Mishca’s Surprise

“Mom, I have a loving surprise for you!” said four-and-a-half year-old Mishca yesterday morning.

It is a toy wrapped in clay and embedded with beads.

Today she went to the garden with her father and got me this bouquet of flowers.

This creative preschooler loves surprising me with gifts. She has made me books, ribbons, bracelets and plenty of drawings. She seems to  have the classic artistic temperament. She flitters from one project to another, scattering and losing things along the way.  Even at this age, she wants everything to be perfect–just as she has envisioned it.  You can imagine the emotional distress this causes her when she does not get her way.

One time she  got too frustrated putting the “book” that she wrote on a fastener and her temper flared. She cried and shouted on the top of her lungs. Exasperated, I told her that she should not get too stressed out with her projects.

“But I am doing it for you!” Mishca explained, hot tears running down her face.

This has taught me to calm down and be more appreciative of her efforts every time she has a temper tantrum.   She just wants make me happy, which I think is the heart of every  artist.