Art and Creativity

I thought it was about time again to post something about a homeschooling topic so I decided to tell you about an art program that I purchased about seven or so years ago. I don't even remember where I got it from, and to be quite honest, we did about four lessons and then it sat on my shelf until this year when I was looking for something different to do to fill one of our time slots. The program is called "I Can Do All Things - A Beginning Book of Drawing and Painting". It is published by How Great Thou ART Publications. I have to say that since we have been working through it, everyone's basic drawing skills have improved quite a bit. There is a section on beginning drawing, colored pencils, colored markers and beginning painting. It is very easy to follow along, which was good for us because I am not very talented in the art department.


The assignment for today was to come up with your own cereal and design your own box front. I found that what some of my children came up with reflected what goes on in our house. My one daughter decided to make her cereal red coated chocolate balls. At first she was going to call them "Red 40 O's" (Really, I don't make that big of a deal about red 40 in this house!) but then decided to call them "Lovey Dovey Cereal" because, as Willy Wonka says, "Chocolate contains a property that triggers endorphins. It gives one the feeling that they are in love." My son came up with his cereal called "Wheat Free with Raisins". Wheat free what, I am not quite sure, but at least it has raisins!! (Now I have been making a big deal about being wheat free lately!) Another daughter called her cereal "Tiny Toes" and, you guessed it, the cereal is in the shape of tiny toes. There is even a picture of a bunch of toes being poured into a cereal bowl on her box front. I have no idea where that one came from. They all know I don't like feet very much so she probably did it just to make me squirm. I told them next week they have to do a TV commercial for their cereal. I can't wait to see what they come up with for that.


All of this just made me realize that homeschooling truly is a powerful thing. Whether we know it or not, in subtle ways or in forceful ways, we are imparting the things we believe on our children and then it comes out when we least expect it, and sometimes in very creative ways. I'm glad I got to witness all of this first hand and not as a bystander when they brought home their pictures from school. I know that it is tough sometimes, but it is fun times like this when I am glad that I home school!

God Bless!