Using creative skills in parenting.

I had a very busy weekend.  Bee had surgery on her wrist last Saturday.  She had a pin put in.  I am feeling very sorry for her, not to mention helpless, so I decided to do whatever I can to make her more comfortable through the healing process.  I thought that maybe some cute slings would be nice.  The ones the hospital gave are ugly and uncomfortable around the back of her neck.

Prototype. I had to make some adjustments to the pattern for this first attempt.  The shape, measurements, and fasteners were a little off.

I also made her a fabric covering for her cast.  She was sad that "they" (Dr., nurse?) put a white one on her arm.  She had been debating about the color (of cast) she wants all week.  It was all that mattered to her.  I understand completely!

 

Her new homemade reversible sling is pretty sweet, if I do say so myself, but I still need to figure out a nice way to make it adjustable without a hideous clip.  I think I'll try buttons on the strap for the next one.  I plan on making more until I get a perfect pattern and solution.  (Because I am craving a problem solving project?)  

She said, "I'm tired of smiling, I'm going to be serious, Mom."    

Since Bee injured her writing wrist, she can't really do much with it.  She tries, but it's too frustrating for her, with everything going on.  I think that with a little more time, her patience will grow, and her misery will soften a bit.  I'm hoping, anyway.  

It's the end of the school year, so it's not too much of a problem for her, and she has friends to help her do what she can't, but there was this one project that was due that she had waited until the last minute to start on.  Of course, she couldn't really do it anymore with her hurt wrist.

I called my own mother for some advice, because I was seriously considering letting her get the two zeros as grades for it.  I felt Bee put me in a position where I had to do something dishonest, and that is against what I am teaching her.  My mom told me that she helped me and my brother do countless projects when we were kids, and that this one time wouldn't/shouldn't teach Bee that dishonestly gets her freebies in life.

So, here is her biome project, crafted completely by me while she read all the information she could find about it on the Internet. 

I tried to make it look like a 10-yr-old did it-was I successful in that?  My drawing professor would be proud!

I thought the clouds were a nice touch...it's a summertime arctic environment.  I did the minimum.  I should have added a predator and a prey, but eh. 

In the end, she presented her biome to her class successfully, and was not permanently traumatized with the humiliation of not having done anything at all.  I told her to say she did everything except gluing and cutting the clouds if anyone asked.  Lies, lies, lies.  *sigh*  Oh well!  I told her this is wrong, but just this time!  

The psychology of that is confusing, I know!  See what happens if you are an educated mother?  It bothers me to know I am sending her mixed messages.  I'm letting it go.  It will be okay.  I was annoyed as I was working on this, until I started using oil pastels on the background!  That part was SO fun.  Can you tell I did the whole thing?  Has there been a time when you had to do your kid's homework for them?