I Taught a 12 Year Old Stranger to Cross Stitch.
And it very well may have changed her life.
While riding the late train, there was a young girl across the aisle from me. She seemed nice enough, except for the fact that she was sending my misophonia into heightened levels of hell. Chewing loudly, popping her lips, and humming all at once. I was in a steel box of sounds and I needed a distraction.
While I was digging out my cross stitch supplies and desperately reaching for some dense earplugs, she asked me what I was doing. And something truly spectacular happened.
We moved to the dining car and while I taught her the basics she told me how she has ADHD, Claustrophobia, and anger issues. How she gets in fights at school and carrys "picks" on her person that her mom doesn't know about "just in case someone asks for it".
She was a rough and tumble little kid that loved her grandma and cousins. But was also prone to getting in trouble when she was bored.
I told her the best part about cross stitch:
"You can stab something 4,000 times and not go to jail!"
For the rest of the long trip she was quiet, still, focused, and calm. The transformation was something to behold.
As she was leaving she said:
"You know what? I may do this instead of getting angry."
Yes... yes, my child. Sublimate your rage with crafts.
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Thats awesome! Who knows what can change a person for the better. Kudos for taking time to show her.
Sorry for the late reply!
I really hope it helps her with focus and patience. She was so proud of herself when she made her first letters and her mom thanked me multiple times for getting her into it. I think she was driving her mom a little crazy on the trip as well. 😂
And thank you for the kudos!
Yay that's fantastic she really took to the craft. (she may like needle felting too lol)
You've just changed her life. OK she's going to cost her parents a fortune in art and craft supplies but it's all for the better.
Just a minnow swimming in the undertow
I found out before we got off that she will be riding the same train as me back! I am supposed to be getting some extra supplies from my grandma up here so I am going to try to load her up. I would hate for financial restrictions to keep her from exploring it further (I know all to well what that is like).
I plan to tell her about all kinds of crafts since we will have like... 10 hours to kill.
Girl that's so cool of you! This story makes me ridiculously happy. Thanks for being kind to someone who really needed it. I'm sure her anger issues stem from something that isn't her fault. To be so young and angry... yeah, it's got to have a root.
I am so glad this gave you the happy! I know it really gave me all kinds of feels.
Especially when we got back to our seats and her mom started face timing family to show them what she had made! <3
I hope that whatever caused all her anger isn't something ongoing, honestly. But either way, she is a really smart kid and I think she can get through anything that comes her way.
That's nice that her mom gave her attention too! Encouragement can help reinforce the positive.
Definitely! Just a little positive reinforcement goes a long way!
Hahaha i love it! Cross stitching is super fun.
It really is! I even asked her when she was learning "You don't think this is lame? A lot of people do." And she replied "man, a girl with blue hair taught me. Screw 'em if people make fun of me."
Rock on, little crafter!
Haha thats legit. I grew up with the craftiest mom imaginable and I preferred art over sports so I ended up being a pretty crafty (and handy) boy.
Soooo... when should we set the wedding date? I'm thinking fall. I can knit my dress.
hahaha. you're about 8 years and 3 kids too late my friend
Well... shit!
What a fascinating story. My wife and daughters are heavily into crafts (including cross stitch) but I had never thought of crafts in these terms. Thank you.
And I didn't know the term misophonia - useful to learn about this.
I am really glad that you got a different perspective on crafts through this blog! I didn't start learning to craft until I was 21 and I think if I would have had these through school, I would have done a lot better. It makes you want to learn things and focus, and hones your attention to detail.
In a lot of the groups I am in there are a lot of success stories about people with different conditions using these to cope or manage symptoms. Especially anxiety and attention deficit disorders!
I am so glad you enjoyed the story!
So what kind of crafts does your wife and daughter do?
They are into quite a range - my wife particularly knitting, crocheting and sewing, my daughters particularly painting, drawing and claywork.
How wonderful! You should post a blog of some of their work of you already haven't!
I am trying to persuade them to join steemit - not succeeded quite yet.
You should get them to start a crafting blog! It would be amazing!
I am toying with the idea of posting a cross stitch tutorial one, myself!
And I just learned about misophonia earlier this year! I had no idea that the feelings I felt that correlated with sound all my life even had a name!
My dad has a broken nose and has to chew with his mouth open to breathe, so I usually end up wearing ear plugs during meal times or else I am a bubbling kettle of misplaced rage. 😂
Eeeek
Right?!
Holy cow. This is just one of the best things I've read on Steemit so far. :) Go go crafting power!
This is amazing to hear! I am so glad this gave you the happy!
Sadly, she must have changed her ticket because she wasn't on the train back, which was really upsetting because a huge cross stitch group wanted to donate her supplies via mail. :(
Haha, that's exactly what it did - it gave me the happy! Oh what a shame you didn't see her again... Perhaps you will bump into her again soon though. :)