What inspires you? Do different things inspire you in different ways?
Music is known to be very inspiring. Movie makers use music to elicit emotion all the time now. Sound tracks are as necessary as visual effects anymore. If you listen to a happy song, do you feel the urge to get up and dance? If you hear a sad song, do you find your eyes damp and a lump in your throat? Are there songs that make your heart soar or send you into the depths of darkness? My favorite music is Acapulco singing & pipes of all kinds. I love simple folk music that tells a story. I can also listen to the Renaissance Lute all day long.
What about art? Are there paintings mysteriously beckoning you to pick up a brush of your own? Some paintings, like Monet, make me want to picnic by the lake, while others, like Kinkade make me want to garden. Some give me a desire to stand on a cliff next to the sea and feel the salt air blowing my hair. (This from someone who only remembers being to the Gulf of Mexico once…)
Weather can be inspiring as well. Tornado weather. No, it does not frighten me. It never has. My father will tell you, those are the nights I slept the hardest. I love thunderstorms. Lightening ionizing the air stirs my blood. The power and beauty of the rolling clouds and thick, electrified air… I feel called out into the storm to sit and enjoy the Majesty of the LORD. Heat inspires me to sew clothing. Cold inspires needlework and baking. Spring inspires love & intimacy. Fall inspires spiritual yearning in my heart.
The environmental influences our senses experience affect us more than we usually realize. Have you taken time to notice how such things affect your children? Most people today know the influences of colors. Seldom would someone paint a room black or red. Red velvet furniture is seldom seen, though it can make a happy or rich accent in certain décor. Most nurseries are fitted in pastels or soft earthy tones. The soft sweetness of a baby calls for sweet, soft colors. If you decorate in bright circus or farm themes, your child will likely be more stimulated and active. Depending on the child, it could be calming to have lots of variation to keep a busy mind occupied or it could be overwhelming to a child who is easily over stimulated. Be discerning. Keep lots of variation in colors and textures for your child’s sensory exploration. If he pulls everything out and scatters it all over on a regular basis, consider adding more variation to the décor. If he is constantly hiding bright colored or noisy things, simplify and tone things down.
Music may be a bit harder. If you have a child who hides in a corner with fingers in ears, you know that music is overwhelming. Most children don’t show signs that obvious though. I have some children who study and work better with music on and some who need absolute quiet. Our children do their school work all over the house because of this. Some are getting as far from the noise as they can and some thrive right in the middle of any activity.
Music is known to be very inspiring. Movie makers use music to elicit emotion all the time now. Sound tracks are as necessary as visual effects anymore. If you listen to a happy song, do you feel the urge to get up and dance? If you hear a sad song, do you find your eyes damp and a lump in your throat? Are there songs that make your heart soar or send you into the depths of darkness? My favorite music is Acapulco singing & pipes of all kinds. I love simple folk music that tells a story. I can also listen to the Renaissance Lute all day long.
What about art? Are there paintings mysteriously beckoning you to pick up a brush of your own? Some paintings, like Monet, make me want to picnic by the lake, while others, like Kinkade make me want to garden. Some give me a desire to stand on a cliff next to the sea and feel the salt air blowing my hair. (This from someone who only remembers being to the Gulf of Mexico once…)
Weather can be inspiring as well. Tornado weather. No, it does not frighten me. It never has. My father will tell you, those are the nights I slept the hardest. I love thunderstorms. Lightening ionizing the air stirs my blood. The power and beauty of the rolling clouds and thick, electrified air… I feel called out into the storm to sit and enjoy the Majesty of the LORD. Heat inspires me to sew clothing. Cold inspires needlework and baking. Spring inspires love & intimacy. Fall inspires spiritual yearning in my heart.
The environmental influences our senses experience affect us more than we usually realize. Have you taken time to notice how such things affect your children? Most people today know the influences of colors. Seldom would someone paint a room black or red. Red velvet furniture is seldom seen, though it can make a happy or rich accent in certain décor. Most nurseries are fitted in pastels or soft earthy tones. The soft sweetness of a baby calls for sweet, soft colors. If you decorate in bright circus or farm themes, your child will likely be more stimulated and active. Depending on the child, it could be calming to have lots of variation to keep a busy mind occupied or it could be overwhelming to a child who is easily over stimulated. Be discerning. Keep lots of variation in colors and textures for your child’s sensory exploration. If he pulls everything out and scatters it all over on a regular basis, consider adding more variation to the décor. If he is constantly hiding bright colored or noisy things, simplify and tone things down.
Music may be a bit harder. If you have a child who hides in a corner with fingers in ears, you know that music is overwhelming. Most children don’t show signs that obvious though. I have some children who study and work better with music on and some who need absolute quiet. Our children do their school work all over the house because of this. Some are getting as far from the noise as they can and some thrive right in the middle of any activity.
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Usually a combination of influences need to be considered. Those days when the weather has all the children in the area driving their parents and teachers nutty are the days when I open windows and play hymns or fun classical music. (Yes, classical music can be fun. The Piano Guys are a great example.) When everyone seems down or bored, we need inspiring music and more color. Scrapbooking while we watch a fun video usually helps. We may even get out the cookie cutters and make homemade play dough in fun colors. When we are sick, dramatized audio books and soft blankets are in order. (Maybe even soft candlelight and soothing scents.)
I enjoy exploring what inspires and motivates our family. It’s interesting how each of us react to different stimuli. Creating a peaceful home environment that encourages creativity has been my goal as a homemaker and homeschool mom. Inspire a child; providing atmosphere and tools to explore and create and you will have your hands full of ADVENTURE.
I enjoy exploring what inspires and motivates our family. It’s interesting how each of us react to different stimuli. Creating a peaceful home environment that encourages creativity has been my goal as a homemaker and homeschool mom. Inspire a child; providing atmosphere and tools to explore and create and you will have your hands full of ADVENTURE.
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