This month Lincoln School is focusing on the hard character trait- Creativity. Creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. Creativity is characterized by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find hidden patterns, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena, and to generate solutions. Creativity involves two processes: thinking–then producing. If you have ideas, but don’t act on them, you are imaginative; but not creative. Parents can help develop creativity by having children use everyday objects in a new way. Empty boxes, paint, crayons, glitter, construction paper, Play-Doh, and glue can offer unlimited possibilities. Parents can encourage children to make cards for the holidays, design their own wrapping paper or develop a new board game. Parents may want to limit passive activities like TV watching and video game play as these activities are received, rather than being generated by our imagination. Creativity can also be expressed by self-selecting clothing, accessories, and room décor (as much as you may not agree with their choices)! Just be creative and have fun.