Nurture Your Children's Imagination

As a parent, you can nurture your children’s imaginations by providing good books that inspire them to imagine and art supplies that give them a way to express their creativity. If they’re musical, be sure to give them access to musical instruments. One of the best gifts you can give your kids is clutter-free space in which to create.

It’s also a good idea to encourage kids to share their dreams when you’re at the breakfast table every morning, as sharing dreams will cultivate the child’s ability to remember their dreams and learn from them. Children love to talk about their dreams, I know because whenever I get the privilege of being with a messy-haired, sleepy-eyed child, I always ask and it always turns into a wonderful and creative discussion. Try it tomorrow morning as you sit and enjoy the start of your day with your kids. 

Our imaginations are a gift from God. “You can only do the impossible if you can see the invisible.” I don’t know who wrote that, but a bunch of people claim to have said it. It’s true, everything we see was first an idea, and if an idea could turn into an object, why couldn’t we use our imaginations to change just about anything. Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than fact." So it’s good to cultivate our children’s lively imaginations in positive ways.

Walt Disney is one of my favorite imaginers. Just think, he turned that mouse that hung around him during his late night drawing sessions, into a star, because he was able to use his imagination and see a possibility.  

Since he didn’t have any money, imagine what would have happened if he’d gone to a venture capitalist for help in bringing his ideas to fruition. I imagine the conversation would have gone something like this:

Man with the money, “Hello Mr. Disney, how may I help you?”

“Well, I’m an artist an. . .

“Uh huh.”

“And you won’t believe what visits me every night!”

“Uh, what?”

“The cutest little mouse comes around and I’ve been feeding him. He loves Swiss cheese and now he’s very tame.”

“So?”

“So, he’s gotten so tame he has actually let me draw him!”

“Hmmm, and what does this have to do with why you’ve come to see me?”

"Well, Mr. Fizzledink, I was thinking I’d like to develop the rest of my career, and life actually, around that mouse. I named him Mickey.”

“What?”

“Yeah, Mickey Mouse. And I’d like to start out making animated cartoons starring him and then when he becomes famous, I’ll branch out with a Mickey Mouse Club an . . .”

“Why don’t you throw in a girl mouse and a couple of ducks while you’re at it?”

“Hey, good idea, lemme write that down! Anyway, where was I? Mickey Mouse Club and uhhh, oh yeah, and I’d have cute little kids sing and dance on a television show called The Mickey Mouse Club, and then I’d build an amusement park on some farmland in California. I can see building a huge monument to Mickey at the park and people from all over the world would flock to see him and play in the park.”

“Mr. Disney, are you sure your name isn’t Walt Dizzy?”

It’s been said that Walt Disney was a mystic. The definition of mystic is: having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding. That certainly fit Walt. It’s obvious he didn’t allow a Fizzledinker to stand in his way. Imagine what we would’ve missed if he had.

So don’t be a Fizzledinker and Fizzledink your children’s visions and dreams. Encourage and nurture them to imagine.

Love,

P.S. When I write a blog, my intention is to have my reader reading along; enjoying her morning cup of coffee or afternoon tea and reading a line that tickles her and spitting whatever substance that’s in her mouth all over her cell phone. Then while she’s wiping up her mess, realizing she’s learned something practical to use in her daily life. If you’d like to be perked up regularly, please sign up for my blog. Thank you! Oh and please feel free to share this with your family and friends.