Crafting with Kids: Compromising

Crafting with Kids

 

Now that my daughter is older and we also have a 2 year old, compromising has been the key to art projects lately.

My daughter is 7 so she is full of ideas of projects and activities she wants to do and, quite frankly, none of them match up with what I had in mind. As for the 2 year old, he isn’t interested in doing art projects with us but, if he isn’t included he gets upset and tries to help his big sister do hers and that never ends well.

This means that our art projects can consist of a million and one steps and if I am completely honest, they never end up being what I had originally planned as both kids (when the 2 year old decides he wants to do one too) do whatever they think is a better idea.

None of this sounds like comprising right? Well, stay with me.

Compromising usually means a couple of people give way on part of what they wanted and both come to an agreed upon conclusion. But, if you ask me, when it comes to art projects with your little ones compromising has a different meaning.

To me, compromising means that you need to be open minded. If your little ones are older like my daughter, you can present your idea but, be open minded to any “suggestions” that they may have. If it doesn’t work with your plans suggest that you would be happy to do their project as soon as yours is finished. You also have to be okay with it looking different than you pictured it because their ideas vary greatly from what you are picturing (we can touch more on this in another post).

If you have little ones like my 2 year old well, compromising is a bit harder. Usually, he wants nothing to do with any projects we are doing unless we are outside or painting. I still make sure I have the supplies set out for him if he decides he wants to do it. Where does compromising come in with him you ask? Well, usually it’s more compromising on my end because he does whatever he is in the mood for but, usually it ends up being where we try multiple days to get 1 project done.

I still have a Christmas stocking that he painted but didn’t want to finish sitting around because he has had no interest in finishing it. Instead, he has done other things that he has decided are more important. The compromise comes in with this, when you are willing to wait on them being ready. Like I said before, this could be hours, days, weeks, months, you just won’t know when they will be ready to finish it. Just keep trying with them and eventually, they will be right on board with it and once it is done it will look wonderful.

Make sure to check out our DIY Craft Ideas for fun projects to work on! 

Meet Stephanie! She’s a 24 year old stay at home Mom, who couldn’t ask for a better blessing than to be home with her daughter!! Their favorite things to do together is working on art projects and they enjoy sharing them with people at Crafting with Bug!! In her free time she enjoys reading and scrapbooking!!

Check out all of Crafting with Kids article here!