What do you think about parents doing kid's art projects?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My first grader had to decorate a pumpkin to look like his favorite book character. Not allowed to carve. He chose elephant from the E&P books. I had no idea how to let him do it himself, so I helped.

How would others approach this? Hand him some markers?

I would also help a little. Ask him how he thinks he should start, then in a conversation about the assignment guide him to the idea of finding a picture of the character. After that, continue to discuss how he could make "something that looks like that". If his idea is horribly off base, keep asking leading questions and gently guiding him to something reasonable and doable. Facilitate whatever he comes up with by making sure he has access to supplies he knows how to use or by helping him use any dangerous or unfamiliar tools (such as a hot glue gun for example - I would probably not let a first grader do that and instead I would glue anything he told me he wanted glued).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd just have my kids gluing rhinestones into whatever pattern they want. I wouldn't do any carving of a pumpkin or let them do it.

Yeah.. decorate, not carve.

My kids do their homework. I help/guide when necessary. It's their work, they are supposed to get whatever benefit from it.

Some of what they are doing is teaching skills needed later. Planning and executing the plan needed to decorate the pumpkin. "I want to do this, so I need these supplies.."

[Anonymous]

Back in the 70's, I was the kid whose parents didn't help with projects and mine always sucked compared to the other kids and I was always embarrassed and really want my parents to help. So it's not a new thing, or a helicopter parent thing, or a competitive thing. Help your kid with the project.

[Anonymous]

Don't do your kids projects, let them do it -- who cares if it is off base or not exactly what you would have done? It is not your project!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My first grader had to decorate a pumpkin to look like his favorite book character. Not allowed to carve. He chose elephant from the E&P books. I had no idea how to let him do it himself, so I helped.

How would others approach this? Hand him some markers?

I would have had him look at pictures of his character and then talk to him about what he could use to make his pumpkin look like the character.

[Anonymous]

If the child is special needs and either (1) this is the type of project that would be extremely frustrating for him/her to attempt at home, or (2) the finished product of this child would likely be so bad that s/he might get laughed at if s/he brought it in, then I think it's a kindness for the parents to help out.

I don't think the parent needs to orchestrate it into a beautiful work of art.

The point of homework is for a child to learn, and if all the child actually learns is either frustration or humiliation, that's a terrible lesson. So in some cases I think parental help is not just okay but the preferred way to go.

FWIW, we have never actually carved out pumpkins in our home so if my second grader were given a knife and a pumpkin and some instructions and told to go for it, I think we would have a pumpkin massacre that would end in tears. So I'd either let her go nuts with some Elmers or help out with some carving.

[Anonymous]

At the first parent teacher conference i tell each of my kids teachers that i don't do my kids homework or projects for them, so to please grade accoeding to their age and not compared to everyone else whose mothers do all the work.

So what do i think? I think if you are doing your kids work they will be ill prepared to ever have confidence in themselves and will not grow up resourceful. I'd wager these children will grow up and fail to launch

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In second grade I see this type of activity as a family activity. We all work together on decorating the pumpkin and then my kid would write about it. We have fun with it. I really don't think the teacher is grading on the pumpkin decorating, so why stress about it? If I want to do this as a family, it should not impact you. Now, if the directions said that the 2nd grader had to do the pumpkin by himself, I would do that- but that would be strange.

Why would the instructions need to explicitly state that the child do the pumpkin herself? The family is not a student in that class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My first grader had to decorate a pumpkin to look like his favorite book character. Not allowed to carve. He chose elephant from the E&P books. I had no idea how to let him do it himself, so I helped.

How would others approach this? Hand him some markers?

I have a first grader with the most amazing imagination. He will create a world all of his own out of the most abstract objects. I would give my first grader ideas and let him have at it and assist with stuff like another poster mentions glue gun or such. For the elephant id grab paint

For this, he would ceeate his one elephant. It would look nothing like an elephant to me or anyone, but he sure would explain the elephant because in his mind, the pumpkin will look exactly like an elephant, or he might change his mind midway theough and declare the elephant pumpkin a crocodile. I think what many parents are suffocating here in doing these projects os they are suffocating their childrens own imagination. They are also trampling on their kids confidence and sense of personal accomplishment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back in the 70's, I was the kid whose parents didn't help with projects and mine always sucked compared to the other kids and I was always embarrassed and really want my parents to help. So it's not a new thing, or a helicopter parent thing, or a competitive thing. Help your kid with the project.

Sorry, my parents never helped me with a single project. They actually hardly paid attention to my school work. I was never embarrassed about this. I just think you are not very resiliant and I'd bet you, like many adults, spend a great amount of energy comparing yourself to others. Probably an inate character trait of yours

Therenis a big difference from helpingbyout kid and doing for your kid. I help mynkid withbhos spelling drills. I help him with the order of operations and understanding exponents. Whrn doing a project i help him research by having fun learning together in depth about hoe precipitation is formed. But no, i will not bedazzle a pumpkin, nor will i make a diorama.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I helped mine to plan the steps of their projects. If you break things down into small steps and show them how to put those pieces together you would be surprised at the kind of results that they can get.

But why won't you let them do the project, start to finish, on their own?

It depends on the project. Ex: A 1st grader might bring home a "Create an Animal Habitat for a Fox" and list 3 interesting things about your animal.

I could either take a completely hands off approach and let them figure that out for themselves or I could suggest some steps for them:

1) Look at some pictures of fox habitats. Print out some pictures.

2) Look up 4 interesting facts about a fox and their habitat.

3) Figure out what you can use to make the fox habitat. (Maybe some twigs from the yard, some Spanish moss...)

etc......

By the time they're done they've done a mini research project and created a pretty darned good approximation of an animal habitat.

If my 1st grader brought home an artwork assignment - "Make a my favorite things poster". I would probably give them art and craft supplies and let them use the printer to print out pictures if they wanted to. I would also probably look over their writing to make sure that they are using complete sentences, proper spelling, etc.

+1

PP is teaching her 1st grader how to manage projects. In a few years or less, s/he won't need mom's input at all. I'm willing to bet even now they can suggest some of the steps. If they are anything like my kids, they have some ideas about what they want to do before they get started.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I helped mine to plan the steps of their projects. If you break things down into small steps and show them how to put those pieces together you would be surprised at the kind of results that they can get.

But why won't you let them do the project, start to finish, on their own?

It depends on the project. Ex: A 1st grader might bring home a "Create an Animal Habitat for a Fox" and list 3 interesting things about your animal.

I could either take a completely hands off approach and let them figure that out for themselves or I could suggest some steps for them:

1) Look at some pictures of fox habitats. Print out some pictures.

2) Look up 4 interesting facts about a fox and their habitat.

3) Figure out what you can use to make the fox habitat. (Maybe some twigs from the yard, some Spanish moss...)

etc......

By the time they're done they've done a mini research project and created a pretty darned good approximation of an animal habitat.

If my 1st grader brought home an artwork assignment - "Make a my favorite things poster". I would probably give them art and craft supplies and let them use the printer to print out pictures if they wanted to. I would also probably look over their writing to make sure that they are using complete sentences, proper spelling, etc.

+1

PP is teaching her 1st grader how to manage projects. In a few years or less, s/he won't need mom's input at all. I'm willing to bet even now they can suggest some of the steps. If they are anything like my kids, they have some ideas about what they want to do before they get started.

I never did my kids projects and i have one child at Stanford and one about to head off to Columbia business school. The one in Stanford already has a successful App that is cash flow positive.

I think when kids not hovered over they flourish.

[Anonymous]

I remember my mom helping me quite a bit with projects when I was in elementary school -- she was an artist, and the creations we made were over the top and took days of work. It was an awesome experience for me, though, giving me time with my mom, teaching me tricks I'd never have thought about....It's elementary school, it's not like the teacher is awarding a cash prize for the best project. Why do you care?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember my mom helping me quite a bit with projects when I was in elementary school -- she was an artist, and the creations we made were over the top and took days of work. It was an awesome experience for me, though, giving me time with my mom, teaching me tricks I'd never have thought about....It's elementary school, it's not like the teacher is awarding a cash prize for the best project. Why do you care?

Oh -- and I actually went to Stanford. And then to a top-5 grad school program. (Shout out to the poster above me). All you people saying it's detrimental to kids are ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember my mom helping me quite a bit with projects when I was in elementary school -- she was an artist, and the creations we made were over the top and took days of work. It was an awesome experience for me, though, giving me time with my mom, teaching me tricks I'd never have thought about....It's elementary school, it's not like the teacher is awarding a cash prize for the best project. Why do you care?

Oh -- and I actually went to Stanford. And then to a top-5 grad school program. (Shout out to the poster above me). All you people saying it's detrimental to kids are ridiculous.

Exactly. And I think that it benefits every child in the class to see how normal, household things can be used to make a mental image a reality.

I always thought it was fun to see them really checking out each others projects and how things like modeling clay can be used to create a universe. Or how a shoe box can become a diorama with a miniature world inside. They all benefit from the creativity of these projects.