Usually these Monday Morning Smiles involve some sort of visual or aural treat as an introduction to the week. (I say that as if the MMS is a thing which, recently, it hasn't been.) This week, I wanted to draw your attention to a piece written by Linda Holmes at NPR's Monkey See website. I've always enjoyed Holmes' writing, which makes me smile, laugh, and (when it's called for) think. And I don't say that just because she's a distant (very distant) NPR cousin of mine.
A few weeks back, Holmes wrote a piece titled "Hey, Kid: Thoughts For the Young Oddballs We Need So Badly," which was an open letter to "young creative weirdos" (her phrase, not mine, though I endorse the term) encouraging to take heart and providing some advice for navigating their tween and teen years in making art.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of commenters -- like me -- noticed the relevance of the advice to creative weirdos of any age (and Holmes herself in a subsequent comment admitted that it was the type of advice she thought of in her '30s). Advice like learning to distinguish between feedback and criticism and finding your "pod" is relevant to any creative group (like, say, kindie musicians).
So, go up to that link and read it to your kid and send it on to your favorite kindie musician.
