The Art of Creativity

by Erik Fisher, Ph.D. View Bio

Erik Fisher, Ph.D.

Leading Emotional Dynamics expert, Erik Fisher, Ph.D., aka Dr. E…, has been changing the lives of children, teens and adults for two decades. As a psychologist, media consultant and author, his unique and creative approach to his work has earned him the respect and accolades of his clientele, his colleagues, and the media. On the radio, he has been providing interviews for more than 15 years on stations across North America and has been interviewed for countless print articles in magazines, from Parents to Cosmopolitan, and newspapers across the country from The Atlanta Constitution to the Chicago Tribune the the L.A. Times. Dr. E… has two published books, The Art of Empowered Parenting: The Manual You Wish Your Kids Came With and The Art of Managing Everyday Conflict: Understanding Emotions and Power Struggles and proposals for three book concepts. As he says, "Life happens for us, not to us, and understanding that is the key to our own empowerment."

Leading Emotional Dynamics expert, Erik Fisher, Ph.D., aka Dr. E…, has been changing the lives of children, teens and adults for two decades. As he says, "Life happens for us, not to us, and understanding that is the key to our own empowerment."

How many of us have squelched a child’s creativity and not even realized it? So many times we have wanted our kids to fit in, to get along, to not make waves so that they can have an “easy” life. That desire may be more about us than it is about our kids. It is often when we see our kids approaching something in a way different than us or most others that we want to change them, and what starts out as something innocent and well-intentioned could be changing the course of a lifetime.

Fostering our child’s courage to express their creativity is perhaps one of the most important goals that we can set for our children. Creativity can help build confidence, flexibility, individuality, and can even contribute to better physical health. We each have gifts, abilities and skill sets that may not be the same as our children’s.

“Fostering our child’s courage to express their creativity is perhaps one of the most important goals that we can set for our children.”

Creativity is Limitless

Often when people think of creativity, they think of the arts. This is a very limiting belief. Creativity often starts with play early in life and leads to other things. It is in play that children begin to develop their creative muscles, whether with blocks, dolls and action figures, or even board games. Beyond play, kids may find creativity in the way they play sports, clean their room, prepare their food, do their schoolwork, the list goes on...

Encourage, Encourage, Encourage

The best way to foster your child’s creativity is to encourage them to try things and not feel afraid to fail. At the same time, be aware of your own emotions, attitudes and beliefs -- and be willing to create with them. I can tell you that this is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. And remember, it’s ok if your kids color outside the lines. I often say that if kids did everything their parents told them to do, we would likely still be living in the Stone Age.

Pointers for Creative Play

• Find ways to foster your child’s imagination.
• Help your child see failure through play as a learning experience, not a time to quit.
• There’s no better way to dry up creativity than with criticism. Try to find constructive ways to give feedback, and seek ways to be positive.
• You don’t have to tell your kids that they are the best at everything to inspire creativity. This often encourages arrogance.
• Observe and appreciate how your child does things differently and uniquely.
• As we develop our creativity in one area, it often extends to other areas. Help your kids to stretch their creativity muscles and yours.
• Have fun while you are creating!

Have you played with your kids today?

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