[Nicole]

This is very interesting to read.

I classify sewing as my ‘job’ so my children are encouraged to leave me be while I am ‘working’. My older ones sew,however,when they are I make sure I am nearby to answer questions-not sewing myself as I would get a bit frustrated stopping and starting.

I have a cupboard with many drawers in it in my sewing room that used to be beautifully sorted but now is a big jumble of lace and ribbons and such as it has served as entertainment to a succession of little fingers.

I am really not sure when I taught them,I think it just sort of happened as we went along?

[KarenK]

My productivity and their participation has always varied greatly on their ages and personalities. Some of my children have done well sitting in my lap and watching while I push the pedal and do the job. Others are/were far too grabby and a bit dangerous wanting to touch the needle and grab the wheel. One of them loved to stand next to me and put pins in the pincushion as I took them out of the fabric. When my oldest was about 6 or 7 he created a little bag pattern and I helped him figure it out and sew the project. One of them could care less about anything sewing, one of them only wants to sew the minute I sit down to work on something which drives me a little crazy.

I try to keep my sewing room kid friendly so that they have something to do if they want to wander in and hang out. My scrap bins are accessible, spools, drawers of buttons, etc. As far doing actual projects, I try to incorporate them in when I can. I’ve found that if I can keep myself available and my sewing room is an inviting place for them then they find ways to occupy themselves that don’t always have to be actual SEWING.