Encourage them!

This morning I needed to run to the grocery store, a.k.a. Wal-mart, so seeing as CKB works from the house I was able to do so w/o taking all of the children this time. I took the boys with me and while I was gone the girls did their schoolwork, checking off each item on their list (and apparently Miss E took it upon herself to fill my shoes and stand at the dry erase board "teaching" Miss A her Tapestry for the day - oh how I wish I had a video of it! CKB witnessed a tad of it when he came to see who'd rang the doorbell - anyway, next time I have to make a store run I might leave the video camera on - sigh - I'm sure it was a sweet scene w/the girls. So, the boys and I got back around lunchtime and after we finished lunch the girls excitedly brought me some drawings they'd done while I was gone.

"Which do you like best?" Miss A asked as she held up 2 and Miss E held up 1
Sigh.
What does a mother say in such an instance?
I told them I liked them all, but my favorites were the one Miss E had one and one of the 2 that Miss A had done.
They then told me that they were going to "be rich!"
What?
"Yes, we're going to open a little shop when we grow up to sell drawings!" - Miss A states in a VERY ANIMATED voice
"Sounds good!" I say

Hmm.
During their "quiet time" I still can see their excited little faces and think "well, why not?!" so I decide to put their drawings up for auction and see what happens. Now, nothing may come of it, but if it does, great. I asked the girls to title their masterpieces of the day and then put them up as a pair of original art on ebay. Miss E titled hers "The Countryside" and Miss A's is "Snowtime to Play" - so adorable, so sweet, so precious. I wish you could have seen their faces. Oh, the innocence of youth - if only we could hold onto it a little longer.

Well, all this to say that I highly recommend encouraging your children. Now, I have not told the girls about the ebay auction and I won't unless something comes of it, ie, someone does purchase their drawings. Regardless, I feel it extremely important that we, as parents, believe in our children, encourage their endeavors and support them all the way. Whether this be in the form of helping them with a lemonade stand, going with them to sell items for their schools if they're in public schools, freezing at a Girl Scout cookie stand, etc. These precious gifts are just that, precious and today it really struck me that I needed to really encourage them more in everything they do and strive to do!

Reminds me of Ruthie in "One Big Happy" as she endeavors to sell her artwork (although I'm not quite ready for them to sit out on the curb by themselves!)




Stay tuned for information about the book Miss E has been planning for a long time :) She is quite the little poetess!