Teaching Children to be Creators, and not just Consumers

Last updated on: September 26, 2012 at 7:53 pm by Katrina

Teaching Children to be Creators, and not just Consumers 2012-09-26T19:53:19-06:00 Katrina

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

As a person living in 21st century America, it might seem that our whole existence revolves around consuming. We consume readily available food and drink, we buy clothes and items for our household, and we consume larger than ever amounts of media in all its different forms. Truly, if we are honest with ourselves, we spend much of our time each day in “consumer mode” without a second thought. Consuming is not an evil in and of itself, but it can become addictive and can lead us to become lazy and passive about our daily lives. Whereas our ancestors grew their own food, sewed their own clothes, and built their own homes, most of us buy food produced by someone else, clothes sewn by someone else, and homes built by someone else. Whereas communities relied on each other in the past for entertainment and the communication of information, we can now plug into a vast network from the convenience of our own homes and never connect with another person in the process. The more I think about this, the more stark the contrast becomes in my mind, and the more it makes me wonder about the psychological and practical implications for individuals, families, and society at large.

At a recent Open House at my son’s new school, one of the teachers made the comment that they are striving to teach our sons to be Creators, and not merely Consumers. They will emphasize creating in every aspect of the school year, from the classroom to the art and music studios to the playing field. This idea struck a cord in me, and I immediately began to think of all of the ways that God calls us to cooperate in His work of Creation, even as he has given us (out of His goodness) many good things to enjoy and care for. I began to think of all of the mothers I know who, against the grain of our modern world, have found it important to create beautiful things within their own homes. These women grow vegetables in their backyards, knit blankets and sew dresses, create delicious homemade meals, paint bedrooms, and make lesson plans for their children. I thought of my own husband, who likes to fix and build things even when it would be easier to hire someone else to do these tasks. I thought about the fulfillment that I get from things like playing the piano, writing in my journal or for this blog, and making pizza for my family – all of these are ways of creating, and they are good.

The joy of creating, with Play-dough

When we take the time to create, we learn about ourselves and about God, who is the source of all that is good. We also become more mindful of the things that we consume, and more thankful for their presence in our lives and for those who have created them. We realize the work that goes into creating, especially the things that we ourselves could not create (roads, buildings, sewer pipes, great works of art, musical masterpieces, etc.), and the inherent dignity that is attached to this work. Ultimately, this awareness makes us more fully human, and compels us to strive for a society in which all work is honored.

Today, I am grateful for the opportunity to reflect on all of these things, and I would love to hear your ideas on how to imbue a love of creating, and a proper appreciation for consuming, into our children.

Mary, Queen of Families, pray for us!

Motherhood and Parenting

Spiritual Life

consuming

creating

Previous Post

September 24, 2012

TP-ing: Can we please stop this before my kids get to middle school?

Next Post

September 28, 2012 Inspiring Family Traditions: Simple Pizza and Movie Night

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Builders' Favorite Posts Children Education & Homeschool Food and Nutrition Health Home Organization Inside Our Inbox Keeping It Real Liturgical Seasons Marriage Miscellaneous Motherhood and Parenting Nature and the Environment NFP and Fertility Politics and Current Events Pregnancy Recipes Spiritual Life The Catholic Church Thoughts for Thursday Uncategorized

Select a Month April 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which prophet's call included a vision of an almond branch and boiling pot?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Ezekiel Daniel Jeremiah Isaiah