Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

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Unplugged Perspective

This past spring, my 5-year-old and his little sister discovered the art of "juice making." They found our salad spinner and somehow decided it would make the perfect juicer. They grabbed frozen blueberries and strawberries, added them with some water, and kept spinning. Then they'd add more water, spin again, and taste-test their creation. Once they thought it looked just right, they would proudly offer me a cup. I'd take the smallest sip and tell them it was absolutely delicious.

It’s been a few months since our last juice-making party, but yesterday my son was inspired while picking strawberries in the backyard. He wheeled them up in his little wheelbarrow and proceeded to mix them in a bowl with various ingredients he grabbed from the kitchen: sugar, cinnamon, freshly cut rhubarb, and small bits of melted fruit popsicle. Some would consider it a waste of perfectly good ingredients. But he was having fun and creating something entirely his own.

I have another silly quirk—stickers. I'll buy beautiful sticker sheets thinking I'll use them for something special, and they just get added to my growing pile. Then when the kids grab a few sheets and randomly cover an entire piece of paper with them, a small part of me squirms at the "waste" of those carefully chosen stickers. But it isn't waste at all. They were meant to be stuck on something, and there they beautifully stick! Best of all, the kids were creating and working with their hands, having fun while something comes to life right before their eyes.

When was the last time you did something like that? I know it's been way too long for me, and I want to change that. I'm going to make something with one of those sticker sheets I've got lying around—maybe a collage for my office wall or decorated note cards for friends.

I challenge you to do the same. If you don't have stickers at home, make a special trip to the store with your kids and grab a few sheets. Let yourselves get messy, be silly, and create without worrying about the "right" way to do it. And please, send me a picture! I'd love to see what you come up with and feature it in next week's issue.

The Unplugged Idea: Stick It to Boredom

Stickers aren't just for decorating—they're a launchpad for creativity, storytelling, and connection. This week, pull out those sticker sheets you've been saving or make a special trip to pick out a few new ones with your kids. Here are some simple and fun ways to put them to use:

Ages 0–3: Stick and Discover Let your little one press stickers onto a blank page while you narrate what they're adding. "Oh, you found the moon! Where should it go in the sky?" Follow their lead and let them scribble freely around the stickers. The goal is engagement and exploration, not a finished masterpiece.

Ages 4–6: Sticker Stories and Kindness Cards Give them a few sticker sheets and some blank cards or paper. They can create a scene or tell a story using the stickers as characters, or decorate cards to mail to grandparents, friends, or neighbors. Help them write or dictate a message inside—even a simple "thinking of you" brightens someone's day.

Ages 7–10: Design Challenges and Secret Messages Challenge older kids to transform everyday items using sticker themes—decorate a water bottle, personalize a lunchbox, or create a custom notebook cover. Or try this creative twist: have them make a message using only stickers and drawings. No words allowed! See if you can decode what they're trying to tell you.

Unplugged Wrapped Up

Whether it’s a cup of weak frozen berry water or a page with a high concentration of stickers in one corner, there’s value in creating. Our kids already know this. They don’t worry if it’s going to taste perfect or look just right. They just dive in and have fun. This week, join them. Let your creative “juices” flow. (I’ll show myself out.)

-Ted

P.S. Don’t forget to reply and show me what you stuck with stickers. I’d really like to see!

P.P.S. Help another dad find his next unplugged moment—just forward this email.