Expressing Ones Self

Sometimes I wish I could just understand why my kids do they things they do, say the things they say, behave the way they are behaving. As they are growing, so is their "way" of expressing themselves. Hannah expresses herself best through coloring pictures. This is one of her recent ones to me.

I have files full of her drawings. She's far more talented than I was at her age and has a real love for this way of expressing herself. This is one she did just after daddy/donuts day at school a while back. Clearly this was a favorite day of hers.

I thought is was so cute how she even drew her daddy reading her a book. This is a great outlet for her. She draws when she's sad, when she's made someone mad, to show her love. Over the Christmas break she colored a picture for every kid in her class. Her teacher has received many, all of her friends have been adorned with her art. She colors pictures for her grandma's and Aunts. Point is, this is what she loves to do and it's the best way shes' found to express her feelings to others.

Nathan is still trying to find his way of expressing himself. (Aren't we all sometimes?) Poor kid struggles with expression. Although he's dabbled in the arts, it's not nearly a passion for him like it is for Hannah. It's so easy for me to tell Hannah to spend some time coloring if she needs to 'cool down' a bit. It's an instant outlet for her. Nathan is more aggressive. Maybe that's more natural since he's a boy. Lately he's been struggling and is frustrated. His way of dealing with it is to tease, yell, talk back, cry, or anything that can receive the quickest attention. He's the middle child and there is something to be said about that. There are a couple things I've learned that calm him down. Movies, music, and a new find, Lego's. He's a little young for musical instruction I think, but he sure loves when I turn the music on and really can get the moves on. He's like his daddy and LOVES movies. I'm not always a fan of plugging my kids in front of the TV, but I do know this is something he really enjoys so we compromise. He recently was rewarded with a set of Aaron's childhood Lego's. He LOVES them and I've found him many times playing quietly in his room with this beloved set. Time will tell what Nathan's "thing" is.  Patience isn't one of my strengths and raising children is definitely a crash course on learning patience, so we'll continue to take it one day at a time.

Abigail looks to be headed down a similar road as Nate. She's easily frustrated, can have a bit of a temper, which should also come as no surprise since she positively adores Nathan and pretty much does whatever he does. That said, she is my best child with playing by herself. Her little imagination isn't really all that little.  I too think music will play a role in her "outlet for expression". She loves to dance and sing.

Who knows. Maybe one of them will love to write and be able to express themselves beautifully through words. Aaron is great with words. Whatever it is, I hope it's uplifting and beneficial. That is might bless their lives and maybe the lives of others too.