Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Nature or Nurture?

I read an article last month on how many of today’s daughters tend to go into fields reflecting their father’s professions. In our family this has proven to be true…my husband is in civil engineering and real estate; our most-recently born? an intern architect.

More recently, I was reflecting on the type of things women pass on to daughters – not the things we consciously teach them, but those skills and interests we’re delighted to find they possess when they’re all grown-up and independent. The thing I’ve seen in my own daughter lately is that creative/crafty streak.

When she was small, there WAS a lot of sewing, ceramic painting or cross-stitching goin’ on in the house. Thinking back to my mom, I can remember that she was into sewing, cake decorating, crocheting and knitting…I can even remember her creating sugar paste Easter eggs.


Did the crafty gene rub off? Perhaps – my mom used to make things to relax – I find myself doing the same thing, just using different materials.

Recently I’ve had a chance to take a look at some of the things my own child has done – after taking up crocheting in college, she’s getting really good at creating
amigurmi critters. She’s recently acquired a sewing machine and is NOT afraid to use it. There's some really neat photos she's taken and had enlarged. There’s also some talk about antique furniture being refinished.

She says she likes to do these things - finds them relaxing, she says.

Hmmm.

Most of all, it’s the whole thing about being PAID to design buildings that I’ve been most impressed with. How COOL is that?

Carma, I’m supremely proud of you, gurl (‘course you already know that). Keep pressing – you’re gonna be a great architect one day real soon. And keep doin’ yer thing with the yarn and fabric and sharing the results with the rest of the world!


Eye candy for this week? This is from Gera Scott Chandler of British Columbia, Canada.

Enjoy!

1 comment:

c. alicia said...

Thanks for the shout out mom! I'd like to think I'm a well blended product of both you and dad. Civil Engineering isn't glamorous or creative enough for me. So thanks for the creative bug! Love you too!