It was so, so interesting to meet with Cyrielle from Unschooling and Thriving to talk about the way creative practices support our well-being. We explored various ideas and understandings of creativity and discussed what it can look like in our own lives as well as in our children’s. We’d love you to join us for a listen! We discuss:Curating and creating themes (with books, sensory kits, etc) Cycle awareness Recognizing the distinction between making things for our children versus creating for ourselvesThe “bubble of creativity” and the benefit it brings to our entire being (some similarity to “flow” in learning)Choosing repetitive and restful activities at times and more challenging projects when feeling more energetic and inspired The range of creativity from visual art to things like reading and planningThat self-care can be deeper than physical grooming and treating ourselves Soul care as a deeper “filling of our cup”Differentiating between creativity and creative hobbies – beneficial in different ways The role of movement and repetition in handiwork Self-Determination Theory as it relates to crafting – autonomy, competence and relatednessEngaging socially while also engaging with a craft A range of hands-on creative activities from gardening to baking to soap-making to Lego building Developing intention Intrinsic motivation versus extrinsic motivation That creative practices are not necessarily as valued as physical exercise in relation to health and well-being How the way people style or dress themselves can be a way of creative self-expression Creative practice as stress relief and rest from anxiety Physical movement during creative thinkingBreaking down the idea that creativity is separate from organizationCreativity as part of life – separate from creative hobbies Engaging in creative practice without pressure of perfectionism Process versus outcome and how the focus is different for different kids and adults Kids being inspired to create something but feeling held back by fear or comparison Reframing creative expression when we feel judgements of our kids cropping up How to prioritize time for creative self-expression as a parent Using the word “practice” rather than “habit” Shifting our way of thinking of things so that time has been intentionally set aside for creative endeavoursThinking about choices versus “shoulds” in the sense that we might choose to leave things that other people might assume need to be done in order to have time for rest and creative self-care Creative rest That sometimes rest needs to happen before creativity (can be hard to accept if we’re feeling time is scarce)Communicating to family members, spouses, etc that we are being intentional about our creative timeThat often our kids enjoy seeing our creativity and downtime and that if we see it’s a time that we feel we are truly needed, we can make the choice to postpone our own activity, but still make note of our own need as wellThat taking time to create is a gift not only to ourself but also to our familyThe difference between creating something freestyle versus following directionsHaving conversations within marriages about expectations of the role we’re in or have chosen (a full-time mother doesn’t necessarily equal a housewife and a breadwinner doesn’t necessarily mean that working outside the home has included having time to be creative)Resources:Unschooling and Thriving (Workshops, Series and Online Community)Craft Psychology: How Crafting Promotes Health, Dr. Anne KirketerpMartha Beck websiteEpisode 6: The State of Flow in Learning, Virtual Kitchen TableEpisode 8: Do We Deserve Joy? Unpacking Perspective of Joy in Home Education, Virtual Kitchen TableEpisode 12: Perspectives on Self-Care – for our children, for ourselves, Virtual Kitchen TableJohn Muir Laws – Nature Stewardship Through Science, Education, and ArtVirtual Kitchen Table Community

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