Creative Parents.Com

  Music and Motivation
  Creative Parents' Credo
  Finding Time
  Parenting Challenges
  Profiles in Creativity
  Inspiration For Artists

Who Are Creative Parents?
by Istar Schwager, Ph.D.

If you've visited this site, chances are you are either a parent, a creative person or both. If nothing else, you're curious.

Any launch is exciting, and getting Creative Parents.com up and running feels like a real milestone. The site combines parenting and creativity -- areas that are of utmost interest and importance to those of us involved in both.

This site is for Parents involved in all sorts of creative professions, for whom there are never enough hours in the day.

Parents who want to pursue more creative lives -- the parent who no longer wants to put creative hobbies on hold.

Parents who want to encourage their children's creativity -- who value creativity whether it's in the arts or science or human interactions.

Parents who are creative in how they approach parenting itself. And that includes all of us.

Being a parent requires daily creativity. If you're a parent, you already know this. Getting a two year old to relinquish a toy snatched from another child; helping a six year old learn to read; creating an atmosphere where an eight year old is willing to confide what happened with the school bully all take enormous creativity as well as tact, sensitivity and focus. It doesn't get easier as kids get older. In fact, being the parent of a teenager requires the skills of a magician as you develop the art of being present but invisible at the same time.

Parents in creative fields face particular challenges. Work schedules may be unpredictable, the old "feast or famine" predicament. And when you are working you are likely to need blocks of focused, uninterrupted time. The relationship between creativity and parenting is complex. Kids provide inspiration; but they can also offer a very good excuse not to work. While we know children require stability and security, it may feel hard to supply that for your own child when you're working towards a deadline or caught up in an all-consuming project. And then there's the issue of money which adds extra pressure to decision-making.

Many of us put our own creative pursuits aside during years of raising young children, especially if we are juggling parenting with working outside the home. It's hard enough to find time to do the ordinary tasks of shopping, cooking, laundry plus reading a bedtime story before dozing off to sleep at 9:30 PM. Time to make jewelry; to write a play; invent a better mousetrap? Forget it? Maybe not. This site will provide support and suggestions for creating a balance.

Then of course there's the question of how to encourage creativity in our children. At a time when schools are cutting back on arts programs; when standardized tests call for standardized answers; when kids have little time to play, daydream and explore, it's easy for a parent who values creativity to feel like a lonely voice in the wilderness. That's why we need to share ideas and create a sense of community.

Every time we read an article or talk to someone new we get a fresh perspective on how parenting and creativity can be combined. The goal of this site is to provide encouragement and support. It's a place to exchange ideas and share strategies We expect the site to evolve and develop over time. Make sure to click to Contact Us with your feedback.

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Copyright © 1999, 2000,2001 Dr.Istar Schwager, All Rights Reserved

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Music and Motivation Creative Parents' Credo Finding Time Parenting Challenges Profiles in Creativity Inspiration For Artists			Who Are Creative Parents? by Istar Schwager, Ph.D.
			If you've visited this site, chances are you are either a parent, a creative person or both. If nothing else, you're curious. Any launch is exciting, and getting Creative Parents.com up and running feels like a real milestone. The site combines parenting and creativity -- areas that are of utmost interest and importance to those of us involved in both. This site is for Parents involved in all sorts of creative professions, for whom there are never enough hours in the day. Parents who want to pursue more creative lives -- the parent who no longer wants to put creative hobbies on hold. Parents who want to encourage their children's creativity -- who value creativity whether it's in the arts or science or human interactions. Parents who are creative in how they approach parenting itself. And that includes all of us. Being a parent requires daily creativity. If you're a parent, you already know this. Getting a two year old to relinquish a toy snatched from another child; helping a six year old learn to read; creating an atmosphere where an eight year old is willing to confide what happened with the school bully all take enormous creativity as well as tact, sensitivity and focus. It doesn't get easier as kids get older. In fact, being the parent of a teenager requires the skills of a magician as you develop the art of being present but invisible at the same time. Parents in creative fields face particular challenges. Work schedules may be unpredictable, the old "feast or famine" predicament. And when you are working you are likely to need blocks of focused, uninterrupted time. The relationship between creativity and parenting is complex. Kids provide inspiration; but they can also offer a very good excuse not to work. While we know children require stability and security, it may feel hard to supply that for your own child when you're working towards a deadline or caught up in an all-consuming project. And then there's the issue of money which adds extra pressure to decision-making. Many of us put our own creative pursuits aside during years of raising young children, especially if we are juggling parenting with working outside the home. It's hard enough to find time to do the ordinary tasks of shopping, cooking, laundry plus reading a bedtime story before dozing off to sleep at 9:30 PM. Time to make jewelry; to write a play; invent a better mousetrap? Forget it? Maybe not. This site will provide support and suggestions for creating a balance. Then of course there's the question of how to encourage creativity in our children. At a time when schools are cutting back on arts programs; when standardized tests call for standardized answers; when kids have little time to play, daydream and explore, it's easy for a parent who values creativity to feel like a lonely voice in the wilderness. That's why we need to share ideas and create a sense of community. Every time we read an article or talk to someone new we get a fresh perspective on how parenting and creativity can be combined. The goal of this site is to provide encouragement and support. It's a place to exchange ideas and share strategies We expect the site to evolve and develop over time. Make sure to click to Contact Us with your feedback. Back to Top Copyright © 1999, 2000,2001 Dr.Istar Schwager, All Rights Reserved