I was busy in my studio one afternoon and my son had wandered in.
He asked me for a sheet of sticky label paper.
Then he went straight to the shelf where I store different types of paper and was about to take out a sheet of A4 label paper.
Now these specialty labels are quite expensive but I keep a pack in my studio in case I want to print out something special.
I had given him some of my old scraps to craft with in the past but I wasn't about to give him a fresh new piece.
Plus, the last time I had given him the label scraps, I vaguely recalled him cutting them up into little bits of unrecognisable strips.
So I quickly told him that he couldn't have any today.
I pulled out a piece of 'recyclable' paper and asked him to cut that up.
He wasn't too happy and tried to explain that he really needed the sticky paper.
I looked at him and told him again, in no uncertain terms, that the paper was too expensive.
He grudgingly took the piece of 'recyclable' paper and went away.
Later, he came back and asked me for some tape.
I was busy with something and I didn't ask any questions.
So I just tore some out and gave it to him.
Then I went back to my computer to finish what I was doing.
After I was done, we spent some time drawing, playing and eating.
It wasn't until bedtime when I was reading stories to him in the bedroom that I caught sight of this.
A flying car with wings!
At that moment, it all made sense.
And yes, I couldn't help feeling like the bad mum who wouldn't give her son one sheet of sticky paper to create that awesome idea in his head.
But thankfully I remember reading this article (that Dee shared on Twitter) that said, "What motivates tinkerers to keep going through their teen years? Often, it's the desire to circumvent a rule-setting, safety-conscious mother."
If that article holds true, I think my kids will find lots of opportunities to be creative and they will have me to thank. Haha!
p/s Today's DIY post will be up on the blog tomorrow.