Fostering Creativity at Home

by Eulouise Williams

Dr. Teresa Amabile, in her book Growing Up Creative: Nurturing a Lifetime of Creativity, defines creativity as an intersection of raw materials (talent, education, experience), intrinsic motivation, and creative thinking and working skills (dedication, concentration, persistence, and willingness to work hard). It is at the point where these three aspects of an individual’s personality/behavior overlap that creative behavior occurs.

Much of a child’s creative ability is determined by experiences and environment within the home. Research has shown us that there are certain characteristics present in homes where very creative children live. Parenting styles, expectations, coping skills, and attitudes toward learning play an important role in enhancing creativity in children.

Focusing on how schools and homes can nurture creativity, Amabile cites several ways in which parents can stimulate their children to behave creatively.

1. Provide freedom for your children to explore many different things, to have privacy, to take risks. Don’t be controlling or authoritarian. Allow your children to make their own decisions whenever possible.

2. Respect your children as individuals and have confidence in their abilities; then they will naturally develop their own self-confidence and original personalities.

3. Allow your children to develop independence, but ensure that they feel loved and accepted.

4. Expect your children to act independently but responsibly; make as few rules as possible. Establish and model clear ethical values, and encourage your children to judge whether their behavior adheres to these ethical principles. 5. Emphasize the importance of achievement rather than grades; value imagination and honesty more than grades or IQ scores.

6. Model self-confidence, a feeling of personal security, and a lack of concern for social demands and status. Allow your children to see you pursue a variety of interests both at home and away from home.

7. Appreciate and encourage your children in their creative pursuits; make it possible for them to “dabble” in their interest areas by providing lessons, equipment, supplies, and experiences in their areas of interest.

8. See your children as independent, responsible, and moral individuals who are capable of greatness.

9. Have fun with your children; fool around, laugh a lot, play tricks on each other.

10. Communicate with your children; discuss, question, investigate, explore. Invite healthy discussion of controversial topics; value and listen to your children’s opinions.

11. Allow your children to engage in fantasy.

12. Allow your children to see you enjoy pursuing creative tasks.

13. Appreciate noise, lack of structure, and messiness as being conducive to the development of creativity in your children. Fill your home with unusual, stimulating objects and lots of books.