I recently became aware of a movement called "Making," started in 2005 by Dale Dougherty, which brings together inventors, tinkerers, artists, musicians, techies, crafters, scientists, and many more, all focused on the joy of creating. 

I happened across an issue of Make: magazine from May 2014 and was blown away by an article called "What sticks about play and bricks - Every child is a natural-born maker" by Steve Davee. What drew me to this article was the description of a group of children playing with bricks in a back yard. These children not only learned about brick building, architecture, the scientific process, and physics, but also about problem-solving, communication, cooperation, and socializing - all without the interference or influence of the adults observing from afar! In one afternoon they learned valuable life lessons while having fun.

I worry that in this world of handheld electronic devices, fear of dirt, and pre-set Lego kits, we aren't getting a chance to really explore our creativity and learn from doing the way past generations did. I often see nostalgia-filled Facebook posts and articles about "back in the day" when you would be outside all day, skinning knees, playing in ponds, or exploring life with nothing but your friends and your imagination. I hear parents talk about kids being over-scheduled with activities, or kids believing that having a thriving social media account is the same as having friends you can count on IRL (In Real Life). Finally, as a parent, I understand the powerful drive to protect your child and keep them safe. But I also wonder about what our children may be missing out on.

I'm not suggesting that life was actually better or worse "back in the day." I'm simply mirroring some of the complaints I've heard. As with everything else in life, there is no clear right or wrong, no black or white answer, and all of you will have different opinions about how to raise your child, as you should. I'm not pretending to be a parenting "expert," but I wanted to introduce you to this Maker Movement as a fun and educational way to explore the world again - for yourself or with your child. 

The movement even got recent attention from the White House: President Obama declared June 18th 2014 a National Day of Making, and hosted a Mini Maker Faire at the White House. To be a fly on that wall! You can see his proclamation here, or see photos and more information about the event here.

In summary, these sound like amazing opportunities for children (and adults) to tap into their creative sides and learn much about life - be it science, technology, biology, psychology, or even success, failure, frustration-tolerance, and joy. Check out the magazine, the free Maker Camps for kids, the worldwide spread of the Maker Faires, and the efforts the Maker group is putting into getting these concepts introduced into the school system. Now, I'm going to see if there's a Maker Faire anywhere around here!

As my clients can attest to, I often talk to them about self-care through pleasurable activities or hobbies. I encourage them to think about what used to put a smile on their face before they became depressed or plagued with stress, and tell them that they should try to include it in their life again. I tell them it's important to do this even if they aren't experiencing their usual positive reaction to it right away. I explain how our brains release dopamine when we do something pleasurable, and even if our hobby doesn't make us as happy as it used to, they're getting a small release of dopamine just doing it. Each tiny burst of dopamine then adds up to some non-medication anti-depressants. We talk about movies, music, crafts, nature walks, bike rides, reading, cooking, and even meditating, depending on what people prefer. 

Sometimes this leads to a discussion on how getting into an activity can be like meditating, which is especially useful for those of us who don't do well with sitting in silence as a classic form of meditation. We talk about the concept of "flow" as first described by Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (though never remember how to say his name correctly). An oversimplification of the flow concept may be that as we engage in a hobby or activity and get engrossed in it, the rest of the world takes a backseat and we are actually getting the benefits of meditation even though we aren't "meditating" in the traditional sense. It's a beautiful concept, and one that many clients admit having experienced. It's being mindful, peaceful, and focused through our activity, giving ourselves a dopamine boost to boot.

An article recently came out on CNN.com that actually supports these discussions with science! In March 2014 (updated January 2015), Jacque Wilson published the article "This is your brain on crafting" and discusses the research that supports the benefits of crafting on the brain, well-being, happiness and aging. Dr. Csikszentmihalyi and flow are mentioned, as is dopamine. It's interesting to note that the emphasis is on creative activities in this article, though reading and playing games are also mentioned as good for the brain.

Now you have an excuse to try that new recipe, new pattern, or new craft, beyond what I may suggest you do! Do it for you, do it for your brain, or do it for your family - you will all benefit from you feeling better.