A trip to Jo-Ann's and a Life Lesson
On Saturday I ran over to Jo-Ann's to pick up a needed tool. My sister, son and niece were making bracelets.
The store was hot, the line at the checkout was long but a cute little girl and her mother were behind me in line. As we inched closer to the checkout, the little girl noticed a class display. The display was purple butterflies and dragonflies used as zipper pulls and keychains. The little girl stood in front of the display with a huge smile and looked up at her mom. "Mom, these are so pretty and look it says Skill Level 1. That's me Mom." I smiled because I was surprised she could read and because she was so excited about making these little guys and had already worked it out that she could make these items.
Her mom stared down and said "They are nice but I really think this would be too hard for you to even try." The little girl's smile disappeared.
So I reached down to the display and picked up a zipper pull and examined it. I said, "oh this is made with shrinky-dink plastic. This is a very easy project and anyone could make these cute little bugs."
The little girl looked back up at her mom, but the mother said "never heard of shrink plastic and she [points down to her unsmiling daughter] would just get bored and wouldn't finish the project."
I wanted to shout out "damn woman, screw up your child's self-esteem by basically telling her she can't accomplish anything because she gets bored and because it might be too difficult." And this little girl was probably only 5 years old. Imagine what will happen to this little girl's creativity and spirit as she grows up.
I just pinned the zipper pull back to the display and stood in line and heard the mother tell her little girl as she handed her a glitter emery board "oh we can do our nails when we get home."
I know the mother wasn't intentionally being mean to her daughter and probably didn't realize the impact her words might have on her child. But children do remember every negative thing their parent's say to them.
So to the little girl who likes purple butterflies and dragonflies...I hope your creative spark never diminishes....
The store was hot, the line at the checkout was long but a cute little girl and her mother were behind me in line. As we inched closer to the checkout, the little girl noticed a class display. The display was purple butterflies and dragonflies used as zipper pulls and keychains. The little girl stood in front of the display with a huge smile and looked up at her mom. "Mom, these are so pretty and look it says Skill Level 1. That's me Mom." I smiled because I was surprised she could read and because she was so excited about making these little guys and had already worked it out that she could make these items.
Her mom stared down and said "They are nice but I really think this would be too hard for you to even try." The little girl's smile disappeared.
So I reached down to the display and picked up a zipper pull and examined it. I said, "oh this is made with shrinky-dink plastic. This is a very easy project and anyone could make these cute little bugs."
The little girl looked back up at her mom, but the mother said "never heard of shrink plastic and she [points down to her unsmiling daughter] would just get bored and wouldn't finish the project."
I wanted to shout out "damn woman, screw up your child's self-esteem by basically telling her she can't accomplish anything because she gets bored and because it might be too difficult." And this little girl was probably only 5 years old. Imagine what will happen to this little girl's creativity and spirit as she grows up.
I just pinned the zipper pull back to the display and stood in line and heard the mother tell her little girl as she handed her a glitter emery board "oh we can do our nails when we get home."
I know the mother wasn't intentionally being mean to her daughter and probably didn't realize the impact her words might have on her child. But children do remember every negative thing their parent's say to them.
So to the little girl who likes purple butterflies and dragonflies...I hope your creative spark never diminishes....
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