Making time for routines
I’m kinda’ disappointed.
I expected my sister-in-law’s visit with her four girls, aged two to nine, to produce some humorous stories in which I lost my cool or mind or perhaps a little bit of both. While there were a few moments of insanity which made me question why anyone would choose to have four or more kids, for the most part, the visit went smoothly. In fact, I kinda’ miss having them around because I really enjoyed seeing E interact with other children. Well, when they weren’t fighting over toys, anyway.
One of the good things to come from the visit was a new routine E and I have, coloring.
While we have colored before, and I often draw for him, the routine was sporadic at best. Mostly because he grew bored quickly.
However, while the girls were here, they colored at the table on a daily basis and E thrived on the interaction. So much so that he is now asking Blogger Mom and I to color several times a day. Being a cartoonist, this is all kinds of awesome for me. For one, I get to impress my son with a talent I have. For two, it’s nice to see him get lost in the act of coloring.
I probably got into drawing in order to connect with my mother.
When I was a child, my mom used to draw in a tablet all the time. She was really good, too. I remember her drawing animals, cartoon characters and pictures from greeting cards we received. She usually colored them in with colored pencils, something I was never really good at doing. I remember looking through her book on almost daily basis, wishing I could draw the things she drew. I tried, I mimicked several of her drawings. Then I progressed to tracing images from a Spider Man coloring book until I was able to train my muscle memory to draw Spider Man, or at least a seven year old’s version, on my own.
So it is interesting that my son is taking to drawing at the age of two.
Saturday, he grabbed my hand and said, “color, daddy?” and led me to the kitchen table where we sat next to one another with a box of well worn crayons and a stack of paper.
He asked me to draw different things, including a penguin or a “pen-pen” as he calls them. I quickly drew a crude crayon penguin. You have to be fast with E, because he is chomping at the bit to get his hands on the picture. Once I was done, he asked, “I color penguin?”
So I handed him the penguin, he scribbled circles all over my drawing, then handed it back to me.
“I colored pen-pen,” he said.
And my heart melted.
My drawings are not art until E has taken a crayon to them.
click to make bigger
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10 Responses to “Making time for routines”
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Ahhhh. I love how you put that, “My drawings are not art until E has taken a crayon to them.”
What a great story of how your son is learning to enjoy coloring. It’s not only giving you all time to bond, but is creating wonderful memories for you and him. Thank you for sharing this one with us. And the “art”, too.
Barbara Swaffords last blog post..How To Capitalize On Your Blog Statistics
my little boy has the same character whenever i spend time with him at home. he loves to draw but i have observed that whenever I’m beside him, he would usually give to me his drawing materials, and let me draw instead with him watching over.
elmots last blog post..From Hate List to Wish List In Driving
I enjoy having you in my life, Dave, even though it’s a weird rollercoaster; you scare me over at the Inkwell, then make me laugh out loud or go all soppy here.
This piece brought back so many beautiful memories for me. My kids kept up their love of drawing and colouring for years. When we went on holiday, their coloured pens and art pads got packed first. My teenage daughter’s chosen to do Art as one of her exam subjects and has an amazing talent for graphics. Even when she was small, she made comic books. I feel your joy and love those works of art you’ve shared with us. Thank you!
janices last blog post..Take Time to Treasure What’s Important
I love colouring in with Zack, trying to keep the crayons out of his younger brother’s mouth is tough though! lol
I love this: “My drawings are not art until E has taken a crayon to them.” *so* sweet.
Marylins last blog post..The time I got some bloggy love.
BloggerDad that was great! I have a son who is a great artists and we are really trying to encourage him to move out of of his stick humanoids to more full bodies, and also to draw larger.
Thanks for the great post!
SparkDads last blog post..Fathers Day – Dad’s Feel Cheated
So sweet. It is always the little things. When our kids take an interest in things that we like to do it just makes your heart sore. This weekend I was shelling fresh peas (like I used to do with my mom and grandmother) and my four year old sat down to help me and I almost started crying. I guess it didn’t help that I was using the same exact pan that my grandmother used to let me use when I was little girl. It was like I could feel her in the room.
AND now you know how your mom felt when you would sit and draw with her.
Jennifers last blog post..My Zinnias
Awww he’s so cute! I remember coloring at the table and telling myself stories as I did it, it was so good for my creativity even if I never learned how to draw.
BTW, how much would you charge to sit here and draw Thomas Trains with Si for an hour? Can you make Sir Topham Hat on an etch a sketch?
Tracys last blog post..I am so ready for a 3 day weekend
what a beautiful child and what lovely memories you conjure up today…I used to love crayons and coloring…my brother could actually draw things…training the eye, finding the color in the world – enjoying time together in a new routine.
Blessing all….Thank you for sharing.
Patricias last blog post..Agenda for a New Economy: From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth ~By David C. Korten
Beautiful post BD.
‘color daddy’ so precious, you will both benefit so from being able to be in the moment.