Sewing Class : An Opportunity Beyond Sewing

There is an amazing opportunity that comes from sewing whether you're working with your own children or somebody else's. It's the opportunity to give a gift that can last a lifetime, and benefits both the child and yourself.

Here is a sad research finding, from 1998.

"Research show that stay-at-home moms spend about 30 minutes a day conversing with their kids, and mothers who work outside the home spend fewer than 11 minutes. Now, if we assume that half of that time the parent is doing the talking, listening time drops to 15 minutes for the stay-at-home mom and 5.5 minutes for the working mom." (Sharon Jaynes, Being A Great Mom, Raising Great Kids, pg.47)

Considering all of the technology that has been added to our lives, it would not surprise me if these numbers have decreased in the last 9 years.

Studies have proven, that a child's success in school and later on in life, have more to do with someone showing that they are interested in who they are, believing in them, and loving them unconditionally than their IQ, household income, or outward appearance.

Here are examples of two such studies:

1. "A study was done in a classroom by Robert Rosenthal, a Harvard psychologist, and Lenore Jacobson, a San Francisco school principal..., in which a group of kindergarten through fifth-grade students was given a learning ability test. The next fall the new teachers were casually told the names of five or six children who were designated as "spurters." The tests supposedly revealed that they had exceptional learning ability.

Unbeknownst to the teachers, the names of the "spurters" had been chosen randomly. At the end of the school year, all the students were retested. The pupils whom the teachers thought had the most potential had gained fifteen to twenty-seven IQ points. Plus, the teachers described these children as happier, more curious, more affectionate, and having a better chance of success in later life than the average student. But the only change in that school year from the one before was the teachers' attitude. Because the teachers expected more of certain students, those children came to expect more of themselves." (Sharon Jaynes, Being A Great Mom, Raising Great Kids, pg.128)

2. "A study was conducted on two hundred boys from the Baltimore slums to predict their future success. Each boy's evaluation was the same: 'He hasn't got a chance.' Twenty-five years later, a follow-up study was done on the same boys. Of the 180 men located, 176 were successful lawyers, doctors, or businessmen. When asked to what they attributed their success, each mentioned a particular teacher's name.

The teacher was still alive, so the researchers sought her out and asked the old but alert lady what magic formula she had used to pull these boys from the slums into successful achievement. The teacher's eyes sparkled, and her lips broke into a gentle smile. 'It's really very simple. I loved those boys.'"(Sharon Jaynes, Being A Great Mom, Raising Great Kids, pg.119)

This woman, in the second study, possibly had only one year to teach these kids, probably one hour a day, and that hour was spent with at least 20 other children. Yet her "love" effected their entire life!

Don't think that just because your teaching classes, that are once a week and maybe for only a few months, that you can't make a difference. You may be the only positive influence in those children's lives, the only person that enjoys them, that finds something special about them, and that loves them unconditionally.

And if this is your own child your sewing with, take advantage of the time you are getting. During our times together pinning, pressing, sewing, cutting... we have talked about dreams, desires, likes, dislikes, wants, needs, heaven, good friends, bad friends, the true meaning of friends, the list goes on and on.

Get to know your kids whether they are yours or not. If your like me, you may need to jot down a note to yourself, after they leave, about something they like or an exciting thing they are going to do so you can remember to ask about it, the next time you see them.

Use open ended questions so they can't just answer "yes" or "no".

It is amazing how people will meet your expectations, whether they are high or low. You have the power to crush or lift up these precious people that have been placed in your path.

Sewing can go beyond the gift of creativity and teaching a skill, to providing an awesome opportunity to make a huge difference in someone's life. Don't miss out!