I am ready to guarantee that you can hate doing kids crafts. That’s right, being creative with kids can become misery with kids, all you have to do is follow these steps:
- Start when you are tired and everyone needs a snack. Tell the kids you will have a snack AFTER you do this craft.
- If people are cranky to begin with, try something new and complex, definitely.
- Or pick something you think is pretty lame. Go for the project that makes you think, “Wow, that looks tedious and boring…and I don’t even like the end result.”
- Speaking of end result, decide how you want it to look ahead of time. Better yet, decide that you want the kids to make it for someone else and picture exactly what it should look like AND what it should say. This works great for thank you cards.
- Make sure what you’re doing is way beyond their capabilities, so that you either have to do all the steps for them, or they insist on doing all the steps and then throwing a massive tantrum when it is physically impossible for them make it work.
- Don’t plan anything to entertain the baby. While you’re at it you should probably set up at ground level so you can get a good workout trying to fend off the interested baby while also facilitating the craft project.
- Speaking of set up- make sure you set up over carpet. Have the kids wear nice clothing (obviously.)
- When your child tells you they don’t want to do what you chose, don’t listen to them! Try pleading and really pushing it so you can all be miserable and grouchy!
- If they don’t like what you planned feel bad about your lack of psychic powers.
- Judge your kid’s crafts and realize that they probably will not get into college because (face it) that paper plate cheetah mask doesn’t look like a cheetah AT ALL.
Oh- what? You don’t want to be miserable while you’re creating with your kids? Oh, never mind then. Try not to do any of the things I just mentioned…
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I think I love this post- I run a weekly post on Wednesdays called “The Craftless Series: (fill in the blank)….sometimes I luck out and something beautiful happens, but generally, it’s embarrassingly pathetic. But, the point of it all is to spend time with my kids and they like laughing at my sucky projects.
I love #7. I’ve actually tried doing play doh on white berber carpet with a 2 and 4 year old and actually found myself annoyed at THEM for not keeping it on the kid table. haha!
Absolutely love this post! Bookmarking this for a laugh when I need it… and to read when a project does go wrong.
oh this is hilarious! There have been so many times I’ve tried to get the kids make a last minute thank you card before we head out the door, with typically disastrous results
Yeah,here’s a typical scene that’s happened here:
Mama: Ok, what should I write? What do you love about Grandma?
Child: Write “Grandma, I love coming to your house because you have toys.”
Mama: Uhh, is there anything you like doing with grandma?
Child: No. I don’t know.
Argh!
#4 has got me in a bad mood lots of times. I no longer have my kids draw or create cards. I care too much about the end result for that.
I’ve done #8 before. Why don’t we learn not to do that!
Fun post!
This post is wonderful totally made me laugh! My coaxing never works and sometimes I think well maybe if I just leave it out he’ll want to do it later. That never works either.
These are great! I totally relate to #4 and #8, but I’m trying so hard to be better!
hilarious!
I can relate to pretty much all of these… but here’s another one – attempt to do ANY craft project with a spirited, active, bright child at ANY time of the day, because YOU think it’s a good idea. Sorry, but unless it’s HIS idea, it’s just not going to happen!
Cath, yup. I mean sometimes I can suggest something and the kids get all excited, but if they aren’t into it. I’m just setting myself up for failure by pushing it. (Who wants to be called a “mean mama” because of a craft project?!) This is one of the reasons I try to pick projects I know I’ll be interested in too though. Sometimes I just get something out and start doing it and sure enough, a few minutes later I have small helpers involved.
I just stumbled on this post…. I laughed and laughed, thank you. I have to do art and craft with my 3 year old every day, she just loves it and I have made every single mistake you mentioned.
I read this post via a link from At Home with Ali. I have to say that this may in fact be why my crafting with kids has been a disaster to date! Taking notes x
Love this post
Loved reading this – makes you sit up and think and even have a good laugh!
Shared today on Mommy Labs FB page
I am so glad you shared this on Monday Madness. It is an awesome post and it was fun to read it again. I am going to share it tomorrow. Everyone involved with kids needs to read this and understand the things we all do wrong all the time and sometimes the same mistakes over and over again.
So true and funny! I remember the frustration I had when my daughter was only two and I had the “brilliant” idea I would let her help me stencil her room. Of course, I cared how the walls in our house look, and asking a toddler to help with a home decorating project is a disaster waiting to happen. I look back at myself and laugh.
Very funny! Love this post…certainly one of the best this year…thanks!
visiting from
http://morethanabcand123.blogspot.com/
happy new year
This is hilarious and I absolutely love it!!
Absolutely love this post! Enjoyed the creativity!
Loved the post and enjoyed the creativity!
Yep, done all those mistakes many times. Some I had realised, others you made me realise! I still craft with my kids though.
Alissa- this was an easy choice for the funny parenting Top 9! Your blog is such an inspiration!
Absolutely love this list! Hilarious and so many truths in there. I think we’re all guilty of one or two of these from time to time.. or three or four!
I’d love to link back to this in a future post about open ended art! It’s just perfect.
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