Tag: Child’s perceptions

Childhood Meal

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

            Kids are often picky eaters. They might love mac and cheese one day, then claim that they never liked it the next. They dislike certain textures that only they can see, before putting the food in their mouths. Smells, appearance and even parental pressure affect how children react to food.

            Because of this, meal time can often turn into an all-out war. Parents insist the child try one bite of everything, the kid refusing to eat anything.

            But, there are happy memories of meals shared as well. Try to recall your favorite childhood foods. Were they connected to a grandparent, perhaps the way Grandpa trimmed the crusts off your bread? Were they family affairs where a variety of foods were put out on a long table?

            Your task is to write a story about eating a meal, making sure that the protagonist is a child. To make things interesting, include in the meal foods the child likes, but also those which she detests. Use sensory details to make the story pop.

            Was anything mushy? Burned? Undercooked? Who was sitting at the table and how did that affect the experience of the meal?

            Were there rules in place, such as eating everything off the plate before having desert? Carrying dishes into the kitchen when finished? Remaining at the table until being excused?

            Have fun with this one.

Through a Child’s Eye’s

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

            Do you remember the first time you went to a zoo? Drove through a big city? Rode a boat or a train? Going to a movie with a parent or a friend?

            Children experience the world with wide open eyes. The first time they do something it’s as if a miracle occurred. And it’s not just their eyes that show excitement, but their entire bodies.

            Because everything is new, raw, unexpected, children have no basis with which to compare whatever they are seeing. Their brains categorize experiences based upon that which they already know.

            For example, a child has already learned what a ball is, but imagine their awe when looking at a gigantic ball of rubber bands! It defies anything they know and so they examine it carefully, looking to see if it fits into those characteristics that, in their minds, define what makes something a ball.

            Your task is to write a story from a child’s point of view as she confronts a new experience. You must include the feelings of confusion, internal deliberation and awe.

            Have fun with this one.

Through the Eyes of a Child

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Do you recall the wonderment you felt as a child? The unabashed joy at each revelation, each new experience, each discovery? Things as simple as finding a partial shell buried in the sand or watching a pair of kittens scampering across the lawn gave us goosebumps. Everything we saw, felt, tasted, heard was filtered through our perceptions of the world.

Stories told at night held more power. Magic and fantasy were real. Goblins hid in our closets and under our beds. We believed in a variety of spirits that bestowed gifts and treasures. A wrapped present was a mystery that beckoned to be opened.

The world was pure and beautiful and amazing.

And then we grew up and reality slapped us upside the head. We became aware of the evil, the imperfections of the world and those around us. Our joy diminished. We became jaded, never again to experience the pure joy, until we had children of our own and could live the world through their eyes.

Your task is to write a story through the eyes of a child. Capture the inner essence of a child as he goes through life. Give him things to explore, to touch, taste, hear.

Details are critical for this story. Time will be slow because the reader will take each tiny step with the child. Record each minute discovery as we see through the child’s eyes.

When you reread, make sure there are sufficient details that allow readers to see from all angles.

Have fun with this one.