Free State Family is a parent blog full practical and entertaining information for parents in and around Lawrence, Kansas. Not from the area? No problem! We also have a healthy dose of general musings suitable for the wider audience.
I was having a conversation the other day with a parent who is sending a kid to the Lawrence Arts Center about all of the piles of, um, masterpieces that kids bring home with them. We had two kids in preschool there at one time, and some days I could barely make it out the door carrying a teetering stack of creations made of styrofoam, wooden blocks, pipe cleaners and construction paper. A wheelbarrow would have come in handy.
I used to feel guilty about throwing this stuff away, so it would pile up. Then one day I realized I didn't feel guilty as long as they didn't notice I had thrown it away. I only felt guilty if they, a) inquired about the particular piece of trashed artwork (which happened only 2 percent of the time) or b) if they looked into the trashcan and saw their work of art covered in coffee grounds and banana peels. (Note to self: Stuff it down deeper next time).
Don't get me wrong: I love my kids' artwork, but this house ain't the frickin' Louvre.
We reached a middle ground between hoarding and trashing by giving them each an "art box"-- just a Rubbermaid-type storage box-- that they store under their bed. They get to pick out the things they're most proud of for safekeeping in the box. Everything else goes in the trash. We also do an occasional "gallery" show at the house where we hang up some recent creations and put little tags next to them with the title and artists' name. (Originally the idea of Brendamom.)
Any other suggestions for managing the flow of worksheets and artwork would be appreciated.
Comments
Yeah, we’ve got a lot of stuff from the Arts Center too. I’ve been brainstorming and have come up with a few more ideas for you, Eric, if you're ready to think outside the "art box":
1. Insulate your attic. I’m guessing that each of the styrofoam boats the kids made have an R-value of about 4 or 5. You can use the toothpicks in the styrofoam to attach them to your existing fiberglass insulation. You probably have enough boats to qualify for some sort of home energy tax credit.
2. Take up smoking -- a pipe, that is. All of those spider legs and beaded bracelets will provide you with a lifetime supply of pipe cleaners. You can also hollow out a few of the longer wood sculptures and make them into custom pipes. You'll be the envy of all your pipe smoking friends.
3. Get in touch with your feminine side. Our son once brought home a painted high heeled shoe from an Arts Center preschool class. Since you have twins, I assume you’ve got a pair of heels. The shoes are good for a quiet evening at home or a big night on the town. You might want to take them off before you go to a sports bar or a job interview at a law firm though.
;)
Best wishes to you and your family.
Posted by: David at October 22, 2007 09:18 AM
I have the advantage as a grandparent. I can keep just a drawer of art related things from grandkids. Then I can steal their very good ideas, perhaps without them noticing.
