I hear the phrase “that’s mine!” daily. Sometimes, I hear it hourly. Our boys share the majority of their toys, but they each have a few things that are sacred and off-limits to the other. I’ve respected this because, as a parent, I often long for things to be my own, too. 

The Excitement of a New Hobby

I have a doodling habit. The edges of my notebooks are filled with drawings of flowers. If I’m talking on the phone, I’m drawing cats and cupcakes on the pile of mail. I never tried to learn any technique or explore other artistic mediums. That is, until my sister bought me a watercolor guidebook for Christmas. 

One night, when I found myself alone in a quiet house, I decided to give it a try. I followed a few prompts and fell in love with the results. Having clear instructions helped me make simple, bright, and colorful paintings in minutes. I loved it so much that I splurged and bought myself proper brushes, paints, and papers. I was excitedly showing my family what I had made. Learning something new was fun and fulfilling. I started painting to unwind. I’d clear the dinner table, put out my supplies, and put the kids to bed. After everyone was asleep, I could draw a doodle and enjoy painting it by myself. It was my new hobby. MINE.

In time, my children became more curious about what I was doing. They saw my paintings in the morning and wanted to make their own artwork. I started using my watercolors in the afternoon while they were playing independently. I put out their paints and paper so they could join me. Oh, but that is never enough. My oldest son wanted to use my paint, my brushes, and my paper. The precious things that I had just bought for myself. 

Reluctantly Deciding to Share

Instead of saying no, I reluctantly let him try. I taught them how to use everything properly and he respected my rules. My wild busy boy was sitting, peacefully painting next to me. He had never taken an interest in any other forms of art. Every coloring page of his is covered in dark scribbles, made with haste. Any craft taking longer than five minutes was often left unfinished. But here he was, finding joy in creating his own art. He even started following the prompts with me, completing the instructions step-by-step. He had surpassed my expectations. He’s showing imagination and focus. His creativity evolved from scribbles to beautiful landscapes. 

“The miracle is this: The more we share the more we have.”— Leonard Nimoy

I could’ve kept it all for myself. There would have been nothing wrong with that. However, there is so much more joy in generosity. We now have a new way to connect and spend time with eachother. Best of all, I have a craft box full of artwork to remember these quiet moments with my little guy.