)

Moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas, hear this: Do encourage your young ones in this manner. You may discover an artist and, it just might be you!

by Barbara (sometime in the 1980s)

PS: Karen got the painting.

Coming up: I never stop wondering.