Try as I might to imagine being raised by "artists", the concept escapes me. Instead, my parents were very conservative pragmatists. Having lived through the Great Depression, they were the original recyclers.
"Waste not, want not."
My mom taught me to "make do". That is, if I wanted something new that wasn't a necessity, she encouraged me to find a substitute. I resented "making do".
But all those years of going without produced the best outcome. Having $aved and $quirreled away as much as possible throughout their lives, my parents enjoyed a very comfortable retirement. Furthermore, their nest egg included a nice inheritance for each of their five children.
Fast forward to the Clinton years in office. Interest rates were so low and houses for sale so plentiful, that it seemed like the right time to gift us with the inheritance we'd eventually receive. My very pragmatic parents wanted to make sure their offspring had a place to call their own.
Mission accomplished!
Nowadays, when I look back at the silly things I wanted--but didn't get--as a kid (Can you say "Go-Go boots"?), I'm grateful for being raised by pragmatists instead of artists who may have indulged my every whim.
Years later while teaching, one of my [adult] students pointed out to me (after class) that having learned to "make do" throughout life probably contributed to my creativity and resourcefulness.
Hhhmmm, good point! And I thought I was teaching them!
