I love unexpected packages

I love when I pre-order books from Amazon, because the package shows up at my door completely unexpected.  It's like a little gift.  That I paid for.  Anyway...

Amanda Blake Soule of soulemama blog fame has a new book The Creative Family:  How to Encourage Imagination and Nuture Family Connections. I read her blog occasionally and usually feel a little guilty that I don't do nearly for my one child what she seems to pull off for her three.  And the first thing I flipped to in her book was "Making Your Own Knitting Needles" to knit with your children.  What??  First, I don't make my own dinners, so I doubt I'm going to whip up a set of knitting needles.  Secondly, my child would definitely stab someone with the needles.  So I was not very optimistic that this book was for me.

However, I am a book freak and haven't met a book I didn't like (mostly) so I flipped through some more pages.  That's when I hit Chapter 9 "Everyday Rituals".  I glanced upon this paragraph:

"Don't slip into the habit of relegating your creative projects for 'after everything else is done.'  Work, housework, chores-- the lists go on and on, and so does the work.  'Everything else' is never done.  Creating needs to be as important a part of your life as anything else you consider a necessity."

Now wouldn't that be a great lesson to impart to my child and a great thing to remember myself?  And I can only assume Chapter 10 "Celebrating Your Family" holds some more nuggets of wisdom.  So, no, I am not going to make my own knitting needles, but I am going to sit down and read the book.  Clearly it is about a lot more than crafts.

Comments

[Rory]

Thanks for the book report...I saw this on Amazon too and wondered if it would inspire me or make me feel like a bad mom.....I think I might have the nice people at Amazon send me a "present" too!

[Jackie]

I'm really drawn to Amanda's blog. She has a way of really appreciating all those moments that slip past us so quickly. But I can't even manage to get my kids to get their dirty socks in the laundry basket let alone make our own knitting needles. Plus they would only use them as light sabers anyway.

[Sara]

I just finished reading the book yesterday. Some of the book is about making things with your children, but alot of it is about family and how families can become closer. It's a great read.

-Sara