By Angela Anderson
Creativity can be defined as divergent expression; or basically, a step away from tradition, with a new way of communicating any given idea. It is an important tool for all people and can be useful in solving any problem. This tool is readily accessible too, as an intrinsic skill everyone was born with. Regarding whether our children employ this skill regularly and with intent depends on the child and the child's environment.
Creativity can be a leading factor towards living a successful and happy life, to overcome obstacles and improve any given situation. Some people may argue against this; as if 2 + 2 does not need creative thought to sum four; but when thinking about the process towards this solution, it’s clear that we could change things. Someone had to think creatively to invent the calculator, and now problems much more difficult than 2 + 2 can be solved much faster than before. This process of creativity, and the innovation that springs from it, are vital for progress.
This is a tool that schools, parents, and teachers should constantly place great focus on to instill in our children. Research shows creativity tends to lead people to live happier (1), resilient (2), and more successful lives (3.) Creatively engaged people overcome their daily obstacles with constant innovation; always looking for a better divergent path, one that ultimately leads to success. This involves some change in routine, which can be frightening for some, but creatively engaged people embrace that change.
It is necessary that teachers and parents guide their children to employ creativity en mass, and frequently. This involves making time in our daily lives to encourage this behavior. It requires more open-ended questions, allowing room for more than one "right" answer. It requires allowing our children more freedoms to pursue their interests, communicating with them often about their ideas and opinions, and genuinely considering these creative thoughts as a means of validation. For this, our children will be more empowered; readily willing to act creatively when problems arise, and more confident in themselves.
Open-Ended Questions and Free Response
When you speak with your child, don’t try to guide conversations toward solely yes or no answers, but allow your child to give free response and readily accept that his or her opinions may be very different from your own. When you leave a discussion open, allowing more answers to be accepted, you’re enabling your child to engage in the creative thought process and freeing him or her from fear of judgment and rejection when he or she presents new ideas.
For example, instead of asking whether or not your child liked the movie, try to ask him what his favorite part of the movie was. Instead of asking whether she will try harder on the next test to improve her grade, ask her what steps she plans to take in order to reach this goal. If your child is giving you short responses to your questions, try to reword the questions or make additional requests for further explanation; like why, how, what, etc.
Validating Their Interests and Ideas
When your child finds a subject that peaks his or her interest, within safe guidelines, try to allow him or her to pursue those interests. For example, you can help your child by finding the books needed for research, admitting your child to the clubs needed for practice, or resourcing the tools needed to experiment. If you seriously find that this subject of interest is not OK, or not safe, then do your best to explain the reasoning against it with your child, and then genuinely consider their feedback to your response.
Even if ultimately things must come to an end, because the subject is not within safe guidelines, you do a better favor by listening and considering your child’s opinion in order to better understand his or her point of view, and even better validate your own retort given all the facts from the child. Yet again though, consideration is best; not only for creating creative children, but also improving communication skills all around, so try not to be so quick to argue against their creative thoughts.
Being the Creative Example
Further into the topic of communication and validating, parents and teachers will need to lend their ears more often. Listen to your child when he or she lights up in excitement or sulks downtrodden with defeat in the process of working on his or her ideas and interests, lend an ear, and then offer your own creative ideas for solving the problem. In doing this, you lead an example for taking creative action.
By now it should be understood that creativity is not just a skill used in the art room. It is used every day, each time we face a new problem we engage our creative minds to find solutions, and we find new ways to overcome. It is a gift all children already hold; like making new friends at the playground or hiding the brussels sprouts in the napkin at the dinner table. It is only our job, as teachers and parents, to not squelch this gift, but to embrace it. In return, the ideas and innovation that comes from our creative children can serve the world wonders.
