The Memory Stick

What's the fascination of sticks? I think it has something to do with their infinite potential.  A simple piece of wood lying on the ground can be a sword, magic wand, musical instrument or even a place to hold precious memories.  

Early childhood is such an exciting stage of development and our experiences during the first few years are the foundation of life's journey.   It's disappointing that so many expensive toys, computer games and TV shows allow little or no room for creativity or personal growth... compared to a stick, which costs nothing but can be painted, decorated, whittled, smoothed or just left in its natural state to be anything a child wants it to be.

Parents are understandably reluctant to let their children play with sharp objects out of fear that they will hurt themselves or another child. Although it's right to supervise very young children, allowing them to play with sticks teaches valuable lessons about showing respect for other people and walking away from situations where they don't feel safe.

This weekend, our children worked together to create a 'memory stick' of our recent visit to family and friends in England.  The idea was borrowed from the journey sticks made by indigenous people around the world when they travelled.  Starting at one end and working along it during the journey, they would tie special objects to the stick to help them remember events and experiences and to tell stories about their adventures.

Describing the experience, Noah (age 9) said, "Making the memory stick was so fun. When it was finished, we danced around and performed a special ceremony to celebrate our time in England."