Dear Moms, Dads, Relatives, Educators and Business Owners

Do you carefully store your child's artwork or sneak it into the bin when he's not looking?

I just love my children's creativity. When my son brings me 4 cardboard packaging boxes stuck together with stickers and tells me he has just built a rocket ship I am delighted and I put it up on the shelf for all our visitors to see. (Apparently upside down according to my son.)

When my daughter brings me her latest picture of the sad, lonely bunny (poor thing) I put it up on the wall or stick it to the fridge in hope that he won't feel so lonely anymore.

In our house creativity and artwork is precious treasure. I cannot bring myself to throw away any of my children's creations. I keep all of it and the fish moths are kept very happy. Then twice a year we extract all the filed artwork, play whack the fish moth with a slop and talk about each item of artwork which bring back lots of happy memories.

I listen to other moms who swop tips on how to trash the artwork without being found out. I hear funny stories from moms about the times they were caught red handed binning the art work and the excuses they have come up with. The domestic workers and nannies tend to top the charts for favourable scape goats. I don't have a problem with this and I don't frown upon any parent who chooses to throw away their child's artwork, in fact I envy their neat and tidy houses, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

Children are born with such creativity and imagination and they spend the rest of their lives conforming to society and unlearning this great gift. My aim is to keep the creativity candle burning alive and well within them so they will grow up to be innovative thinkers and unique individuals who stand out. What is the worst that can happen? I am left with boxes and boxes of moth eaten happy memories? I can take that chance.

www.kidzworld.co.za

PS: For ideas on an organised way to store your family's memories visit our memory storage directory.