My Kaleidoscope Bubble: 2012 Creative Round-up

I spent the last week thinking about… nothing. And I liked it very much. ‘Nothing’ meant that I didn’t have to think about work; ‘nothing’ meant that my head was free of stress – no worrying about upcoming deadlines-- nada. This didn’t mean that I didn’t have the usual holiday craziness to handle, Christmas shopping, putting food on the table and keeping the routine cogs greased to keep the house, kids and hubs running. But not thinking about work felt very good.

I had some time to think about my ailing blog and realized that 2012 didn’t give me much opportunity to put my camera to good use. I went through all my pictures for 2012 and sadly, realized that there were only the obligatory pictures of my kids’ birthdays -- yawn. I realized I didn’t have enough punchy photos to add to my blog for a year-end round-up.

I did, however, find a stash of artwork/interesting notes that I’d kept aside in some flimsy folder waiting to be put away.

Did I tell you that I’m at that stage where arty creations are looming near extinction in my home? Sophia (the 5-year old) is the only prolific artist now. Inbetween learning to spell and having an innate love to create, I am constantly doted on. This afternoon, she scrawled yet another affirmation, “ I love my Mom. She is nis (nice). She is Funne (funny) She is good.” One day, these creations will completely vanish (try spotting my 11-year old creations in my top 10 list below) and (might) eventually be replaced by some ho-hum Hallmark sentiment.

I’ve compiled a few to share because they are all entertaining and a window to those little mysterious minds that I call my own but yet feel they are some hybrids with only vague snatches of personalities from the hubs and myself.

I present to you, my top 10 list of my children’s creations:

The best of 2012

#10. Dear Santa

This is fresh artwork from 2012 Christmas. Sophia and Monique each left a note for Santa. Sophia’s was more a fan-based drawing while Monique surprised me with a simple request of getting Santa to fix her favorite bedtime toy’s eyes. No long list of "I want this and that toy". I guess she changed her mind when she scratched out the "Ipod"!

Score:
Charmingly sweet and endearingly childlike: A+

Sophia's fan drawing

Monique's wish for Christmas

#9. Christmas special

Monique didn't compile a Christmas wish list but she surprised me by playing Santa. Everyone in the family received a little gift – either handmade or bought with loose change that she’d earned from the tooth fairy. The gifts were not lavish but this was truly the case of the thought that counts. It meant a great deal to me that she’d thoughtfully picked a gift to suit each of her siblings’ needs: a colored pen for Aidan; a bookmark for bookish Sean, crayons for draw-a-holic Sophia and even a little bag for a bag and shoe lover me.

Score:
A selfless Christmas: A+.

Aidan's gift from Monique

My gift from Monique

Sean's gift from Monique

#8. Little ambitions

I never had one at 4 years old but evidently, not little American kids. They are introduced to the idea of having aspirations. Never mind if most are pipe dreams and/or strike fears in their parents but they are encouraged to dream. I think the idea of dreaming for wee ones is a wonderful thing since coming from sterile (cough, read: boring) Asian upbringing, this seemed refreshing.

When Sean was about 4 years old, he had set his sights for great things, so great that it was deemed a sure fail. Kids his age wanted to be a policeman, a truck driver or Spiderman. Not my Sean. Spiderman’s powers weren’t impressive enough. No, he wanted to be a “big blue whale”.

So, I should be delighted when Sophia’s end-of-pre-school ambitions were a little less ‘big’. My daughter chose an actual profession – a Dentist. I’d found it amusing since I was half expecting a Sean-styled answer or a least in line with her classmates’ dreams of wanting to be a “Mother” (poor kid that one), a race car driver (wrote a little boy with a scientist Dad), a rockstar (says a conservative friend's kid). No. Sophia went with boring and sterile; the very thing that would impress any Tiger Mother before she'd purged that very idea to make way for “Doctor” or “Surgeon”.

Score:
Good chuckles inducer: A+

#7: Anger management

If world domination was a profession, I’d say that my 9-year old is in the running. She is the proverbial little girl with the curl. When she is good, she is very, very good. But when she is bad, she is worse than awful. Monique would make a fearsome dictator; that skinny framed girl houses a fiery temper more suited of an ogre.

Tired of reprimanding Monique and wanting to understand her uncontrollable anger, I made her pen down what ticked her off. To her credit, this letter was insightful if not a little scary. My daughter is capable of self-awareness alright but thank god she isn’t the protagonist in Stephen King’s ‘FireStarter’ or there will be hell to pay!

Score:
Self-awareness and eloquence at age 9: A+

#6. Take note, Mr President

If anyone had the personality to be a leader, it would have to be Aidan. He marches to his own beat to the point of being reckless; a total risk taker. Yet, kids and adults seem to warm up to him. He is the kid that adults find amusing; but they shake their heads as they suppress their chuckles, grateful that they don’t have him as their own. Woe unto his poor parents.

But Aidan is innately big hearted and I’ve yet to find a mean bone in his body. He came home one day with this piece of artwork amidst Election 2012 and it made me proud. His generosity extends towards the under-privileged – “make pelpe (people) pay more taxed (taxes)”-- and as much as I would hate having to pay higher taxes under his governance, as a mother, I’m proud to say that he has his heart in the right place.

Score:
Big-hearted generosity: A+

#5. Forgiveness

Maybe one day Aidan will be a leader but until he learns some self-restraint and heeds consequences, I fear he’d become more leader of the wrong band. But this doesn’t mean he isn’t repentant when his mistakes are pointed out. Plus, he doesn't ever bear grudges. This letter below was contritely written after he had (ironically) decided to use the back of Monique’s ‘siftikit’ (certificate) of excellence for Art to draw on.

Score:
Spelling and grammar: C+;

Character strength: A+

#5. A spoonful of sugar

The older I get, my life seems more complicated. Kids are never complicated but bringing them up can be. It is like being in a maze where there are promises of fruitful journeys but some are wrought with pitfalls. This is when being a kid and taking life at face value magics away all worries. On days when I feel burdened by unnecessary stresses, these 4 simple words is all the medicine I need.

Score:
A feel-good boost: A+

#3. Happy Family

Every family should have walls plastered with artwork of blue skies, humongous butterflies and happy family members. My 5-year old Sophia started off with jellyfish-like family portraits in 2011 (she was 4 then) but these days, her drawings are taking more realistic shape where she’s sized everyone accordingly as opposed to influence in her life – that means, I’m no longer the large blob on the paper anymore. Sadly, I do miss being a large blob.

Score:
Family portraits: A+, better than static air-brushed photos.

2011: "Mummy, Daddy, me, Aidan and Monique" (she left Sean out because he isn't her usual play companion)

Dec 2012: Family portrait. We are a welcoming bunch and aren't fraid of oversized butterflies.

#2: Caricature

The last 2 entries are equally entertaining in my hidden criteria. I award high points for oddball creativity (sits well with my warped sense of humor) and/or for observations otherwise missed by adults. This hand drawn plastic egg was a Christmas 2012 gift to the hubs. It humored me greatly because eggs with funny faces are incongruently funny; plus it had a pop-up bubble of an overused expression in our house, i.e., “Eat your food!”

Score:
Oddball creativity and clever use of recycled materials: A+

#1. The little people are watching

The unsuspecting top creative piece, in my mind, has got to be Aidan’s journal entry. As part of class practice, he and his mates have to write a couple of sentences describing their weekend. His teacher then compiles the weekly class writings and they are sent home with the kids. Aidan’s weekly entries are mostly mundane and they go straight to the recycling bin though not this one. This one was too insightfully poignant and funny!

Score:
Amusing insights: A+