#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--CRAFTING IN THE TIME OF COVID

I believe that people are born creative. Just watch any baby or toddler exploring his surroundings, and you’ll see what I mean. Unfortunately, most adults start squelching that creativity (Don’t touch!) in their children early on. Eventually that innate creativity is so suppressed that it’s nearly impossible to retrieve. So why are we then surprised when our kids prefer to sit around for hours, staring at a computer monitor or TV screen?

Now, when most kids are on screens in virtual classrooms for hours each day, crafting is needed more than ever. Solving problems and resolving conflicts require creative thinking. Creativity needs to be nurtured in order that today’s children grow up to become tomorrow’s leaders, but too many outside forces are at work, influencing our children to “color within the lines.” Now think about this: people who color within the lines never learn to think outside the box. It’s that outside the box thinking that finds solutions to the world’s problems. 

 

One of the ways we can help our children continue to grow their creativity is to encourage them to craft, beginning at a very early age. The first step is to have creative materials around the house for children to use. Keep ample supplies of paint, glue, markers, chenille stems, craft sticks, pompoms, and other basic craft materials handy for those “I’m bored; there’s nothing to do” days or when the virtual classroom closes for the day.

Once life returns to normal and birthday parties resume, buy craft kids instead of yet another video game for that next birthday party or special occasion. Keep a few kits on hand for rainy days and snow days and when sleepovers with friends resume. Encourage children to make gifts for family members’ birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc. instead of buying gifts.

Remember that your children’s efforts don’t have to be perfect. Always praise the attempt and encourage children to continue creating. The act of crafting develops small motor skills and hand/eye coordination. Creativity helps grow their brains. By encouraging your children to craft, you’re giving them an incredible foundation for future endeavors. 

 

All it takes for children to learn to love crafting is an environment in which they can satisfy their creative nature. Nurture that inborn talent, and you’ll help your children grow into creative adults that just might wind up solving many of the world’s problems.

THE PERFECT PANDEMIC STOCKING STUFFER

A Perfect Pandemic Stocking Stuffer

Shortly after the pandemic hit this past spring, authors began asking each other how they were going to handle Covid-19 in their books. Should they incorporate self-quarantining, social distancing, and mask wearing into their stories or completely ignore the pandemic? As the main character in a mystery series, I know these things because we characters know everything there is to know about our authors, and (little secret here) just as authors talk among themselves, so do we characters.

 

My author, Lois Winston, decided she wasn’t going to address Covid-19 in future books about me, for which I’m totally grateful. She’s dumped enough mayhem into my life—not to mention dead bodies—over nine books and three novellas. Besides, murder and mayhem aside, The Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries are humorous cozy mysteries. There’s nothing humorous about a pandemic that’s killed more than a million people and counting worldwide. Lois plans to leave Covid-19 to the dystopian and thriller authors.

 

But Covid-19 can’t be ignored in real life. Last Friday I posted about a children’s book Lois wrote that’s perfect for these stressful times and would make a great holiday gift for the kids in your life. Today I’d like to tell you about a product we all need and why I’ve decided to promote it here on the blog.

 

Shortly after the pandemic hit, Lois’s oldest son lost his job. Instead of freaking out because he’s got three kids and a wife recovering from a battle with breast cancer, he took a leap of faith. With his background in engineering, chemistry, and marketing at several major companies in the consumer products industry, he worked with some of his contacts to develop an all-natural cleansing and deodorizing spray for face masks to use in-between mask laundering. The result was Cavere Face Mask Cleanser.

 

Cavere is sourced from natural ingredients, is not tested on animals, includes ethyl alcohol (the active ingredient in numerous hand sanitizers), and is made in the US from globally sourced components. It guards against the buildup of dirt and oil that can cause “maskne”. In addition, the fresh minty scent is a welcome relief from “mask breath”. Since Lois and I are joined at the hip, I, for one, really appreciate that!

 

You can read more about Cavere at the Cavere Products website  and order through Amazon.