Forcing kids to make a scrapbook

[smb6]

I vote to let it go- my boys would not enjoy scrapbooking and I would not force them.

I'm not even sure that my dd would like it.....

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am not a fan of scrapbooking.

I think it is a genetic thing. Some like it, some don't. It isn't a boy/girl thing.

There are electronic scrapbooks out there. If it is that important that they compile the photos into some meaningful memory, perhaps the digital variety would be more their cup of tea?

I prefer it--but time management is an issue. Uploading the photos and then arranging them.

I like to let the memories do the talking--so I've always been fine with very simple photo albums.

 

[shortbun]

I don't know about your schools but here in our schools, the middle school AND high school teachers use scrapbooks as a project. Tell your kids the experience will be good for them and ask them to do them OR do the A option. I don't think it's that important but they might just be doing one in school.

 

[Ceila]

Looks like I agree with the majority: don't force them to make the scrapbook.

However, the idea that no young boys would want to make a scrapbook is silly -- we tend to create this idea of what "boys" like to do, and that means boys who want to do other things are slighted, told they're acting like "girls" etc. Just let a person be their own person, for heaven's sake! I just worry that people who say their sons/nephews would "never" want to do a particular task have never truly, with an open mind, let them try it and see for themselves if they like it without making subtle comments to steer them one way or the other. I don't mean this to be an attack or specific response to anyone, I just hope that people don't put scrapbooking/crafting/art into a "girl" category and not allow their boys to have fun with it.

One of my nephews, a hugely active, athletic 8-year-old would probably list "crafts" (with his aunt -- moi, of course ) as among his top 10 favorite things to do. However, it was taking us sooooo long to complete a traditional paper scrapbook that I finally decided that I'd help him make a digital scrapbook for his birthday gift. I uploaded the photos from our family Disney World trip, sat down with him, typed his exact words for each page, had him pick photos, backgrounds, fonts, etc. -- and we finished it in just a couple of hour-long sessions. He adores that book, and we all enjoy it, too, because of the journaling on the pages -- grammatical errors, non sequiturs and all!

Re. the bolded part - you claim you don't want to offend, but do you really think that telling a bunch of us that we're not open minded is somehow NOT offensive??? Guess what? It is.

The fact is that MOST boys would not be interested. And as parents, we kind of know our kids. Sorry if you don't like that, but it's the truth. i never said don't suggest it or don't try, but most of us who have boys realize that they would not care to do this. So don't give us a hard time just because we pointed out what most people experience as reality.

Oh, and my son does like some things that are more traditionally female - particularly cooking. So please take your "you are closed minded" stuff somewhere else.

 

[anna_chronistic]

Re. the bolded part - you claim you don't want to offend, but do you really think that telling a bunch of us that we're not open minded is somehow NOT offensive??? Guess what? It is.

The fact is that MOST boys would not be interested. And as parents, we kind of know our kids. Sorry if you don't like that, but it's the truth. i never said don't suggest it or don't try, but most of us who have boys realize that they would not care to do this. So don't give us a hard time just because we pointed out what most people experience as reality.

Oh, and my son does like some things that are more traditionally female - particularly cooking. So please take your "you are closed minded" stuff somewhere else.

I'm sorry, cluvsdisney, I really didn't mean to say that any of you who stated that your children don't like to scrapbook are NOT open-minded, and re-reading my post, I can definitely see how it read that way, and I apologize. And I also agree with you that most boys would not enjoy scrapbooking, but some do -- and I think it's important to let boys enjoy doing things that are stereotypically considered "girl" tasks. Your example of your son loving to cook is exactly the type of thing I meant -- I just didn't make my point well!

You are right that parents know their kids better than some stranger on the Internet! Honestly, thinking of my 15-year-old brother scrapbooking makes me smile b/c I know he never would, but he's a sweetheart who pretends interest when I talk about crafts ... just as I pretend interest when he talks about knives (his passion ). I just hope all parents allow their children -- of either sex -- to enjoy hobbies that are typically considered gender specific. If you had a daughter who wanted to take shop and mechanics classes, I'm sure you would let her. Or if your son decides he wants to go to culinary school, you would let him. But some parents don't encourage more out-of-the-box activities. Of course, those that do not allow it would not be swayed by my arguments, so it turns out that my comments are rather de trop!

Last (I promise), I have always hated when people say "no offense" and then follow it up with a clearly offensive remark -- as if saying "no offense" nullifies the feelings of those who hear it ... and I see that I made the error that I most despise. Again, I apologize.

 

[Ceila]

I'm sorry, cluvsdisney, I really didn't mean to say that any of you who stated that your children don't like to scrapbook are NOT open-minded, and re-reading my post, I can definitely see how it read that way, and I apologize. And I also agree with you that most boys would not enjoy scrapbooking, but some do -- and I think it's important to let boys enjoy doing things that are stereotypically considered "girl" tasks. Your example of your son loving to cook is exactly the type of thing I meant -- I just didn't make my point well!

You are right that parents know their kids better than some stranger on the Internet! Honestly, thinking of my 15-year-old brother scrapbooking makes me smile b/c I know he never would, but he's a sweetheart who pretends interest when I talk about crafts ... just as I pretend interest when he talks about knives (his passion ). I just hope all parents allow their children -- of either sex -- to enjoy hobbies that are typically considered gender specific. If you had a daughter who wanted to take shop and mechanics classes, I'm sure you would let her. Or if your son decides he wants to go to culinary school, you would let him. But some parents don't encourage more out-of-the-box activities. Of course, those that do not allow it would not be swayed by my arguments, so it turns out that my comments are rather de trop!

Last (I promise), I have always hated when people say "no offense" and then follow it up with a clearly offensive remark -- as if saying "no offense" nullifies the feelings of those who hear it ... and I see that I made the error that I most despise. Again, I apologize.

Thanks!
~ceila

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

You thought BOYS would enjoy scrapbooking?? Really?

Let it go.

Hey, my 3 boys love to scrap and look at the books. I just made all 4 kids ABC books of all of our Disney trips and they gush over them.
My 10 year old is really into it, he has his own album and space in my scrap room.

However I agree with Jennasis, let it go!
It's a hobby, and not everyone enjoys the same hobby.


Hold on, shameless plug coming.............

But if you like to scrapbook come visit us in the creative community. We have a whole scrapbook section

....................and plug over

 

[Agri]

I'd compromise.

I don't like the idea of just letting it go completely since they were into the idea in the first place. I also don't like the idea of just letting it go because they're wandering off to play video games or watch tv. (If a child just told me "I'm not enjoying this, can we do something else?" I'd be okay - just wandering off to play games is rude and lazy - and yes, I play LOTS of video games.)

I also don't like the idea of forcing them to do something they have discovered isn't as much fun as they'd thought it would be - BUT they agreed to do it in the first place. Even if it is just a tedious craft, I don't think its a great idea to just say "Oh, you decided to do something and found out its not fun so now you don't want to do it. That's okay. You don't have to do it."

I would do one of two things:

For both - Tell them "I know you're not enjoying this, but I think we need to see this through. We'll work on this together for x amount of time per day for x number of days of the week. We'll suffer along together. When its done, we'll celebrate. What do you think we should do to celebrate?"

1.) Turn it into a group project - with one final product. You do most of the work, but they do the pages for the areas of the parks or other events that they liked the most. Or they each get their own 'font' to make their own captions for the pictures - I think it would be cute to have different perspectives on the events.

2.) Find something else to do together and stick with it. Sort of "Okay, scrapbooking isn't working out, what else can we try instead?"