Like most kids their age, The Things love to make art projects.? Coloring, painting, collages, and many other works of junk art they produce in preschool.? Tape a piece of yarn to a popsicle stick and, presto, it’s a fishing rod.
Last weekend we went to Home Depot’s Kids Workshop.? Once a month they have ready to assemble wood projects where the kids hammer, sand, glue, hammer, and hammer.? Did I mention there is a lot hammering?? It gets quite loud, but it’s a fun outing and it’s free.
This week we made flag holders.? I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do with them.? I guess we can paint them this weekend.? But then can I throw them away?
What about the dozens of projects they bring home from preschool each week?? Sure, there are the one or two which are worth hanging on the refrigerator or in my office.? But then there are also many works entitled “Three Scribbles on a Piece of Paper”.? Often, the preschool gives them recycled office printouts to write on, so it isn’t even a clean piece of paper.
How long before it’s ok to throw this stuff away?? What will my kids think when they find one in the garbage?
It’s a timeless question. I’ve no ood answer.
I toss about half–or more. (When they aren’t looking.) School stuff goes in a large plastic storage box throughout the year and then to the attic. I’ll let them decide whether to keep it or not when they become of age.
My mom kept a box of things for each kid that she let us put our favorite school things in. I’m 21 years old and this summer I had a lot of fun looking through that box, remembering or not remembering, so many different things that I thought were so important to me.
Keep some forever!! I think they’re awesome. Especially the writing. When cleaning out my Mom’s house last year, we found all kinds of goofy writing samples from our elementary school years. Priorities really shift, I’d say! For example, after one Thanksgiving with the family, apparently all I could remember (or cared to remark on) it was the scoops of icecream with half a chocolate wafer in the back (and various other candy accessories) shaped to make the ice cream look like a turkey that my Grandmother served. Complete with Crayola illustrations. Awesome.
We struggle with the same thing. We’re reluctant to toss out any of Z-Dub’s “art.” As a result, we have paintings, colorings and other stuff stacked in our “junk” closet. Some of his better work is hanging in my office though.
I have an expandable folder for each of the boys. It’s getting full, so we clean it out and I let each pick about 10-15 papers they want to keep and I pick a few to keep. Like the one that Caedon drew to keep Brandon out of his room, didn’t stay in his pile to keep, but it went in mine. The ones similar to the 3 strokes on a paper do get thrown out…after we flip them over and reuse the back.
I feel your pain. I keep everything including the three scribble papers for a while…..then eventually most ends in the trash. I have a under the bed plastic storage container to put the “better” pieces in. My shared office at work has a few pictures hanging too. (thank goodness my co-workers don’t mind)
One day I plan to get a few pieces of their art professionally framed and display them proudly in our home…..one day…..
Funny – I was asking myself the very same question – again – today. I just can’t part with any of it. Even daily doodles and random abstract “art projects”. :)
I keep all of the writing samples and most of the artwork. I think this way when deciding, “When they are 20, will they be glad I saved this, or will they think, “What in the world did she save THIS for??” Those flag holders crack me up!