The creativity cure
Guiding a child to express him or her self allows any less-optimum emotions a way out into the world (and out of the child). Lifting some of the negative emotions makes room for more positive ones. And there always seems to be more positive feelings possible on the way towards bliss. The act of creating and expressing oneself as a child is also centrally valuable to a child's growth. It is an opportunity for a child to feel seen and heard as a creative being.
Turning to creative endeavors during turkey week seems natural to me. It helps not only a child feel well and seen but may spur the growth of gratitude and appreciation of holidays (holy days). And practicing gratitude has been correlated to greater experiences of happiness and increased health benefits (per Professor Emmons research at UC Davis).
Growing gratitude creatively
Directing a child to express his or her creative energy is good parenting. Coupled with a focus on increasing a child's tendency to be thankful is great parenting. Some imaginative projects to make with your child are:
Gratitude Turkeys through using construction paper or cut-out foam to make a brown, yellow and orange bird with each feather having something the child is grateful for written on it. Children can also make cards for family members explaining what they are thankful for about each of them (i.e. someone's smile, guitar playing, cooking or bedtime stories). Get out the glitter and glue. Wow, that would be a creative gift.
Additional projects include having your child make Thanksgiving Day seat cards, decorating a wreath, helping bake cookies of thankfulness and hanging acorn ornaments to spice up of the day. Please use my suggestions as a departing point for your child's own creative expression nurturing his or her unique talents as well as thankfulness.
Last but not least
In the words of psychological pioneer, Piaget, enjoy fostering your child's ability to be "creative, inventive and discoverers" as it is a central force in development.
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