[Jewelry making - Article 00362] - Re: [Orchid] New Baby in the house

[Carrie Otterson]

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>         I don't agree with this. Children should ALWAYS be carefully
>     supervised, but don't lock them out. If you love your kids, why
>     not inspire them, let them watch you doing what you love. Give them
>     a lump of wax or some beads. 

    I agree!  Having a 7.5, 5 and 2 year old in the house and an open
    studio within, it requires a lot of teaching and loving guidance up
    front, as well as creative bench management. But having kids and
    studio in the same locale can work well.  My kids have their own sets
    of pliers and a huge stash of beads and love to make jewelry as gifts
    for friends. They have learned the dangers involved (well, my
    youngest is just going through the learning process) and have a very
    healthy respect for all tools. My 7.5 y.o. wants to make a piece of
    jewelry for his girlfriend this holiday, so I'm getting ready to
    teach him a bit more advanced stuff with wire and a bit of sheet. It
    is amazing how much children are capable of. Though his first love
    is my torch, and while I think of young ones in Bali more skilled at
    10 with torches than I am today, I can't bring myself to let him have
    a go at it yet. 

    Another benefit I have seen letting my kids be actively around my
    studio and business is that they view self-employment as a natural,
    very do-able thing. My oldest is always thinking in terms of
    businesses he can create both now and when he is an adult.  He
    doesn't ever limit himself to places or jobs that he can work as an
    employee, which I find interesting and gratifying.  I think seeing a
    self-employed parent doing something they truly love to do can have
    an incredible, life-long impact on a child. 

    That said, my 2 year old has just today discovered that he can use a
    step stool (that he, of course, provides) to gain access to the
    wonders of my bench.  Luckily, he is just hammer crazy right now
    (thanks to a house remodeling project underway at the moment) and an
    old, small chasing hammer satisfies him tremendously. 

Carrie Otterson

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