08/18/2025
“How did you do that?”
My six-year old daughter asked the question in a state of amazement. I set out the X-ACTO knife, the Elmer’s craft glue, the magazines, and the self-healing cutting mat and said, With this!
We had a set of magazines we bought — 60+ dollars worth for just a few! — from her “About Me” collage project for her First Grade teacher to get to know her. I figured I ought to get some legs out of it, too, because it cost so much money.
And the question got me thinking…we hear so often from child psychologists about modeling great behavior: how to regulate emotions or how to have good manners in public. But one of the essential ways that I’ve always concretely “regulated my emotions” was through the construction of art, whether it was music, writing, photography, performance art, and now, collaging.
Living the Art Life is an excellent way for children to maintain healthy ways of not only voicing the internal world, but giving voice to sticky issues that they aren’t so ready to vocalize.
I suggest to all parents to showcase yourself as an artist in the world by journaling, reading, performing, wondering, commenting, and engaging with the world with a creative eye.
What are your favorite ways to get through the existential crises that is being alive?
