Over time, there has been much research stating the importance of parent-child relationships. Positive parent-child relationships have been shown to lead to happy, healthy, smart and confident children. With the hustle and bustle of life, it seems that families are having difficulty carving out time to spend together.
In addition, when most families gather together it is typically for a movie night. It seems rare that parents and children stop and truly focus on each other, or enjoy doing something together.
Author Amanda Blake Soule felt a burden for helping families find ways to enjoy time together, specifically through creativity. She states, “In our modern lives, it’s all too easy to get swept up in the busyness of the day-to-day—meals, cleaning, school, work and other life details often stand in the way of the time we need to pursue our creative endeavors. As parents, it is both our responsibility and our privilege to be sure that our family’s creative spirits have all the room and tools they need to soar freely.”
Amanda’s book The Creative Family: How to Encourage the Imagination and Nurture Family Connections offers many excellent ways that families can foster positive parent-child relationships through creativity. Amanda focuses on four elements in her book- the self, the child, the family and the community. She seeks to help each element find ways to create and receive art. It is her belief that when a family seeks to be creative together, they will have fun and strengthen their connections.
Imagine how enjoyable it could be to trying new ways to connect with your child?
Writing a play, painting a picture, collecting unique leaves or baking a cake. Amanda understands that creativity can mean something different to each person, and does a wonderful job offering a variety of activities.
Amanda writes, “Living a creative life doesn’t necessarily mean that your time is spent with paint, markers, and sewing machine…Living a creative life does mean that you and your family seek ways to nurture your creative spirit in whatever ways please you.”
I would encourage you to read Amanda Blake Soule’s book and try a new way to enhance your parent-child relationships. If you find yourself struggling to connect with your family, we at The Refuge Center for Counseling would love to help you through family or individual counseling. You can check us out at our website or call us at 615-591-5262.
