ds is not good at art - now becoming noticeable - help!!

[zebramummy]

i need a strategy to improve ds' mark-making asap per his nursery report.

i never meant to compare him to his class mates at nursery but their pictures appear to resemble trees, people etc. ds is 4.4 but his art skills have actually gone backwards if anything. he only brought one picture home this term and nothing of his has ever been put up for display at nursery (yes, i do this at home before you ask)

i was apparently so good at his age that my nursery school teacher (a trained artist herself) predicted that i would also become an artist one day (i did not do this though remained quite good). i don't expect him to be that good; just able enough to colour the right bits of the picture in suitable colours and try to keep within outlines. his interest in writing has gone the same way too.

is there anything i can do to remedy the situation? so far, i have made available to him every medium under the sun to try out his 'ideas' - finger paints, glitter glue, crayons, chalks, all manner of paper and card.

he loves playdough though uses it more for imaginative play rather than for model-making. likes gloop, clay, helping with cooking but has had no cross-impact.

Ah well now you will probably become the OP's new parenting guru, as her Dc's art work being exhibited in a London gallery is actually her aim I think.

Pagwatch, it was certainly a reality check for me, a reminder that my DS hadn't read the same book as me where 'finding time time to talk through feelings at a quiet time of the day is very important for your child'.

He just wantde to play with his carefully selected eduactiosnl toys in the bath, and for his mother to stop wittering on.

I have one child so I am eminently qualified to pass judgment comment.

I do feel that I cannot compete with the level of parenting perfection achieved by the OP and others on this thread. As a City lawyer and a single mother I find that the least amount of contact with one's childthe better. I think I do that with elan.

I have loads of kids but am going to comment anyway.

DD was 6 mths when I dumped her to go back to work. She turned out to be bloody brilliant at everything.

DS1 1 year old - another genius

DS2 5 years - beautiful boy but bless him - cant read or write yet and he is nearly 7. Ironically very good at drawing.

DS3 - 18mths but I dont think he counts because I obviously have far too many children now to have an opinion.

I suppose being a child development professional doesnt count either?

But then I only work with disabled kids and they are not likely to get top marks for art so MEH!

I seriously thought this thread was a wind up. I had heard about stuff like this but thought it was made up for chick lit books and articles in the Daily Mail.

I am utterly

zebramummy Fri 04-Dec-09 20:09:14

"i, for one, will carry on encouraging him however i think best; in the way naturally dictated by our close bond and loving relationship."

and your motive in posting your original question on an online forum was exactly what?

seeing that you already know the best way of encouraging your ds, and that you are convinced that by doing so you can make him turn out exactly the way you want him

not a lot of need for Mumsnetters then, is there?

it has often struck me that what we need on this forum is a section for I Already Know the Perfect Way So Here I Am Telling the Rest of You.

LOL Cory. I could learn a lot from a section like that .

baroness - rofl at the 'stop talking' comment. I'm sure that's how my DS's feel (and DH for that matter).

Cory - go on - post your suggestion for IAKTPWSHIATEROF forum in site stuff

Zebra - your DS is lucky to have such a loving Mum. Some of your comments on WOHMs who use childcare (like me) and teachers (like my Mum) are out of order. Apart from anything else, you don't have to be 'better' than someone to be critical of them. I, for example, am extremely critical about Andy Murray's serve. But I sense that this may be because you are hurt by some of the unexpectedly critical comments in this thread. Honestly, though, you will drive yourself mad by identifying so strongly with your DS.

you can tell panto season is upon us! still some seats left among the one-penny audience! i'll provide the circus, bring-your-own-bread!

zebramummy did you used to post under the name nybom? You remind me strongly of her posting style.

dot to dots?

ummmm ... have looked at a few of nybom's posts (born overseas, several children at private nurseries, fairly low-brow) - can't see where you are coming from AT ALL i'm afraid
how can i (a person) remind you of a 'style' anyway?

I didn't click on this thread because it sounded a bit mental....now I wish I hadn't as OP is ceraazzzeeee.

acebaby - i am not hurt by all this crap, just increasingly irritated actually.
i stand by everything i have written; just not sure how to respond when people start rolling out their erm...modest CVs and their children's 'oh so amazing' qualifications gained in Dumbed-down-Britain of the Noughties when so many people (myself included) managed to exceed all that when grades actually meant something.
not surprised really as this is Mumsnet Phase 2 - most people with decent debating abilities have vanished recently, only to be replaced by a quango of middle-aged, middle-brow bullies who rear their heads in practically every debate, eventually coming together as a kind of lynch-mob. btw i did not say middle-class as i can see many of you for the upwardly-mobile plebs that you really are.
i love a good debate as long as i am not expected to lower myself to this level. if this is what MN is about nowadays, then i think i have pretty much outgrown it.

you just get more and more priceless zebramummy. Are you this unpleasant in real life?

Have you managed to move to your very white multi-cultural area yet? That thread quote stuck in my mind and was saddened that no-one else questioned you.

"zebramummy Wed 28-Oct-09 21:47:18
when i say multicultual, i suppose what i really mean is mainly white middle-class lefties with a smattering of well-educated people from 'other nationalities' say 70:30

sorry that was really not very pc tho'"

Am amazed that you descibed yourself as a leftie. Its not my idea of socialism; far too daily mail reader-esque.

A simple 'No' to the nybom question would have sufficed, zebramummy. No need to embark on another character assassination.

Am hiding this thread now as I tend to value courtesy, kindness and open-mindedness over pseudo-intellectualism and arrogance, and I'm afraid you are displaying none of the former and bucket-loads of the latter, zebramummy. Hope your DS enjoys art and any other subjects in which he shows an interest.

I've never been called a pleb before. What a treat . I'd be interested to know your educational qualifications zebramummy.

Rofl at upwardly mobile plebs

If MN is low rent I wonder that you are still here?
Of course it is a pleasure to mix with one such as you, what with my social climbing aspirations and all, but I can't see what you are getting from re-openingthis thread to shout at everyone
I hope your DS continues to thrive and that you get the support you want. But not sure what it is you want to achieve now?

Don't say that pagwatch. I hope the OP does continue posting. This is the best laugh (or should that be larf) I've had on MN in ages .

I think that being a WOHM clearly my ds is destined for a very low brow life and he probably won't be as intelligent as wot I is.

and even if he is intelligent it won't be enough because it is by todays standards not the gold standards of yesteryear.

Not sure what the OP would make of my education. Parents chose to send me to a primary school in the middle of a big council estate even though we didn't live there. Grammar school, uni, postgraduate professional qualifications, well regarded in my area of expertise. Ds apparently bright (albeit rubbish at reading) enjoys art galleries, classical concerts, CBBC all in equal measure and as of yesterday can spell 'squirrel'.

MollieO - well done your DS. I would have to look up squirrel (and I have a first from Cambridge, a DPhil from Oxford and 50 peer reviewed publications ).

Zebra - glad you aren't hurt by all of this. Your DS sounds lovely.

This is the funniest thread I've read in ages. Surely it's a joke?