Recently, T1 had a best friend down from London whom we met a few times to play. People automatically assume that when you are a child of a designer, you naturally inherit your parents genes and are talented in creating stuff.

It is a myth.

First of all, creativity can be developed. The following is an excerpt I stole off the internet written by Dana Davidson,

Characteristics that signal creativity include intense absorption, curiosity, ability to put together seemingly unrelated things or ideas, sense of humor, unusual vocabulary, eagerness to share new discoveries, spontaneity, and willingness to consider new ideas. Creative people are often either interested in ongoing experiments and need time to pursue ideas in depth, or they may jump from idea to idea very quickly. They may show fluency and flexibility in their thinking. They may ask surprising questions. They may be more independent than others in their approach to doing things. They get excited about new solutions and ideas.

Creative people need time to entertain ideas, prepare materials, and let their ideas simmer for awhile. They need privacy and tolerance for ambiguity. They need to be allowed to try things out in different ways until they are satisfied with their own work. They also need to be able to select and discard efforts of their choosing— pressure to produce may stifle their creative efforts. Creativity thrives in an environment that allows questions, exploring, observing, skill-building (even Michelangelo had to practice!), communicating, and self expression.

To develop creativity, the home or classroom environment should contain a variety of materials and encourage lots of different experiences.

Developing a childhood interest—being “in love” with something and sticking with it for some time—is related significantly to adult creative achievement. Building anticipation before a trip or lesson, digging deeply into material during the lesson, and keeping the ideas alive for some time after the lesson are also ways to keep the creative processes going. Children and adults need to be introduced to examples of creative excellence. Their own work should be recognized and truly appreciated. If possible, creative efforts should be put to work and not simply acknowledged and then shelved. Adults who experience creativity programs tend to experience dramatic improvements in the quality of their lives. Self-expression, the zest of discovery, the pleasure of creating something, and freedom to try new things are all aspects of the creative process. Children can be encouraged to grow creatively, and this does not interfere with other kinds of educational achievement. We can all grow with the further development of creativity.

Long story short, if your dad isn’t an architect, you could still be the most creative kid on the block.

The kids built hotels out of Lego blocks (blocks of any kind are really the best toys in the world).

Windows to The World Hotel

Hotel Sails on the Sea

Giraffe Tower Hotel

De Castanet Hotel

What do you think? Fascinating stuff.

Allow me to encourage you to spend an hour this weekend playing lego or blocks with your child. Ask your child to build a hotel. Explain what a hotel is i.e. a place for people to stay when they are traveling. Explain the concept of a hotel – pay money, get room, facilities for guests, etc. Then allow your child to build.

Once he is finished, ask your child these questions:

What is the name of your hotel? Where is it located?

How many rooms does your hotel have?

Who stays at your hotel?

What kind of facilities does your hotel have? Explain the word facilities if your child does not know the word!

Are pets allowed at your hotel? Why/Why not?

What kind of food is served at your hotel?

What is special about your hotel? Why should I stay at your hotel instead of the hotel just down the road?

When you’ve completed this exercise of quality time with your child, whilst exercising his creative brain at the same time, please do come back to share your stories with me!

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Who is Mamapumpkin?
Mamapumpkin is a former Design Architect turned Multi-Million Dollar Digital Entrepreneur. She sets out to prove to all that you can have anything and everything that you want; if you have that fire of desire burning within and the drive to work hard. Even better with much love.

Mamapumpkin has not only grown corporate businesses successfully in the past and doubled her salary 5 times over 5 organisations but has grown THREE BUSINESSES to 7 FIGURES within an 8 year period. She now shows others EXACTLY HOW after retiring her own husband from employment. He is now the official dog walker, family driver, chef and THE BEST FATHER to their two girls and THE BEST HUSBAND to the woman who CHOSE HIM!

Mamapumpkin is the girl who has nothing but fights for everything including YOU. She is idealistic in her desire to put unbelievable amounts of money and extrardinary happiness into the lives of good people so we can change the world together believing in happiness for ALL. She strives to impact lives authentically wanting to reduce poverty cycles and enable quality education for all and always supports the voiceless. She believes we can all have a life of our own desires to enable real contribution into the world. But first, one needs to understand what this all means.

A beautiful life without limits.

If you wish to learn how to propel your life forward guaranteed, be brave to take action. Mamapumpkin's purpose is to build people. Her gift is to help them UNCOVER their HIDDEN GIFTS. She operates fairly and always leaves an impression. You either love her or not and she is alright either way.

She is a living testimony that women really can have a lot. Being financially and time free has enabled her to travel the world anytime, anywhere, doing anything with anyone, as she spends most of her days with her children, having fun, supporting others wherever she can. Also having fun.