A Collaboration with my Toddler "Prince of the Wild" by Theodore & Ruth Oosterman I was so excited for this particular collaboration because I felt it represented Theo's wild personality and I was able to maintain his original and spectacular paint strokes. He is really into mixing colors to come up with new combinations and trying out different brushes lately which makes for...
"Believe"
We live in a society where we are constantly barraged with the concept that to be successful others must view us that way rather than embracing the value that simply believing in yourself is enough to develop true contentment.
The first feeds into a never-ending toxic need for constant reassurance and the latter is truly accepting yourself and that being enough.
Too often in life our inability to meet our own needs causes us to unknowingly become toxic to those we love most. Once you learn to believe and have faith in who you are and love yourself without resentment only then can you flourish and grow to the point you are truly free to help others.
With the confidence from believing in yourself without first requiring outside approval, you will no longer put the pressure to meet those needs unfairly on those who need space to meet their own. 
<3
<3
This timelapse was an idea bouncing around my head for the past year and it feels great to finally bring it to fruition. As a mom with two kids soon to enter the stage of technology and peer pressure, which honestly terrifies me, this lesson of believing in yourself without outside approval is a daily lesson I try to impart onto my children in hopes of preparing them for what is to come.
It is natural to want others to think highly of you and there is no evil in that but it is dangerous to allow your sense of self to be defined by anyone but yourself.
You are the lead in your life story and no one else should be given the power to write your character.
A Collaboration with my Toddler
"Learn to Soar"
by Theodore & Ruth Oosterman
The little boy did not know how to swim but he did know how to fly 🎈
So he struck a deal with the whale,
"Teach me how to swim and I'll show you how to soar," said the boy.
And so he did...
So he struck a deal with the whale,
"Teach me how to swim and I'll show you how to soar," said the boy.
And so he did...
Whenever I collaborate with my children I focus on maintaining the integrity of their work by using the original lines and shapes created by them and using their personalities as inspiration. Theodore is such an adventurous spirit full of laughter and character and a fascination for flying and animals that it was easy to see his personality shouting from the painting.
I also drew inspiration from this illustration created several years ago that seems to continue the story of the boy and his whale.
Here is the timelapse video of the entire process, enjoy!
Youtube: https://youtu.be/OFY1jUnw-sU
