A Joy-filled Gift

I believe that creativity is God's joy-filled gift to children. But long-standing anxiety or depression nearly always stands in the way of freewheeling, creative thinking.

If the grandkids you parent come from an abusive situation, it will affect their creativity. They may cover up their anxiety and learn to put on a good front, but the fact is, anxiety cripples creative thinking.

The more children become tangled in a web of problems, the greater the likelihood that creative thinking skills will stop developing. To get back on track the child requires psychologically safe surroundings where creativity can blossom.

Psychologist Abraham Maslow, speaking about children's creativity said, "It is terribly impressive that the relationship with psychiatric health or psychological health is crucial, so profound, so terribly important, and so obvious, and yet it is not used as a foundation on which to build."

Self-Esteem

Children who feel good about themselves have a greater chance of being productive, creative thinkers than children who feel worthless and unlovable. This means that children with low self-esteem can make only weak attempts at being creative.

Some children misjudge the truth about themselves. They appear to be well-adjusted, but if you talk to them their attitude oozes defeat. They can't believe they are good, smart, handsome, pretty, or worthy of praise.

Here is a sample of feelings children with low self-esteem experience. In one way or another they say:

* I'm bad.

* I can't be trusted.

* Kids don't like me.

* My parents (grandparents) aren't happy with me.

Contrast those feelings with the feelings of high self-esteem children. Children who think positively about themselves say:

* I'm good.

* My parents approve of me.

* I do what I say I'll do.

* Kids like me.

* My parents (grandparents) love me.

As grandparents who parent, you have an enormous effect on your child's self-esteem. You may love, accept and approve of your grandchild. But unless these feelings filter through to your grandchild, she will not believe she measures up to your standards. When this happens, self- esteem zooms downward.

Plan for Creative Growth

Regardless of what happens away from home, grandparents can provide an atmosphere that encourages originality and imaginative thinking. There is little chance of creative growth unless a plan is set in motion to encourage resourcefulness, inventiveness, and unusual ideas. Here are a few suggestions.

1. Start a fantasy-land corner. Display a poem, story, drawing, or creative thought for the day.

2. Encourage younger children to invent a tall tale. Use a tape recorder and replay the story.

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