Over the years, Emma has tried a few activities. We stuck with gymnastics for about a year until we took a break during the summer and never went back. Neither of them disliked it but neither of them were bent on going back so we didn’t.
Then came guitar lessons. She was sure she wanted to play guitar like Taylor Swift. And I really think she still wants to. However, she realized it takes a whole lot of practice and dedication. She quit lessons a few months in and then went back a few months later for another few weeks all to find out she still didn’t find enough interest in it to really practice like it required.
Well, for months as Lexi has continued with Taekwondo, Emma hasn’t been doing anything. I’ve agreed to let her do nearly anything she wanted. She just wasn’t interested. In fact, one time the only thing she could come up with was giving ME painting lessons. Finally, a place called the Painted Parrot opened in town. On their site it seemed like they were more geared towards parties. It’s actually pretty cool. You get a group of people, show up and you all paint the same picture. She supplies everything. But I wasn’t sure if she did private lessons. It was never opened when we went by but after a few weeks I finally made the call. Sure enough, she does individual or small group lessons. She supplies everything, the kids pick out what they want to paint and she helps them with their technique.
Emma went yesterday for her first lesson. I actually had to talk her into going because her friend at school started gymnastics yesterday and she was sure she wanted to go with her. I insisted she go to the lesson we had agreed to and then she could decide.
When I went to pick her up, Emma was busy helping clean up. She seemed assertive yet comfortable, responding to questions with confidence and clearly in a happy disposition.
Walking out, she declared she was definitely going back and said, “You know how sometimes when I go new places I’m shy and don’t talk much? Well, it wasn’t the same today. I answered her questions and talked a lot. It was so much fun.” I said, “So you’re comfortable there?” She said, “Yes!” And there was something about her that seemed very mature. There was no shy little girl walking out of that studio. She talked the whole way home about how she had painted and the ways she had shaded the tree and what stars she had picked and on and on.
She was already picking out her painting for the next week over dinner, really mulling over what she wanted it to look like. She had picked a palmetto tree this week since it’s our state tree but thinks she wants to do some mountains next week. I was a little concerned Lexi was going to be upset she didn’t get a picture but she was super supportive of her, telling her what a great job she had done.
I’m not sure where this will go, but for now I think Emma’s place is in front of an easel, paintbrush in hand.
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