:artist:
I think it is important that we support our kids artistically. Praise their creativity, so that they wont dwell on their differences, and "shortcommings". As many of us did growing up.

I think us adders are often more suited for artistic/creative professions. Unfortunatley a lot of our arts/music programs in schools are the first to get cut. And many of us, and our parents are brainwashed that the 'arts' aren't a "real profession"

I have a bit of a time, but my child is required to practice a musical
instrument. House rules. My son can't stand to have any disipline.
And rebels like crazy. Yet he says he wants to play violin. So in some ways I force him. He's 8 and makes good money playing out occassionaly. (His choice)
At these times I feel he lets me know, that he he knows is advantaged because I have spent agonizing time, getting him to practice for 10 or 15 minutes.

so even if it turns out he can't be organised enough to be a professional scientist or executive, doctor or buisness owner. He will be a good musician. It is also a profession one can always fall back on, or a great hobby on the side. And aside from arthritis most musicians are playing (hobby or pro) into old age.

Degrees don't mean as quite much in the music world.
Your ability to play well does. It is a back up plan for add ers.

This is what saved me in my teen years and set me apart from, the other "wild, bad, promisuous, confused or lost youth" I had a skill that could change anyone's opinion of me in a blink of an eye.:D
Always could get a good meal, make a buck in my wanderings.

The other plus is that you get a lot of positve energy about yourself from other people when you have a developed talent, thus helping have a positive self image. Which means they will be likely to take on lifes challenges with less fear.

I am so glad I am not the only mother who forces her child to practice. Dakota signed up for piano and drum lesson's I spent way too much on the drums to just let him play as he wishes. I find it also help's him relax once I get him started I can't tear him away from it. lol How I wish he had chosen the violin *pouts* lol.

For me my art has always been my language. Up until adulthood I wasnt able to communicate very well. In fact as a child I refused to speak outloud until I was three.Even then it was monosylables and in a low throaty voice. Drawing was my vehicle, it said so much that i couldnt or wouldnt. I connected with people that way.

Today i still use it for those same reasons, its my gift to the world, my connection to their insides that words may not be able to reach. Its my language

Cool beans Cherity!
I wish my son would get more into it! He is very oppositional and tries's hard to not, show he likes it.
One very cute thing that helps me remember he knows it's a good thing is.. when someone hears him and says "I wish I could play violin" He replies "everyone does"!! I just love that!!

Lately he has been playing a little more on his keyboard.
I bought a very nice one for him when he was three, and he has it in his room always set up to play, even though there has been weeks, that he has ignored it. He gets very upset if I mention lessons. But he has a great ear and sounds out his favorite movie themes.

Chrissy, that was my language too, drawing, boy the paper I went through!
My son has to have tons of paper too, so I buy in bulk.
My dad did graphic arts, I used to sneak in the garage and steal paper, I just love different types of paper!!

You are the first person I have heard say that, besides me!!!! I feel like I found a sister!! I have this thing for paper, all kinds of paper, I adore it.

i want to get stephen involved in music but i dont have money to spare for private lessons. I however have alot of art supples and let the kids used them as much as they want . Last week we took alot of tiny sticks and mad a small tp out of it then glued them together lol

I know classes can be expensive! I had a mother who used to help me in my garden in exchange for violin lesson for her and her daughter. That was great (That was when I had a garden!)

You might be able to find a creative solution?
My mother had me play in this program everyyear that gave out scholarships to those who seemed worthy. Course you have to already play for those.

You might have a friend who plays music, that can do a bit of sharing with your son?

The boy who gives Dakota drum lesson's doesn't have the money or access to a computer. He uses our's for his term paper's and such.

Were there is a will there is a way!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paper, paper and more paper and cardboard and anything else you can find. My favorite thing to do is just get a bunch of junk together and figure out what we can create. I will have to post a pic of my kid's hallway. It's a small hall covered in what we call "Scrap Art" one project we took plastic bowls, constuction paper, twine and colors and made Elephant's using no glue, tape or staples the kid's love that kind of ummmmm word word lol well thinking on your feet activities. ANd it keep's them occupied.

One other idea Lexi will be starting piano lesson's next week and the lady who gives Dakota his lesson's decided since I stay while she is giving the kid's their lesson's I may as well clean her house since she does not have the time and I get 2 one hour sessions for each child three times a week. I pick her house up anyway's when I"m there because of my nervous energy. I happen to be one of her favorite mother's she say's and cleaning up after one little old lady is easy compared to three kid's and a hubby.

O.k sisters of the paperhood, do you adore a fresh new sheet? (Of paper?)
Does it not represent a fresh beginning? (until I make the mark on it)
I try to reuse all our paper that is deamed unworthy after it has a tiny scribble. So I use them for placemats, coasters. And joting down numbers.
I am not quite so bad now, but I was called 'paper waster' growing up!

I always adored a fresh new sketchbook or journal. (I've dabbled in art, but think I'm actually better at writing.) Made the mistake of browsing through an arts-supply store a few weeks ago, and now I'm dying to buy some supplies and start dabbling again. If I do, it will have to be after the kiddos are in bed, or they'll steal my supplies to make train tracks and suspension bridges... :rolleyes:

Oh I have to tell you all about my twooldest before I was married. My son was about eight and my daughter about six. I had come in from a particularly hard day at work and had a date that night, too late to get out of it. So i asked them to play in my sons master bedroom for an hour so I could sleep a little befor ehand. they played for threeeeeeeeeeeee hours. I woke up refreshed, made dinner and got them ready to go to the babysitters next door. I went up stairs to get jammies and tried to open his door. It wouldnt move. So I shoved harder, it opend a small amount. I put my full weight into it and it opened enough fr me to see the most amazing sight. They had constructed the hugest spiderweb spanning the entire master bedroom. There were barbies and horses and bart simpson dolls all in the agonizing throws of panic over the approaching psider. they had taken a ball of kite string and ran it from the door knob to the closet to the window to the other window to the bed post and back to the door knob and fashioned this very true to life spiders web from their toys etc. I was dumbfounded. I had no camera and kept it up for that night showing anyone I could coax upstairs. i didnt know if I should be upset over their "waste" or praise their creativity. i chose to praise. My son today is at a school for engineering and sciences and my daughter a performing arts high school.

That IS impressive! Good three-dimensional thinking there. ;) I think there's a project much like that in The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun (a book of fun activities for children).... I wonder if one of the author's children ever did that to her .... ;)

lol i used to give my son tape to keep him busy while i talked on the phone or worked with people, it was so cool the whole house would be taped