Toddlers have a way with creativity! Indeed, they find it easy and natural to think outside the box. This means that little children find it easy to imagine new things; almost as easy as it is to breathe in air through the nostrils. But then this ability to be creative becomes increasingly problematic overtime, especially as soon as children grow into adolescence. Experts explain the reason for this as stemming from teenagers’ growing insecurities and their apprehension about stepping outside their comfort zones. But here is the thing- there is no need to worry because remedies abound. With the right assistance and encouragement, teenagers can rekindle with their childhood imaginative minds again. Here are some ways parents and teachers can help out-
PARENTS SHOULD BE CREATIVE EXAMPLES AND SOURCES OF INSPIRATION: The best way to encourage your teen’s creativity is to be exemplary. Parents! Perhaps you once had a passion for writing, or you might have even enjoyed painting. But sadly due to certain events beyond control you put it asides. Well whatever that talent is (which you buried due to lack of time), now is the right time to unearth it. You have someone to inspire those hidden talents with; your teenagers!
LET YOUR TEENAGER KNOW THAT BEING CREATIVE ISN’T JUST ABOUT BEING ARTISTIC: Creativity isn’t limited to painting, writing or any such artistic stuff. It’s also about being capable of inspired thought as well as the ability to think up new ways of doing things. For example, parents must let their teenagers understand that being creative is also about their ability to figure out ways of making studying more interesting and effective, new ways of solving problems around the house and ways to be entrepreneurial.
ENCOURAGE YOUR TEENAGERS TO QUESTION EVERYTHING: To encourage creativity, parents must urge their teenagers to query anything they aren’t sure of until they find the answers to their questions. Let them satisfy their curiosity please! Allow your teenagers to explore life, seek alternate opinions/beliefs and desist from sticking to a particular worldview. This way, they will be exposed to new ways of doing things. And adding all these together will incite the creative spirit within them and drive creativity.
DON’T STIFLE THEIR CREATIVITY: Encourage your teens to try something new, perhaps an activity they haven’t previously considered, such as learning a musical instrument. Let them decide what they’d like to eat for dinner, urging them to choose a dish they have never tasted. Try not to impose your own particular views too rampantly, for even the most well-meaning parent can inadvertently stifle their teen’s creativity by being overly bossy. If you find yourself dismissive or flippant of more outlandish suggestions or thoughts your teen comes up with, or are more worried about the mess they are making, then back off! A hovering, nervous parent is hardly conducive to creativity.
LET THEM SEE IT IS OKAY TO TAKE RISKS: The willingness to take risks is often stunted as kids become teens. They are much more acutely aware of the sometimes harsh world that goes on around them, and trying something new, or participating in an activity that is out of their comfort zone, can be a scary thought. It’s important to foster the belief that it is okay to fall at the first hurdle; that creativity can bring with it failure, but that’s okay. If you don’t try, you can never succeed.
