Art camp on the road

The first week of art camp is now over, and both Fiona and Dever next-door are enjoying it a great deal. Their working styles are quite different, but the little neighbors enjoy sitting next to one another at camp and like carpooling too. We parents enjoy hearing the version of what happened at camp in stereo as well.

I brought some of Fiona's artwork home to complete this weekend. She has many projects that weren't finished, and her plodding nature is getting her rather behind there. I spoke to her teacher at the end of the week, and we decided together that it might be less stressful for Fiona next week to begin without the added burden of numerous additional projects to finish up.

This class is very good for all of us: clearly it's great for Fiona to be learning about artists, art techniques and mediums-- she's really soaking it up. This is the first year of teaching for her instructor, and I can't help thinking it's great for her to experience the chasm of difference between a Dever, who can skillfully whip through his projects in a heartbeat to be able to work on projects of his own creation-- and a Fiona, who meticulously pores over every detail until she is completely satisfied-- or sufficiently distracted. I imagine it's good for me too-- to let Fiona out from under my direct care, into a group setting working with other kids and adults, listening and interacting with others, and learning how to interact without the loosey-goosey time frame and 1:1 mentoring that our homeschooling allows. It's good to let go and see that she's OK anxiety-wise. It's what we hope and aim for as parents.

Her teacher says she is having fun 95% of the time. She's growing. I'm growing. We're growing! And I guess I can't ask for more than that.