Children Having Fun
Today's collage evolved without a set plan. I had an idea of how I wanted it to look, but the theme grew as the picture grew.
The template for this round, Round #188 in the LMAC Collage Contest, is quite beautiful. I wanted to keep that, but I also wanted to make it more expressive.
The Template by @shaka
I immediately thought of cliff divers, then children, then the perils of the wild. Cliff diving itself is rather perilous.
At the end of this blog there are two collages that I intended to put up last week, for Round #187, but life intruded and I never got to post these. I just thought I'd put them up this week anyway.
It is a parent's first instinct to protect a child from danger. And yet, children will take risks. My husband spent his childhood playing on the streets of New York. Every day there were dangers that didn't phase him. I spent my childhood wandering around forests and swamps with my siblings. There were risks everywhere, but they didn't deter us from our 'play'. Risk, it seems, is important to child development.
Here is a Youtube video from Australia in which the virtues of risky play are explained:
According to Bridgeway Family Center, "Children who take safe risks learn that they can manage their fear, overcome it, and come out the other side".
An article I found on a Boston University website affirms the importance of 'risky' play in childhood development. The site asserts that "Risky play helps children develop resilience, executive functioning skills, self-confidence, and risk-assessment abilities." According to this website, allowing children to test their limits in risky situations actually reduces the chance of injury: "As they continue to gain experience with risky play,children can help identify when certain situations may be unsafe, and brainstorm how to make something safer".
Here is another video, this one from Canada, that endorses the importance of 'risky' play:
When my children were growing up I found it hard to accept risk for them, and yet I knew I was 'overprotective'. One way to deal with that for me was to send them places with my husband. He would let them explore and climb as I found it hard to do. They never got hurt when they were with him, and I think they enjoyed the freedom from my oversight.
The International Journal for Environmental Research and Public Health strikes what is perhaps a more balanced tone, but still asserts the importance of reasonable risk taking for children. The Journal acknowledges a need to keep a child 'safe', but also acknowledges a child's 'natural propensity for danger'.
In assessing reasonable risk in childhood, the Journal suggests the standard should be keeping the child, “as safe as necessary,” not “as safe as possible.”
As much as I miss the growing years for my children, I am very glad I don't have to strike that balance anymore.
Collages for Round #187
@shaka's Template
Water Mill
Meteor Storm
As is always the case when I make a collage, the LMAC Gallery, LIL, was indispensable for finding useful elements. Here is a list of LIL contributors to whom I owe thanks:
Sparks
@yaziris
https://www.lmac.gallery/lil-gallery-image/7629
Sunset
@muelli
https://www.lmac.gallery/lil-gallery-image/6142
Fire
@muelli
https://www.lmac.gallery/lil-gallery-image/7334
Donkey
@redheadpei
https://www.lmac.gallery/lil-gallery-image/6621
Gnome
@redheadpei
https://www.lmac.gallery/lil-gallery-image/8554
Wagon
@quantumg
https://www.lmac.gallery/lil-gallery-image/11992
Cosmos
@quantumg
https://www.lmac.gallery/lil-gallery-image/7831
I also borrowed heavily from public domain sites, as credited below. I thank these contributors.
Crater
pexels
https://pixabay.com/de/photos/geologie-vulkan-krater-haleakala-1836353/
Meteor
open clip art vectors
https://pixabay.com/de/vectors/meteor-sternschnuppe-schutt-147891
Hoover dam
Igor Shitikov
https://pixabay.com/de/photos/hoover-staudamm-nevada-staubsauger-2107961/
House
Herm
https://pixabay.com/de/photos/island-steinhaus-geb%C3%A4ude-felsen-4524112/
Mill wheel
Haide
https://pixabay.com/de/photos/natur-landschaft-holzr%C3%A4der-m%C3%BChle-1584204/
Mule driver
Carl Jeller
https://pixabay.com/de/photos/pferd-sonnenuntergang-westernreiter-7370891/
Alligator
Rene Raschenberger
https://pixabay.com/de/photos/bayou-louisiana-alligator-marsh-3633408/
Silhouette diver
Bart Kersell
https://unsplash.com/photos/silhouette-of-man-jumping-on-sea-during-sunset-6mQED3hSgyk
Silhouette on cliff
1204479
https://pixabay.com/de/photos/strand-k%C3%BCste-kind-silhouette-meer-1525755/
Wild boar
Michal Renčo
https://pixabay.com/de/photos/wildschwein-schwein-sauen-das-tier-5219636/
Baby boars
Michal Renčo
https://pixabay.com/de/photos/wildschwein-schwein-sauen-das-tier-5219690/
Snakes
Parker West
https://pixabay.com/de/illustrations/schlange-boa-python-w%C3%BCrger-reptil-3552377/
One element came from a contribution I made to LIL:
Grass
me LIL
https://www.lmac.gallery/lil-gallery-image/4193
The LMAC Gallery of Images, LIL is a ready resource for everyone on Hive. Images are in the public domain. Anyone on Hive can contribute to the library and anyone can borrow from it. Learn about the procedure here.
We have had some spectacular contests with handsome prizes this fall season in LMAC . Check out our community feed to see the wonderful art that has been posted in this round so far. There is still time to enter the contest. Join in the fun. As @shaka has said many times, everyone is an artist. I personally can't resist the temptation of the weekly template photo, although I don't enter the contest. I just love making collages.
Thank you for reading my blog. Peace and health to all.