I’m not sure how I would react in this inevitable situation, but I doubt I would respond as creatively or kindly as this mom did:
A few things. I don't know what abstract concept this child was going for when he or she scribbled all over the wall in a loop-de-loop pattern. According to some Reddit commenters, it looks like a childlike drawing of a tornado.
The mother’s artistic expansion on the original “tornado” is another story altogether. She added breathtaking detail and crisp design. She also honored her child’s creative mistake without punishment or shame for doing what kids are bound to do. I love her approach.
Though this cute picture may be simply that, I’m choosing to read way more into this mother’s actions. As a mother of two young boys who are often on a destructive warpath, I’m quick to react and stop them in their tracks. This mother, who I can only judge by her beautiful art and loving gesture, seems like she saw something more in her child’s naughty behavior.
The next time my kids do something crazy like spill flour on the floor or draw on the couch with crayons, I’m going to think twice about how I react. I’m not sure I have the artistic skill or even the desire to turn their scribbles into couch art, but I want to take a page from this mom’s playbook.
Kids will be kids, and they should be encouraged to be themselves as much as possible. It’s so easy to forget the importance of self-expression and self-acceptance, especially for a young child. It may be every parent’s worst nightmare to clean up permanent wall graffiti, but take a beat before you ground your kid for life. This could be the perfect opportunity to connect with your child, like this mother did.
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