A great deal has changed in our house during the month of January. The Mister has retired after 28 and a half years in Law Enforcement and I have gone back to work after 8 years of staying home. Going back to work was not what I originally thought it would be. Instead of going back to the stressful life of a Child Protective Services worker, I opted for the equally stressful, but not as time consuming job of being a substitute teacher. But with my days now being taken up by spending time with kids other than my own, it is really teaching me to be present in the moments I do have.
So one way that I am trying to make a conscious effort to spend more time with my children is by doing something that they will want to do
Most kids love to be creative when given the opportunity. I’m not going to lie, I did do a little “Pinterest Research” on Valentine’s Day crafts before settling down on a few that I thought my tribe would enjoy. As with any children, my kids are as different as night and day. So I thought it best to pick out at least one craft per kid that just spoke to their soul.
First up, is my Brookle Bear. She’s a quiet 8-year-old on the Autism Spectrum.
She loves purple and isn’t huge on getting her hands dirty. So for the craft that was directed towards her, I opted for a Popsicle Stick/Button Frame. This is a great craft when you have several different little personalities and you want each to be as different as the little ones you are helping. You can go for the traditional red or pink buttons if you want or you can let your little helpers pick out buttons in their favorite color.
Here’s where my little lady’s love of purple came in. Also, this craft can be personalized super easily by either placing a message or your little one’s picture in the center. M
Next on deck is “Little Momma”. She is a 7-year-old ball of energy that absolutely loves to mother and take care of others.
She wears her heart on her sleeve and isn’t afraid to get messy when it comes to craft time. So when picking something that I knew she would love to make, I went for mayhem. I elected to do not one, but two crafts with this little lady.
The first item was something that allowed her to get her hands very dirty. What is it you might ask? This super sweet “Love” fingerprint canvas. This craft makes a perfect gift for grandparents or teachers, but can also be something to hang on your own walls.
The second task for craft time with my blonde diva was to make something that would actually benefit others. These super adorable Valentine’s Birdfeeders will go to good use shortly as the weather changes and our sweet feathered friends return. Ours didn’t turn out as pretty as the original post did, so here’s a photo of Wine & Glue’s finished product.
The final stop on my craft train was our sweet little caboose. He is a 4-year-old little dude that is also on the Autism Spectrum.
He doesn’t stay still long and absolutely despises getting anything on his hands. It was tricky coming up with something that I knew he would handle, but still have fun with. And although I don’t want to set him up for a meltdown, I also don’t want to make everything in life easy for him. I always try to remind myself (and others) that life is not going to “be easy” on him as an adult and it is my responsibility as his mother to prepare him for that.
I ended up picking a craft that forced him out of his comfort zone, just a smidge. I saw these absolutely charming little magnets. In making these, he would have to get something on his hands, but it would, thankfully, only be one thumb. I also thought that they would make perfect gifts for his preschool teachers and grandparents.
Another craft that I would like to accomplish with my little helpers before Valentine’s Day are these beautiful Heart Sun Catchers. One of the things that makes it a no-brainer to do is that I already have all the supplies needed to make them. It also doesn’t hurt that my sweet little people love the sun and this is something that thrives on the glowing yellow beams from outside just as much as they do.
Here is a super cute example of the Sun Catchers from Buggy and Buddy:
Being present in the moment has become a concerted effort for me. I honestly felt like I was missing out with my little people when I went back to work. But craft time reminded me that it isn’t always about the quantity of time you spend with your kids, but the quality of the memories they have of the that time. I hope you enjoy making some of these crafts with the little ones in your life.
“What it’s like to be a parent: It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do but in exchange it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love.”
— Nicholas Sparks
Are there any crafts that you think would be great for me to attempt with my kids? If so, please drop a comment or link down below.
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