Alive to gentle influence

I believe many parents wish they could do more for their child's education, much more than simply helping them with homework, but there is never enough time. It takes time to devise any sort of additional plan for art appreciation, history, languages, literature and music, all of which adds to a sophisticated knowledge of the world.  What books does one use for children who have been at school all day, who have sports and other activities lined up all week and most of the weekend? When someone doesn't want to homeschool, or afterschool, or school at all, where can a concerned parent fit in the culture? And when you are not an expert and do not have the time to become one?

Having faced this problem myself, I have found that it is nearly impossible, unless you are willing to sacrifice a comfortable and easy home with your family for one of driving intent. I am not that person. There are times when I like nothing better than to sit on the couch with my kids and watch TV. I like to listen to them play while I make dinner. However, I believe that they will be deprived of something intangible if I do nothing more than drive them to a play date or take them to a museum on a rainy day.When adults do seek knowledge, we turn to books written for adults, we become bogged down in the details, we overwhelm ourselves and ultimately feel as if we have failed before we have begun.

This is where Kay Vandergrift comes in. I was fortunate enough to take a children's literature course with Professor Vandergrift when I was at Rutgers University for my master's degree in Library Science. Professor Vandergrift did something simple and yet wonderful: she read picture books to us. As adults, as parents, we sit with our children at certain events and see other people read to them. We read to them. But we do not stop to listen to the book as they might, we do not set aside our adult selves and listen to the story. How often have you been somewhere and someone is reading to children and you find yourself having a whispered conversation with another adult? We don't pay attention! Professor Vandergrift read to us and we listened and I still can't think about that time without feeling as if it changed my life. Her class showed me that books written for children can and do make an impact on adults. We remember the books of our childhood with emotion, with love. But they can be even more than this, and they can make a difference in your life as well as your child's. 

Children's books will not only give your child those important country facts that will get him a good grade, but it will enlarge his world, and yours. It is not easy to sift through all of the books out there for the right ones, the ones that will give you more than the realization that Van Gogh and Matisse used bright colors to paint, or the knowledge that Paul Revere was at the Boston Tea Party. One book about the American Revolution will not make a child love history, one game of Go Fish using Famous Artist playing cards will not make her appreciate art, but an easy, simple plan to incorporate books, games, activities, and outings will go a long way toward the cultivated person you hope your child will become.

As I am working on a plan for developing interest in art, I include in my manifesto this, my opening shot.

While there are numerous picture books that are about creativity, my own children have always loved Tomie dePaola and his book, The Art Lesson. Young Tomie knows he wants to be an artist, but faces difficulties to overcome while he awaits his first real art lesson. A book to follow this with is Micawber by John Lithgow, about a squirrel who follows an artist home and finds his own vocation. Both of these books are best read to children who are at least four or who have the patience to sit through something somewhat longer than a board book.  There is little need, when beginning to introduce your children to art, to engage them in a discussion about art, artists or creativity.  Both of these books make art personal and essential.  What better way to begin?