Finding your inner four-year-old

Living with a four year makes a home a creative wonderland.

I love how uninhibited she is to draw, sing and dance — all with carefree abandon. She makes up songs, creates endless imaginary worlds and draws amazing pictures of people, animals and volcanos.

I was talking to someone today who said that the way we educate children diminishes their creativity and sense of self, especially as children get older. Is that right?

I do feel like children start to say they aren’t good at art, drama or other creative endeavours as they get older. I definitely remember feeling that sense of not being ‘good’ at drawing. There were people who were good at art and those who weren’t. I used to love singing when I was young but just stopped doing it when I got to 12 and became conscious of my unbroken voice.

Our work lives can also restrict our opportunities to tap into that creative side of ourselves. Certain people in organisations are seen as creative ideas people, while others aren’t. How much are we limiting the solutions to problems and challenges by diminishing people’s sense of creativity?

I’m not really a New Year’s Resolution person but making space for writing and drawing more is something I am trying to do more of. I feel like our minds are so busy these days, that having a bit of space to write or draw can really help us to step out of the busyness and see the world around us from a different perspective.

I’ll be sad when our daughter becomes more self-conscious about her creative side but she’s inspired me to be less self-conscious about the words I right and the things I draw.