Coloring Outside The Lines - Keywords and Tags

I check from time to time to see what keywords or tags someone used to find my blog. There have been times I have laughed out loud (monkey butt, slip on banana) There have been times I have scratched my head (enter super confusing phrase of someone who has no clue what they are searching for and were highly disappointed when they landed here) Lately though it seems a huge keyword or phrase has been, "When will my child color inside the lines" I bet they are pretty disappointed when they land here.

Coloring inside the lines...really? As a parent that is a milestone you are concerned with right now? I do searches more along the lines of:

• when will a child quit putting things up their nose
• when does a child understand the concept of too much toilet paper and a septic system
• how to enforce a strict no smearing poptarts on the tapestry couch rule

Coloring outside the lines is a must for children and adults! I do not encourage or enforce using the lines for "rules". I want my children to look at a piece of paper with a line drawing of an elephant holding a balloon and see something bigger, go wild with possibilities and then make it happen! Likewise, when they become adults and they see a "life situation" I want them to see something bigger, go wild with possibilities and then make it happen.

Perhaps it is an important milestone. To watch your child gain enough control to curb their creativity and conform to the rules of the lines. (alright....maybe I worded that a little strong) It's just not my thing or style of parenting. I parent with strict moral core values but no hands on the reigns of creativity, intellectual learning or the desire to be a concert belcher. We don't just "dream big" but we "live big".

Back to those keywords though...All of you who actually searched for "The Crayon Wrangler", you have made me feel a little bit famous for a while in cyberland!

I have had some issues with blogging lately, so it feels good that you are still looking for me. Just as we face things in our lives and change with each life lesson; sometimes all areas of our lives need a change. This blog is an extension of me; my life. Just as I have begun to change, it needs to change. I will be focusing on new directions with the same theme (same ole' me) as the year draws to a close.

I would like some input from YOU though...what are some topics that I touched this past year that you would like to hear more from me on? What are some features that I have done that you would like to see more of?