Just left my last gingerbread class with kids and let me say--their imagination is unbelievable. The houses turned out so cute. I'll will post a few later. The first 2 lasted about 1 hour but the one today was for 10+ yr olds and we added a tree to the house.

The only thing that really bothered me was there was one mother there who would move the things on her daughter's house telling her they didn't go there. She kept pointing to my house and told her to do it like mine. I politely said, "Oh, we want them to do it the way they want. This is their house and their imagination." Mom left for a short while, then came back and sat down to "help" the little girl. The little girl didn't want to put a tree with hers but mother insisted. This little girl was younger than 10 but she missed the class for her age group so she joined this one.

Mom should have made her own gingerbread house!

As one of the few parent volunteers at my daughters' school, one of the things I like to do is teach the art classes (Asventures in Art). My friend and I just finished teaching almost 300 kids how to make kaleidescopes and it wasn't easy, considering that a good 200 of them were 5 and 6 years old. Anyway, to the point.... we make it a point to tell the kids that their projects do not have to come out looking like ours, that no matter what their projects look like they are perfect because they did them with their own two hands, and we send notices telling their parents how wonderful their art projects are. Maybe, before you start your classes, you should make an announcement to the kids, but meant for the parents, something similar to what we do.

Oh, I definitely do that, because I have several parents that stay. I tell them that I have many years of practice and my houses are just examples. I tell the children to let their imagination do the decorating. I tell the parents they are welcome to stay and can help if asked by their child but that we let the children do their own creating.

I tell them I am there to help them and show them how to do the techniques. Some the children do ask their mom's to help but they also ask for specifics like: how to make icicles and trees. Most mom's have as much fun as the kids do. And they ask just as many questions. Maybe it was me, but I just was bothered by that mom's quest (?)...for perfection, maybe???

Sorry this has ended up so long, but I was so proud of all the children's work today, you would have thought every one of them belonged to me.

hum....what..if....

you took a semi decorated house to your class with some dry components..and....


after you made the announcement like the art teachers suggested..you....then play around..putting a tree on the roof..and asking..."does this go here?" type of questions..and when they chime in ..NOooooooooooooo...

your answer is ...WHY NOT? it's your house.and if you want or see the tree on your roof..that's where it goes!...YAY!..lol

type of thing.you will be doing these kids a service by encouraging them to think outside the box !

and see with their pure hearts..lol

HMHO

Boy, can I relate to this! I take my 2yo son to a structured playgroup that meets at the library every Friday. The leader, who works for Easter Seals, reads a story relating to the theme of the day, then breaks us up into groups for different sensory activities. There are moms who can't even let their kids play with play-dough in their own way. It's sad. Those kids will grow up always trying to please them, and never feeling like they will meet up to their Mom's standards. It's hard not to interfere with your kids' art projects sometimes, but I know from watching my kids after I've 'corrected' them and when I've just let them create their own art, they feel so much better about it when they aren't hindered by me. Now, I try (art-wise, not in all aspects!!) not to speak unless spoken to. Well, that's my rambling 2 cents on the subject.