Have you ever known a person that seems to have an unfair advantage in the talent department? You know, the one you joke about getting more than their fair share of talent when God was handing it out? I have met a few of those people in my life and they always amaze me. They make being a musician and artist look easy! And their talent seems to flow easily from one area to another creating beauty and joy at every turn.
Enter, Amy Crittenden. “I am a homeschool mom, private music teacher, and children’s book author. My husband and I have two boys, and we are learning to love camping, biking, hiking, and kayaking, all those fun things growing boys love.”
She is “one of those” people. Oozing with talent and grace on the outside. Fueled by her faith and commitment to her family on the inside. She has discovered keys to balancing a demanding home life while pursuing creative interests.
Her love of music runs deep. Not only does she use her talents to perform solos and in groups, she passes on her love of music to her children and numerous private music students.
Amy shares: “I love encouraging and seeing my children discover and pursue their own interests and passions, but it has always felt important that I expose them to the joy of learning and sharing music. Both of my boys practice and play violin, but they will tell you that fiddle is their favorite.”
Amy earned a degree in elementary education with a music certification and worked full time teaching public school music for several years. She transitioned to part time teaching to be more available to her family. When the COVID pandemic began to close classrooms, her family shifted again. With each transition, she inched closer and closer to becoming her children’s full time teacher.
The pandemic also created a change with her music studio. She shifted to offering virtual lessons and she has “felt fortunate to once again combine work with my love for music. This growing studio is something I am really proud of and excited for.”
As I mentioned above, Amy has many artistic talents. A few years ago she wrote and illustrated a children’s book and has since turned it into a series of books. The theme throughout the books revolves around the adventures of the main character, Piccolo Sue. “Piccolo Sue kind of just grew out of some doodles and drawings I was making one day. That is usually how a story will begin, also. There might be a place or thing that seems funny or happy to create or recreate on paper, and it builds from there,” writes Amy.
I asked Amy if she had always dreamed of being a children’s book author and this was her response:
“No. Even though I have always loved children’s books, the idea for Piccolo Sue didn’t come about until October 2016. I was added as a substitute with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra after an audition I took on my late grandmother’s birthday. I knew for several years prior that I wanted to do something special to honor her memory. After the audition, the idea for a children’s book started taking shape, and it actually became a tribute to all four of my grandparents.”
I am a children’s book lover also, and I believe a lot of good books for children begin with meaningful moments or lessons from our lives. What a perfect way to honor her grandparents and create a meaningful children’s story! It is encouraging to see how God overlaps the things we love and uses them to create something even bigger, and maybe even a bit unexpected.
As I mentioned above, talented people make their music or art practices look easy, but I have learned a lesson from the people I know that are serious musicians or artists. I have observed how committed they are to their art. I have noticed how much dedication and work it takes to hone the skills they have. It really seems to be a deep passion of theirs. One that they must intentionally make time to improve on a regular basis. Amy seems to be the type of person that has always been committed to do her best to serve in her work and in her family. These are keys to balancing a demanding home life while pursuing creative interests.
As a busy mom, wife, and teacher, Amy knows she has to be intentional about scheduling practice time. Sometimes life doesn’t allow her to just pick up her flute and play at any time. So if she has a performance coming up, she has to be disciplined to schedule those practice hours on the calendar.
When a disciplined person makes a decision to do something, they work hard to make sure they follow through. Disciplined means showing a controlled behavior or way of working. (Oxford dictionary)
Amy and her husband decided to make the bold move to becoming a homeschool family. As a former homeschool teacher myself, I can attest to just how much discipline and committment it takes to homeschool. Although there are many good resources for support, the responsibility of educating your children is now completely on you. Consistency and discipline are key to making this lifestyle work.
Amy described homeschooling as “a wonderful experience that simplified our life. It has been a sweet transition. ” Some benefits of homeschooling that she noted are a healthier schedule and family time that doesn’t feel rushed. On the other hand she noted that it was overwhelming to choose the best curriculum from the many that are available.
Amy’s best tips for successful homeschool life while managing a busy, creative lifestyle:
- I try to remember that no matter what expectations are put on me, God knows the desires of my heart. He is so good to give us the desires of our hearts. Lately it has helped me to acknowledge that truth.
- The school day is better when I take time to pray first.
- I remind myself that these hours with my kids are a gift and have a purpose in their lives. This motivates me to make the most of each day.
After reflection, Amy’s advice to parents considering homeschooling their children is to spend time praying about it. Time is precious and the time for homeschooling should take priority. Amy’s family views homeschooling as a partnership. Each person contributes to keep things running well so that everyone enjoys all of the benefits of learning from home.
Even with all of the responsibilites and expectations of a busy homeschool family, Amy says creative pursuits are a healthy outlet for her. She finds creative inspiration in being outside. And she indicated that we can look forward to more Piccolo Sue books!
What can we learn from a family that merges creativity with discipline and consistency to create a healthy, vibrant homeschool lifestyle? Here are a few takeaways that I found:
- Many times we think that discipline stifles our creativity, but really creativity and discipline can co-exist. Discipline provides opportunity to develop your artistic ability. Being disciplined and/or consistent to complete required tasks can free up more time to pursue and refine artistic practices.
- Prayer and reflection can provide the direction and peace needed to make big decisions. It can also lead you to understand more about how God wants to give you the desires of your heart and how He wants to use your talents.
- Your passion is worth spending time on. It is worth the time it takes to practice it, develop the skills needed, and to go after it!
- Discovering your passion takes time as well. It is part of the journey of becoming authentically you! Take time to uncover your interests. Try new activities and journal about your experiences. Write about your likes/dislikes and what brings you joy.
- A homeschool lifestyle works well as a partnership. The partnership should include the adults and the children. Children learn committment and discipline by being part of some decisions, planning and some tasks.
I hope Amy’s story has encouraged you and given you some keys to balancing a demanding home life while pursuing creative interests.
You can find Piccolo Sue books here.
Read more inspiration for homeschooling here.