"Mum, but you promised! I want to learn to sew."
I've been promising the girls a sewing lesson for most of the holidays.
This being almost the last day I had to honor that commitment.
I must be honest and say I didn't do it with good grace.
Despite a degree in Education and 10 years in schools,
I can be rather impatient when teaching my own.
Rose did choose something way beyond her skill level.
I had Mother Gothel singing in my head, "Mother Knows best, take it from me..."
So in an effort, not to be the manipulative mother, I reluctantly agreed to Rose's project choice.
So in an effort, not to be the manipulative mother, I reluctantly agreed to Rose's project choice.
Rose got very frustrated when things didn't go to plan.
Fur fabric is not the easiest of materials to work with.
After a few tears, we managed to get to the end.
Did Rose or I enjoy the process?
I'd say not.
Does Rose enjoy the outcome?
I think so.
Were all the tears and frustrations worth it?
I'm not sure.
I would of preferred the easy option.
There are lots of things I do that I enjoy the process of.
And many things I don't. Like gathering.
I do the less enjoyable tasks to get an enjoyable outcome.
I like a clean kitchen, but don't enjoy the cleaning.
I like fresh sheets on the bed, but don't enjoy stripping and washing the sheets.
Maybe I need to learn to enjoy and value the process more.
As a Maths teacher I spent a lot of time telling students
that the working out is as important as the right answer.
Maybe I should take my own advice.
Fern chose a less challenging project, a pair of shorts.
She is thrilled with the outcome and her process was a lot easier than Rose's.
I'm an outcome junkie.
I love the feeling of finishing.
Parenting is hard for me, I don't get an outcome at the end of the day.
Parenting really is all about the process.
The outcome I'll not see until my own children are raising my grandkids.
I really do need to become more process focused and less outcome driven.
Taking time to be in the moment.
Less of a sprinter and more of a marathon runner.
8 comments:
And that was a perfect post if ever I read one...I too need to value the process more rather than the outcome
Tracy, it's so true. So much of life is about the process. I need to remind myself of that with my children too!
I will admit with sewing that I've slowed down with age and there are times when I choose a project because I want to enjoy the process instead of rushing. But a lot of the time it is about the outcome!!
Oh boy Tracy, your posts are really hitting home at the moment! I am TRYING to get better at enjoying process and not only focusing on product. And I am so with you regarding the difficulties that a product focus creates when parenting - because it's all about the process, the outcome is so so far away! I think I'll go and think about all of this some more....
I'm so with you! I too often rush towards the result, but with kids its not that easy! Lovely post, and well done on the shorts and the teddy, they both look great!
What a brilliant post Tracy! Thank you.
Ferns shorts are great what a good first effort. But I have to say I love Roses little creature is is a cat? it is really cute and I bet she still has it when shes 18! Well Done you for perservering my daughter and I would end in tears and standoff too I think its just normal. :)
Tracy you really hit the spot with this one, thanks for highlighting something I think I have been missing out on in my rush to get things done. Eyad has made me slow down and once again I am starting to enjoy the process so your post really hits home. thanks for sharing and well done girls on your projects. Rose you are a champ to have used that fur goodness knows its a bear to work with and I probably would have given up.
So true, yet again Tracy. I was nodding my head again with what you have written. In my head I want to do lots of stuff with the kids, but in reality I don't and this is frustrating and hurtful for my kids. I want to enjoy the processes with my kids (cooking, dyeing as well as craft). Thank you for sharing.
Post a Comment