Juliette's teachers sent home a Thanksgiving assignment. As a family, we had to make a turkey, all the while discussing the meaning of thanksgiving and what we were thankful for. The kids would show off their completed turkeys at show n tell.
At first, I wasn't too keen on the project. I figured we would draw one, or recycle the handprint watercolor turkey Juliette had already made with the Nanny, or cut one out of construction paper.
Then I told my mom about the project. Her eyes lit up with excitement and she started to rattle off all sorts of crafty ideas (styrofoam balls! Googly eyes!). She strongly disapproved of all of my uninspired (lazy) ideas. At our annual Thanksgiving gathering with my dad's large extended family, mom talked to a bunch of my crafty cousins to get more ideas (pipe cleaners for the feet!).
The turkey was due tuesday. Monday morning, my mom runs to the craft store to by the supplies. She does the research and learns the proper techniques for utilizing foam balls (coat them with a layer of glue before painting them). She brings the girls to her house to start the project so that the glue will be dry in time for our after dinner assembly. She comes back to my house tuesday morning with more supplies- our art cabinet not being very well stocked- and to help with the finishing touches. I helped, too- writing what we're thankful for on the feathers? My idea. The pipe cleaner feet? I made those.
Most importantly, Juliette was able to do most of it herself. She learned that you can be thankful for people (all her family), and for the time you spend with them (baking cookies, playing) and for things (her matchbox car collection). You know what else? It was fun. And at the end of it all, our turkey is quite good, although somewhat more chicken-ish then turkey-ish. Mom was aiming for best in class, and I think- thanks to her- we've achieved that:
Wouldn't you know it, though: Juliette woke up this morning and her "brain" hurt and she had a fever. So we didn't even get to bring the turkey in to school! That's OK. I think it'll make a lovely centerpiece for our thanksgiving dinner. Maybe we'll have everyone attach a feather to our turkey.
