What printing images of our teens remind us and tells them about themselves.
Printing images of our teens is a dying art. It’s something I think we need to fight to bring back into our busy lives. The struggle is worth it.
I believe the simple act of hanging photos of your teens can improve their sense of worth and belonging.
Here’s why.
Our teens are already doing this in social media. They post images to their feed. This is them trying to “hang” photos of their virtual walls to remember events and people important to them. Unlike social media, the walls of your home don’t get lost in a never ending scroll of posts over time. How much more significant is it for us to take the time and effort to post physical photos of our teens throughout the walls of our homes to remind them of who they are.
Here are three things I believe we tell our teens when we print and put their portraits in our home.
1. Let’s always remember this moment
Our fast paced 21st century lives are full of activities – porting competitions, performances, celebrations. We take so many photos, but very few do we end up printing. When we take time to print and showcase photos of our teens doing the things they love, it freezes time. It tells them that we are proud of them and who they are. We honour their hard work.
2. You are worthy of this space.
There are so many objects that fill the surfaces of our house – books, vases, papers, souvenirs, fish tanks… Some may call it clutter. I never feel that a framed photo of our teens counts as clutter.
I remember visiting my grandmother’s house in San Francisco and immersing myself in the clutter of pictures frames on the table and walls of her house. Each told a story of her travels or froze a year in the life of her kids, and then eventually of her grandkids. Every time I visited, I’d look expectantly for the newest addition to the table tops. I’d count how many times I saw myself amongst her collection. I felt significant when I found a photo of myself, as if she found me worthy of that space.
That is the subtle but significant message we give our teens when we frame and put the photos of them on our tabletops. You are worthy of this space. In the largest sense, we are telling them, you are worthy of a space in my heart. I love you.
3. You belong. This will always be home.
The culture is constantly reminding our teens who is in and who is not. Our homes should always remind them, of all places, that this is where they are accepted. Walking through the halls of our home day in and day out, surrounded by images of themselves among siblings and relatives, the final message we give our teens when they live among these visual reminders is that this is home, and you will always belong here.
Maybe you’re looking around your house and realising the photos of your teen are from a long time ago, when they were little kids or maybe even babies. Then this is the year to add some new portraits to your home. I can help you with that! Send me a message (christine@christinetanphotography.com) if you’re interested to learn about the totally personalised photoshoot experience I offer. The teens years go by fast! (Take it from a mother who is about to have her eldest teen turn 20 at the end of the month!)
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