[yann]

I've been reading this blog for a while and I quit coffee and wake up at 6 am every day since then. So I'm not here to troll... but I guess I'll be the white bear and kinda disagree w/ everybody here because I'm thinking it might be beneficial to someone...

Here I go: although it's good that you solved the short term issue by letting her know that it's ok to make a different bear because it's "her" bear, I think you might have missed the real issue there: why was she crying and so afraid to mess up the bear because it was "too hard" in the first place? I believe a 6 year old can't put pressure on herself like that... so the pressure has to come from the parents. Plus, looking at the board picture, I'm perplexed by how little creativity and overall skills are displayed in those drawings. Now, it could be that your daughter is just really not talented at drawing (which is no big deal, everyone is good at different things...) but to me it looks more like her creativity is suppressed... and from what I read from you I'd venture to say that it might be because she's afraid to "fail" and disappoint you.

It is just a feeling that I get so take it for what it is, but I'd say you might want to chill out on the way you "encourage" your kids 'cause I'd say you're most likely too pushy about it.

I'm just disturbed that a 6 year old would keep on drawing the same bear over and over in the first place... that white bear should have come out long ago... and a pink bear, a purple bear, a yellow dot bear... You get the idea.

Just my 2 cents.

ps: thanks for getting me off coffee, it was (literally) painful but totally worth it.