Wednesday, June 5, 2013

When an Impulse Buy Goes Very, Very Right

We honestly didn't know what to get Samantha for her birthday, so we didn't really get anything.  I think that may make us sound like bad parents, but sometimes we can be a little blinded by being too close to her on a daily basis.  All we see is a child who doesn't play much with toys, who doesn't like to color, who has no penchant for music whatsoever, and who lives for her books.  Sure, we could get her books, but we also hoped to be showered by epiphanies about actual toys she might actually want. 
 
But we weren't.
 
As I stood in line one day at Ross, purchasing a pair of pink sandals for her (which later proved to be miles too big, but for $7 I don't mind waiting until she grows into them), famished because I'd missed lunch and was forced to drool over look at rack upon rack of seemingly delicious bags of organic chips and popcorn with fancy and enticing names lining the path to payment, I saw a shelf of inexpensive boxed activity sets.  But Samantha totally doesn't like activity sets or arts and crafts, right?
 
Wait...
 
Whoops. 
 
I suddenly revealed to myself my own faulty logic in coming to this conclusion.  It's not that she doesn't like them, it's that I don't like the mess or the need for organization and patience that generally comes with them.  I can sit her down in front of a craft, give her instructions, and let her have-at-it, but I'll invariably become a bit cross as she does something wrong, spills some paint, over-glues an object or somehow manages to do something other than what's expected by the makers of said craft, which then leads to her own frustration, which then leads to her refusal to do anything, which then leads to me, in a huff, packing everything up and vowing never to bring it out again until it can be done correctly. 
 
Okay, so I exaggerate a tiny bit...  It's really not so awful, but she really doesn't have the staying-power for some of those things and would rather go and do something quicker or easier. 
 
So it was with an enormous amount of ambition that I, still waiting in line for my turn to pay, began to fondle a box containing a weaving-loom-pot-holder kit.  Remember those?  I loved the sense of accomplishment at actually having made something really, really cool, by myself.  But could my kid do it?   
 
I highly doubted it, a sentiment echoed by my husband when I got home with the box that would likely end up at the bottom of a closet for the next few years.  And again, for $5, that was a risk worth taking, and at the very least, she'd have something from us to open (in addition to a small toy that Daddy had picked up the day before).
 
Yesterday, I returned home from work to an astonishing sight - fine motor dexterity at it's absolute best being displayed by Samantha who was creating a pot holder masterpiece.
 
On. Her. Own.  (after being instructed by her aide, who started it off for her)
 
We were floored.  She did an amazing job, not needing any supervision until she completed the task and handed it over to me to finish off the edges. 
 
Trust me when I tell you I will treasure that little blue and white pot holder forever. 
 





15 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh, I so hear you about crafts! Whenever I want to try, something inevitable goes wrong and sets me off--like Owen chewing on the red marker until it looks like he's cut himself and is bleeding profusely. I really want to try, but I can't get passed the mess and the frustration!

I LOVE her little pot holder. She did great. The concentration in the pictures is so serious!

Anna said...

Squee! Im so glad it was a success! (I have a closet full of fails! But, I love finding a deal that just might be fun when we get to it.)

Michelle said...

LOVE!

Also, your paragraph about how the craft projects usually goes down sounds a lot like my household :)

Kimberly said...

So very cool. I love it.

Monique said...

Love this!! I do the same with any crafts with my two kids. I have to remind myself it is their journey and project not mine.

Lisa said...

I am the EXACT same way. I tell myself Cate couldn't do it but in reality I never buy or try those types of things because of all the pieces and my horrible perfectionist streak. That one doesn't look to hard to clean up if it is a fail so maybe I'll give it a shot - or at least buy it for the babysitter to try!

JC said...

Ya, I hate to admit it but I always cringe when the girls pull out the crafts. All I can think of is the clean up! But I usually let them have at it, and now I am constantly amazed at what my girls can do! Neleah can bake anything, she knits, Jordy paints and creates , um, stuff. lol

Sammi did a beautiful job on that little pot holder :)

Anna Theurer said...

Well look at Miss Sammi! I could never get those things to look right and Little Miss just knocked it out of the park--awesome potholder!

Rochelle said...

Look at her go! YAY Sammi! (and yay Becca for the great find)!

Monica Crumley said...

Precious!!! I, too, would treasure that forever!

Magikelly said...

This made me cry as I remember my own kid's arts and crafts accomplishments. She did a fantastic job! Way to go!!

FL Jenny said...

Your daughter is so pretty in the first picture with concentration on her face... a lovely girl! I didn't see how old she is? My daughter (with DS) is 5 1/2 years old. This crafting idea very well maybe in our future! Thanks for sharing & treasure your potholder. In fact I remember doing this myself when I was a girl in the brownies! ~JR

wendy said...

How precious! Great work Sammi!!

Nan said...

Seriously brilliant. Oh yes, THAT potholder will go with you to your supported living home ... I have NO doubt, and nurses will wonder why you hold on so tight!

Cindy said...

That is so awesome! I LOVE watching them work at something we didn't think they could do. Woohoo!!