It can be easy in busy times to allow home life and family time to settle into a humdrum rhythm of general survival and entertainment consumption to counterbalance our sense of overwhelm: nothing like a movie to chill out the kids, or some games on the iPad to quell the noise…
But, while these inputs can be beneficial relief-valves here and there, it behooves us as parents to curate a different kind of longer-term atmosphere and rhythm for our children and ourselves, where we occupy a space of greater creativity and agency over our time, rather than surrender to the lull of the world’s noise.
In contrast to being primarily consumers of media, stories, games, art, books, and online content, we can challenge ourselves to step up as creators, both individually, and collectively as a family.
Creativity Helps Us Grow
Creativity challenges us to experiment; to focus on generating an idea, an expression, or a project; to access and project our voice (our ideas, our vision) out beyond our own mind; and to enter into trial and error-style experimentation that activates natural feedback loops that support expansion.
Building a Movement at Home
We believe that aligned family groups – organic familial collectives – are going to be the initiators and stewards of entirely new creative movements in the coming decades.
Families who have done the work to heal unhealthy relational patterns and traumas, who have chosen to embrace beneficial lifestyle choices, and who are ready to exercise their sovereignty through using their unique voice in the world are the optimal designers of the resources, stories, media and content that the new world needs.
Set the Table
Metaphorically ‘setting the table’ for creativity at home is an intentional investment of time, energy, and resources. It requires that, as parents, we hold a long-term vision for our family as co-creators and collaborators in the world, worthy of sharing our art (in whatever form that takes) and willing to push past the energetic barriers that keep us largely in a state of passivity and consumption.
Creativity is Proactive
Your family is here to create, to make stuff, to try stuff, to build stuff… to contribute to a more beautiful world. There is no other human constellation of personalities quite like your family in the world, and a part of your mission is to discern and harness that potential within your own home.
Baby Steps to Your Highest Creative Potential
There are a number of aspects to this Great Work, and they all require time, humility, and experimentation. Consider applying the following ideas into your family rhythms in order to lay a foundation for bigger future collaborations.
- Parents: As parents, it is crucial that we are creatively engaging with the world. We are the model our children are looking to. Be in creative flow on some personal project on a regular basis. Lead the way. Let them see your process, your mistakes, your questions.
- Conversations: Make your family/meal/chore-time conversations count… explore ideas, humour, stories, songs with your children. Tease out why you like the things you do. Share your questions and failures regarding your own experiments and hobbies. Ask for their opinions and ideas. Model openness.
- Support: Be enthusiastic about your child’s hobbies and interests. See how you can come alongside them to nurture their creative vision.
- Play Together: Make time for playing as a family. Word games, drawing games, songs, riddles, rhymes, challenges… the more your children experience your atmosphere as a safe place to explore, the more they will bring to future creative projects.
- No Judgement Zone: If you want to really flex into your family’s creative potential in the days to come, it is critical that all ideas be met with positivity and encouragement. Sarcasm and judgement are out. There’s no faster way to shut down a tender spirit or an idea than with a critical zinger. Practice brainstorming regularly, so you can all get comfortable with out-of-the-box ideas.
- Exposure to Off-Beat Ideas: Be surprising. If you never read funny books out loud, read a funny book together. If you never watch documentaries, watch one together on a topic that is new to you. If you never go hiking, go hike. Stir up new ideas by broadening your world outside of your obvious interests.
- Explore Collaborating Together: Come up with something you can do together as a family, or as a parent and child, and enjoy working on an idea, project, or challenge together. Talk about it together, strategize and problem solve. Enjoy the energy of working together.
- Be Screen Saavy: Limit daily screen time within certain parameters. Additionally, choose one weekend day a week to turn off all screens. Feel into the space of your life with no distractions. What do you want to fill your time with? How do you want it to feel? What would you like to create for the world (even the world within your home) to enjoy?
Your family is dynamic, unique and gifted. By laying a foundation for supportive, integrative, and emotionally safe play and collaboration you are setting your family up for a future of potent creative partnerships.
No Pressure
Initially, by focusing more on the joy of play than the pressure of productivity, you will guide your children into rhythms of delight where big ideas grow in time.
Your ability, as the parent, to hold space for creative exploration, model creative process, and generate opportunities for playful ‘together projects’ will set the stage for future collaborations that bring life and hope to the world outside of your home.