Giving up control

Tonight, I waited out a queasy stomach by spending some quality time coloring with Cora.
She hasn't been much of a colorer lately, but earlier today she found her box of crayons and settled down, occupying herself for maybe 20 minutes.

I colored a picture of Pooh Bear with the yellow and orange crayons, and then colored his coat and hat blue. Cora then took the blue, and, with vigorous strokes, turned Pooh blue. She seemed quite pleased with work. On the next page, I suggested she color Piglet pink, but no, blue was the color of the evening. Bold blue, the crayon ground into the page.

It struck me as humorous. I'm not that artistic, but I did have ideas of nicely finished drawings, with true-to-life colors, within the lines. Cora had other plans, plans she was joyful to implement, and I had to let her have her way. It was her coloring book, after all.

Stace has the same problem when he's building her Lincoln Log houses or block towers. I know it's just the beginning of a parent's lessons in giving up control.