Must Read: Raising a Creative Kid - Modern Parents Messy Kids

Would you like to raise a kid who is creative? Would you like to see the twinkle that passes through your kids eye when she has an idea… and know exactly how to nurture it?

What if I said there was a way for you to raise a creative thinker by simply setting up a creative environment, using intentional language, and nurturing mistakes? What if the answer was as easy as following simple strategies all laid out for you?

Sounds pretty good right? Those words were written by my blogging friend Jillian in regards to her brand new eBook Raising a Creative Kid: Simple Strategies for Igniting and Nurturing that Creative Spark. She kindly forwarded me a review copy a few weeks ago and I was so impressed by the clear and concise nature of the book.

I also really appreciated that it was a super quick read (available for your kindle, ipad, android, iphone, PC, etc.) and only $8!

When I finished I had a ton of easy take-aways that I was able to immediately implement in my kids’ daily lives. Which is fabulous because I believe that teaching our kids how to approach their world creatively is one of the most important gifts we can give them. Especially at this time when our country is badly in need of a next generation of innovators and creative thinkers (aka the creativity crisis).

Because I’m such a big fan of this quick read (perfect for summer), I asked to be an affiliate. I also asked Jillian if she’d mind sharing with us a little more about herself and her motivations for writing the book. She graciously agreed and I got to do my first ever mini-interview (look out Oprah, here I come). Without further ado, here it is…
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Tell us a little about yourself and your experience working with children and parents.

I have a degree in Early Childhood Education and 10 years experience as a preschool teacher. I loved being in the classroom but being a stay at home mom has always been my dream. I love that my students call me Mom.

In today’s world, why is it important to raise creative children?

If we think of creativity as problem solving it’s easy to see why creativity in our kids is so important. Since it is impossible to know what situations or opportunities will be presented to our kids we want them to be prepared to creatively handle anything that may come along.

What are your top tips for “non-creative” parents who feel intimidated about how to play and create with their kids?

Oh, I love this question. It really cuts to the heart of Raising a Creative Kid. Creativity can be overwhelming if you think in terms of what is difficult for you. I am not an artist, and if I tried to find creativity in my drawing I would surely be frustrated and defeated.

The great thing about creativity, though, is that it looks different in every person. You might be creative with numbers, creative with ideas, creatie with social situations. Finding places where you are already creative and focusing on those will help grow your confidence, nurturing your creative spirit. Imagine how much learning your kids will absorb by being a part of your creative process!

One of the most interesting sections of your new eBook tackles how language influences creativity. Can you talk briefly about what an open-ended question is and how it fosters creativity?

I love open-ended questions. Open-ended questions can be answered in many different ways and require kids to really think about their answer. “How are you going to use those train pieces?” Open-ended questions are prefect for expanding on your little one’s creative process because they is no pressure. There is no right or wrong answer.

A perfectly timed open-ended question just might help your little one work out a problem they have been struggling with. It’s amazing what they can come up with once you get them talking.

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See? Didn’t I tell you Jillian was great? And one last thing I forgot to mention about Raising a Creative Kid: Simple Strategies for Igniting and Nurturing that Creative Spark, it contains creative exercises following each section so that, in Jillian’s words, moving into a creative lifestyle is as easy as possible. And she does so with recommend materials that are inexpensive or free.

To get your copy, visit Jillian’s sales page here.

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