Picture this: Two girls are huddled over a notebook in a Kirkwood backyard.
When you zoom in, the girls aren’t playing M*A*S*H*, although that did happen; they’re crafting a story. I’m one of the girls; the other is my cousin Sarah. We bonded over Shel Silverstein, American Girl stories, and creating tales.
That is where my love of writing began.
Fast forward to the present, and I’ve discovered that my kiddo has the same love for writing. His first “published” work was a mash-up of Pokémon and the Who Would Win series. From there, he’s written stories about witches and wizards, a group of mystery-solving friends, and even more Pokémon battles.
What do I do to encourage his creativity? Six things come to mind:
1. Expose him to books.
Read to him, have them read to you, listen to audiobooks, and have books everywhere. We read every day, even on vacation. Our library is one of our favorite places, and we’ve saved thousands of dollars borrowing books.
2. Be prepared.
I always have a notebook, pieces of paper, and a writing utensil. I have notepads that fit in every bag, and every bag has a pen or pencil. I also have notepads hidden in my car. You never know when that idea is going to arrive.
3. Keep the desk clear.
This is hard because rooms get cluttered. But I try to help him keep his desk clean so that he can sit and create when inspiration hits.
4. A Journal.
We originally got the journal to help with big emotions. He doesn’t write in it often, but it’s always there when he needs to reflect on his day or reset his mind.
5. Encouragement is crucial.
I think when he sees me write, it gives him inspiration to do the same. But you don’t have to write yourself to encourage your child. One positive word can keep their juices flowing. Even if the story is murky, they know what they’re trying to tell. So say, “Great creativity, I can’t wait to see where this goes.”
6. Meet authors.
Our libraries and book stores do an AMAZING job bringing authors to the area, national ones like Lauren Tarshis and local ones, too, like Ryan Nusbickel. Let your kids meet them and listen to how they became storytellers. It’s inspiring.
Now, picture this: You look out your kitchen window and see your kiddo writing furiously in a notebook you left behind. That may be the day that sets them on the course to be a future New York Times Bestseller or an STL Mom contributor.
