Catherine Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Do you believe that a love of beauty is a quality you wish to cultivate in your children? It was mentioned in another thread as a rare (I'm paraphrasing) quality in a boy. Thinking about my own four boys, one of them in particular has a real appreciation of beauty, mostly, of music. One of the others is particularly artistic and creative, but, has little interest in beauty. The other two definitely have some love of beauty in nature. For me, it is important to nurture this appreciation of beauty, because I think it is a source of happiness and fulfillment. Is that important to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Wow, I've never really thought about it. Yes, I think it is important to me and that I try to sort of surround myself with it in various ways. I guess because they've grown up with it, both boys seem to have an appreciation for it, too. I've noticed this most when we've been on trips and they've either commented about really beautiful things they've seen, or about lack of same, which has opened up whole other areas of conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellyGirl Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 My 9yo ds always appreciates beauty in nature. More than once I have been struck when he comments on how beautiful something is. Those just aren't the kind of things I expect from my bouncy, dirty, busy son. I love that he can appreciate it, and always encourage it when I hear it. But I don't know that I have intentionally cultivated it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Yes, my younger boys in particular refer to many things as beautiful: flowers, paintings, an outifit I may be wearing or earrings, sunset, and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Absolutely! The recognition and appreciation of beauty is a top priority for us in the raising of our children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Its incredibly important to me. Central to my life, really. For my son....I think it is there, but it is not often expressed the way I might express it. He loves music. He loves me. He adores his snake. But he don't necessarily express his love as an appreciation of beauty- but I think it is there. But my daughter is like that too. Neither of my kids are nature lovers the way I was as a kid and still am. I have been thinking about that lately and realising it is really just a personality type. While I would walk for hours by myself in the bush as a child, my kids would think that was terribly boring- unless they were with friends! They love to go camping- to be with friends! I have tried to cultivate more love of nature and beauty in them but they have their own slant on it and find my perspective way too lonely and "out there" for them. Dd is a nature artist, so of course she appreciates beauty, but it doesnt mean she will go outside and watch the sunset or the stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary in KS Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Oh yeah. My 13 yo ds appreciates beauty. :glare: Mm-hmm. Beauty in his economics class. Beauty in his TREK group. Beauty at the mall. Yeah. Seriously, though. I have 3 boys: 13, 8, and 6. I think with them "beauty" is more loosely defined. If I asked them what they thought was beautiful, I would get answers that don't match mine. (eg: That photo of a snake about to eat its prey, certain rollicking classical piano pieces, etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 He loves classical music and opera and nature. He'll often comment on how nice something looks. He doesn't regularly throw around the word "beauty," but he definitely notices and admires it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hi_itsgwen Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I think personality/disposition has a whole lot to do with appreciating beauty for boys and girls. My dh and I are both artists, and our kids are very in tune to beauty. Even though I think that personality does play a lot into beauty, I also think that appreciating and especially enjoying beauty can be cultivated in the home. I openly comment on and enjoy beauty, and try to incorporate this into everyday life. Flowers on the table, turning on beautiful music to complement breakfast, etc. I also try to give my kids opportunities in which to create beauty on their own that we can all admire. Little things like cutting out snowflakes out of paper for the windows, or decorating cookies, or even just dressing nicely for a special dinner. Both of my kids love to dress the table. (We have a family heirloom with a tacky protector on top of it, so we have to use a tablecloth all the time). They argue over who gets to pick the tablecloth, and get a lot of satisfaction about putting out candles and flowers. :) Every once in a while we'll have a special dinner with the nice dishes, and they love surprising Dad with that. Both of mine like to pick flowers, and we all look for tiny flowers in the grass in spring for dd dollhouse. We all love nature. I point out the intricate designs inside flowers, and the geometric patterns in petals and pinecones. This especially delights my engineer minded son. Ds especially has noticed females as beautiful since he was very young. He would say 'pretty gul, Mama" and loved to lay in the floor on his tummy and watch my dd ballet class dance. He told me when he was 3, "I like blonde hair. Blonde curly hair." Then he told me that my hair was blonde (I'm brunette). He's 6 now, and last year I asked him if he remembered telling me that my hair was blonde. He said "Yeah. That's back when I though blonde meant long.":lol: When I would get dressed up for something, he always notices and comments that I look pretty. And he used to say "can I smell you?" :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Yes - and he's a NUTTY all boy 6 year old. We went to a nice art museum and he "got" it. He appreciates great writing, sunsets, the beauty of nature. He's a Renaissance Man, and it cracks me up because I am a clodding along tom-boy mom. LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnetteB Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Yes! The boys love to climb a tree and sit and listen to birds, watch clouds, sunsets, stars at night, they enjoy art museums, architecture, and more. They also see beauty in mud puddles, oil sheen, and a fine engine :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJB Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 might not be the same as what an adult woman applies the same definition too. Some boys might find beauty in what you or I appreciate, and some boys might be able to see beauty in things I'll never understand. I think it's human nature to appreciate beauty. In fact, I think it's one of Rene Descartes' proofs of God. (We generally agree on what's beautiful since we all had exposure to God as true beauty before we acquired human existence or something like that....college philosophy was a few years ago :tongue_smilie:) OTOH, if you want anyone (boys or girls alike) to appreciate what you find beautiful, then exposure and example/mentorship are probably huge factors in encouraging a love of what you believe holds beauty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangearrow Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 My ds (6) notices and comments and revels in things he finds beautiful - whether it be nature, music, art, architecture... whatever. He's much more aware, appreciative, and protective of things that catch his eye than his sisters have ever been. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilyK Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 If they do, they have never shown any signs of it. The closest thing I can think of is my youngest ds really likes it when I get dressed up and he always compliments me. But that is hardly an appreciation of beauty, so I would say, "no,they don't." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 ? It was mentioned in another thread as a rare (I'm paraphrasing) quality in a boy. Calvin doesn't have a strong visual sense. He likes music, but it's more exciting than beautiful to him, if you know what I mean. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 They also see beauty in mud puddles, oil sheen, and a fine engine :D So do some girls. ;) :D hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefly Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Mine absolutely does. I've always tried to point out the beauty in things to both of my kids, and eventually they started looking for it on their own. It's a wonderful thing! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSNative Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Mine do. We try to cultivate it by praising them when they notice. I also try to direct their attention to beautiful things in nature by saying things like "Isn't God so creative? He gives us such beautiful flowers, sunsets, animals, patterns, fill in the blank." That way they not only appreciate beauty, but they also appreciate the Creator. (Not that appreciating beauty is only a Christian thing. I'm not trying to get into any of that. Just sharing how we try to get our boys to stop long enough to notice anything.) The boys surprise my a lot, too. Yesterday we started studying poetry (not just reading it for fun) My most aggressive, run around, roll in the mud boy was so excited. "I love poetry and I'm good at it!" he exclaimed. Last thing I expected out of his mouth. So glad I have him at home. Can you only imagine the ribbing he might have taken at school? Interesting question. Looking forward to reading the other responses :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 My 13 yo son notices cute things -- particularly babies, toddlers & animals. He is very self-conscious about it. His friends don't even notice babies, let alone think they are cute. I like to think it shows his protective side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnetteB Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 So do some girls. ;) :D hehe I hear you! I was a tomboy, made mudpies, sifted dirt, and love rocks. One of our girls is nicknamed "Mudpie" :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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