All posts by EricNart

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The Dramatic for the Flare

What’s the difference from a really good engaging comic and an so-so just okay comic? We’ve all been there, we read a comic and we think to ourselves, this just isn’t doing it for me. Something is missing. Maybe it was the writing, but most often I find that it’s the art that is just falling flat. This is something I see all to often in indie comics. It’s failing at the flare game, not really selling the excitement. It’s just “meh.” In today’s blog, I write with artists in mind, and maybe even writers (Drama can be written as well!). Good writing can be torpedoed by bad art and story-telling. How do you stop from falling flat, and from loosing some of the power from this medium of sequential art that we call comics? Well…Read on my friend!

I think often times it’s easy to forget the dramatic nature of the arts. When I say arts, I’m speaking generally about theater, movies and television, and comics by extension as well, as it is a drama that is played out on the page. The characters, the backgrounds, the scenes, the lighting, it’s all there, it just finds itself played out by flat “paper puppets” rather than actual actors. We tend to forget that all these things find their history and roots in artistic expression that goes all the way back the very first theater performances. Think back with me to a time before comics, before movies! Before all that, there was theater. Sure there was art, but illustration was not sequential.

So again, think with me if you will to those theater performances. You’re sitting out in the audience and you might be grasping to hear what’s being said, but you’re keenly honed in on the characters acting out their roles. Macbeth or King Lear is there before you, and what is striking to you is the expression of these actors, everything becomes more enhanced as they stretch out toward their counterparts, or as the blade is plunged into the chest of King Duncan by Macbeth. It’s not just that he’s stabbing this man with a blade, it’s how it’s done that is so gripping. It’s exaggerated. It’s powerful. There is drama in the performance. It is a “drama” after-all but I want to focus on the dramatic aspect of it all. Drama enhances. If you’re in the back row and everything that you see is done is all in a very slow mundane form, there is really no reason for excitement, you’ll probably just leave, but introduce some over the top drama, and all of a sudden you’re glued to the stage. A smile cracks across your face as a joke is told by a silly flipping harlequin dressed in a dramatic flamboyant outfit. Today we just get “Stand-up” comedy. Ha! There used to be jesters! Jim Carrey is an actor and comedian that you can easily look to that has a flare for the dramatic. Everything he does is fueled by energy and drama. Sometimes over the top and wild, but is he not easily the one actor/comedian you want to watch just to see what crazy thing he does next? (You younger guys might not know the true genius of this man I speak of… but do yourself a favor and watch Ace Ventura, or Dumb and Dumber to see what I mean!)

What does your art bring to the table? Do your gestures instill drama to the characters? Are you drawing dull mundane action sequences? No changes in perspective or the viewers eye? How about lighting? Introduce a little lightning, or add a little rain and all of a sudden your fun action sequence becomes even more exhilarating. Are all your characters the same size? Do they all look the same with their costumes– is there any variety? Now granted, these things will be based on the story you’re telling. Is it a superhero book or a crime drama? That may limit your ability to implement some of these next ideas. But get this…

BIGGER IS BETTER

Consider how everything has gotten bigger. Giant robots the size of Skyscrapers. Swords that are now as large as a person! Over the years in comics, and in manga (which probably was the driving factor the change in American comics), things have gotten bigger, more massive! Even in comics in the 90’s it wasn’t enough that the guy had big muscles, they had to be exaggerated to the point that they were physically impossible (well Arnold was pretty big and perhaps that was part of the inspiration!) but if his biceps weren’t bigger than his head they just weren’t big enough! Massive thighs, enormous guns, giant shoulder pads to make the big bigger, and the more veins the better! Everything was exaggerated. It became more exciting, more fun, more gripping. I mean who’s more fun to look at? The incredible Hulk or some normal guy? Put the Hulk next to Captain America, and it’s almost still no comparison, you’d much rather see the Hulk smash a guy than Cap. Where am I going with this? Things tend to be much more interesting, more captivating when they enter the realm of the impossible. When they are more dramatic. When they are exaggerated. That doesn’t mean every character you draw needs to be Hulkish, but just don’t be afraid to go big. The images above of Berserk, and Cloud, they aren’t enormous characters but the sword alone is dramatic! It’s cool! How about making a hand enormous in the foreground, do some dramatic foreshortening! Do one panel with a character taking up the whole page length. Implement some BIG factors to your pages and art and you’ll see some dramatic effects!

Take a look at a series of images from comics starting with John Byrne in the 80’s who was arguably the most influential comic artist of his time with his run on the X-Men… Then take a trip to the 90’s and see how that period transforms our favorite heroes into gigantic massive dramatic amalgamations!

  • Dynamic shading/ Dramatic lighting – Check
  • Giant over the top muscles – Check
  • Dynamic layouts/ pages – Check
  • Dynamic colors – Check
  • Exaggeration to the Max! – Check

Everything is oozing and dripping with over the top drama and notice the size of the heroes only gets bigger! This is only a small sampling but think about any of the big name creators during the 90’s and see what they were doing! Giant splash pages with guys flying out of the panels! That’s not to say that was a new invention but it was done in a new dynamic way that was just immense in it’s proportions. In going back and taking a look at some pages from Dave Cockrum and John Byrne in the 70’s and 80s, the pages have a very similar format. If it wasn’t a splash page or a Double Page Spread, the panels stayed in their lane. Characters rarely if ever broke into the gutters. That’s not to say the comics weren’t great, it was just how it was done and the characters stayed in their boxes, but the pages taken in full, tended to look similar, crowded, and busy with no real standouts. That all changed in the late 80’s early 90’s. Panels got bigger. There were less panels on a page to make room for more dynamic fuller figures and bigger shots.

TAKEN TO THE EXTREME!

Take Image comics Extreme studios, everything was dynamic and in your face! Where do you think the name came from?! Is Extreme a dynamic and dramatic name or what!? Image comics was famous for this. Jim Lee in his WildCATS issue #5 even went big on the pages, showcasing not just one, but two double gate-fold pages! Eric Larsen had the Savage Dragon which blew me away with the over the top action and buckets of blood. Dale Keown, with Pitt, where the dynamic action was only surpassed by the enormous size and strength of Pitt himself. Rob Liefeld took not only his art and creations to a new level but reformed how the comic was made, giving us better paper quality, and bringing in computer colors! It was big, it was bold, and it was beautiful! Everything about the 90’s pushed the boundaries and sought to out due everything that came before it. They took risks like no other! When it came to Image comics, they bet on themselves and they won!

INSPIRATION INSPIRES

This was the time I grew up in, and I was consuming every book I found on the shelf at the local comic shop that bore the title “Image Comics” — for that very reason. It was new, it was different, and it was awesome! Say what you will about the 90’s and Image Comics but it was a transformative period in the the comics industry. For everyone! Me included! It’s what got me drawing, it’s what inspired me. Now think if everything just stayed the same, and Marvel kept being Marvel, and DC kept doing DC, and the needle never moved!? Where’s the fun in that! What if the early founders of Image just decided they were fine just where they were and never aspired for more? Granted all those guys were still great artists putting out great art, fun characters and the rest. But at Image Comics they had a new passion, fueled by the will to succeed and show everyone they could do it. The guys at Marvel were betting on them failing and falling hard. But the magnificent seven were inspired, and they succeeded, and they succeeded big! In the process they influenced and inspired so many young artists of today’s generation!

Okay, that was a detour but inspiration is great for fueling your passion. Find inspiration! Don’t let that go—you’ll need it! To circle back around and finish this off, it’s easy to forget that what we do as artists flows from this long history and long line of dramatic arts. Drama adds flare, so if you want your art, your pages, your stories to rise above the mundane, to really take it up a notch, go big, and be dramatic! That’s not to say EVERYTHING has to be dramatic, but look at it this way, a “dramatic entrance” without drama is just an entrance and where’s the fun in that!? Do something that seeks to grip and grab the attention of the reader. Exaggerate and be dramatic in your expressions, in your gestures. There are so many great artists out there, what is going to set you apart? What’s going to get you noticed? Find that flare. Find it, but don’t discount the dramatic!

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The Art of Eric Ninaltowski – New Deluxe Art book

Mark your calendars! This Saturday -2.22.25 – I’ll be launching my first ever–full color art book on Indiegogo! Beginning at 8am pst!

Check it out!

THE ART OF ERIC NINALTOWSKI will be a Deluxe 100-page hardcover, measuring 7.5” x 11.5”, showcasing a decade’s worth of fully rendered, full color artwork! Featuring iconic characters brought to life through fan art and commissions! This is a must-have for any fan of my work!

This campaign aims to raise funds for printing while offering fans an exclusive discounted rate for supporting this initial crowdfunding effort. Additionally, this special edition will include a unique, one-of-a-kind bookplate complete with a signature, available only through this campaign!

This campaign, unlike others will be a “FIXED GOAL” which means we have to hit the funding goal of $5000 to get these books done! It’s all or nothing!

Also get your hands on a new Coloring & Inking Book!

To make this campaign even more fun and interactive we’re also offering a new and exciting coloring book and a one-of-a-kind inking book where you can unleash your creativity and ink over my original lines! Below are some samples. The art in “blue lines” are from the inking book, and the black are just a few samples from the coloring book!

OTHER GOODIES TO GRAB ON THE CAMPAIGN…

Get the FAN ART FRIDAY art book with 48 pages of art from Eric’s weekly draw stream entitled… “Fan Art Friday!” Views would comment with the character of his choice and he’d draw it live on stream! See Eric’s take on beloved characters like Shredder, Scorpion from Mortal Combat, Sargent Rock, and many others including those from the Indie scene!

Plus you can get your hands on The Art of Eric Ninaltowski, Black & White Edition!

See the behind the scenes process drawings, sketches, doodles, and never before seen art from his sketchbook. Plus, see a fun Batman short story, and his creator owned character WARGUN! All in this beautifully crafted book designed by Eric from cover to cover to bring you a fun and exciting look into his world of artistry. Oh, and did we mention it’s full of some of his favorite quotes to guide you through on your journey? This is must have for any comic art enthusiast or fan of art in general! Also good for your young inspiring artist! 48 pages, over 100 works of art, and offering an inside look at over a decade of work!

You can also personalize your Art Book with an original drawing right inside your book!

Want to make your copy of Eric’s Art book even more custom and special!? Add a Remarque (a fancy term for a custom sketch) on the inside cover! Below are some examples of Remarques from Eric’s Shadow Sentry Black & White editions. These custom sketches are character of choice! You pick the character (ie, Wolverine, Psylocke, Wonder Woman), and he’ll draw it on the inside cover of your book!

Remember the fun begins this Saturday -2.22.25 – Beginning at 8am pst on Indiegogo!

Head there now!

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Don’t be an unprofessional Professional

It may seem like an oxymoron, but really this is something that we encounter all the time. The auto mechanic who finds a few extra things that are “broken” on your car to get a few extra bucks out of you. The career politician who is corrupt and pads the pockets of their associates and makes back room deals to get a leg up. Currently, we’re dealing with a friend who is a flooring “professional” who owns his own business and installed our floor in 2022, and still hasn’t returned to fix some flaws in the installation, which are now more than flaws, our floor is literally cracking and breaking! Even though he keeps promising to come by, it’s clear that the onus is on us to “keep on him.” Unfortunately, this type of stuff is a fact of life. People acting like… well, people. People are flawed. So today I’d like to simply encourage you to be the best you can be at whatever it is you find yourself doing, and do that by putting in front of you the negative, that I may encourage the positive. I may relate much of what I discuss as it pertains to the art world, but if you are a professional, or maybe on your road to a profession, these are things to keep in mind that will make you outshine the competition.

WHAT’S A PROFESSIONAL?

If you search for a basic definition of a professional, this is what you’ll find…

“A professional is someone who has a specific job or role that requires education, training, and specialized knowledge. Professionals are expected to adhere to codes of conduct and ethics.”

Being a professional is much more than the caliber of work produced, many artists and professionals produce good or great work, but you’ll notice the definition also mentions a code of conduct and ethics. Let’s open that bag a little shall we. What are ethics? The Oxford dictionary gives this definition: [Ethics are] moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity. So not only does being a professional mean you are qualified and trained in what you’re doing, but being a professional also has to do with character, integrity, and a work ethic. We can also say it involves good customer service and keeping your word.

Nowadays, many artists are self-employed, they operate as work-for-hire, they no longer work for big companies going into a studio and putting in hours alongside fellow artists. Many probably work from home in their own studio. Also, now with the dawn of crowdfunding, artists can bring their creations and comics direct to the fans. This is what I’ve been doing myself since 2020. I’m my own boss, I make my own hours, and I run my own schedule. While this way of working is very freeing it’s also very challenging and opens its own world of troubles. If you’re not disciplined you can easily run into a situation where everything else becomes a priority. Especially when you work from home and have a wife and four kids literally in the other room!

DISCIPLINE

Being a self-employed artist and working on my own schedule and motivation requires a lot of discipline. Like I said, it’s easy for other things to grab my attention and quickly become a priority. Going into an office and having tasks thrown at you on a daily basis and someone watching you do your job can be helpful and very motivating. It keeps you in line, and the fact that they are paying you, you better perform. If you’re sitting around on your phone and not accomplishing the tasks given to you, it won’t be too long before you’re sitting down with the manager. Now removed from that scenario, with artists now sitting at home doing the work within the confines of their own four walls are far removed from the spying eyes of any manager (they are the manager!). So you can see where things can quickly go wrong. Make no mistake, I’m not perfect. I have to deal with this myself and have my inner moral manager keeping tabs on me constantly. It’s a must!

Enter the crowdfunding conundrum. There have been a number of professional artists who have struck out on their own and have offered their own comic books on crowdfunding platforms, only to have their books never reach the hands of the many backers who gave their hard earned dollars to support these crowdfunding campaigns. Money is given up front to help these creators who lack the capital to make their creations into physical goods. It’s a wonderful tool. But unfortunately that tool can be abused when in the wrong hands. These professional comic artists who years prior where working for companies and producing regular books, sometimes monthly, now can’t seem to complete one book even after years, and after many fans dumped thousands of dollars on them. Some more high profile than others. Some of these guys I gave my money to! But what is going on here? Maddening isn’t quite the word for it. You feel robbed in a way, like you’ve been swindled somehow. Now I’m not saying these professionals intended to do this, or that it was their plan all along, but somewhere things went awry. Sure, things come up in life, I’m not discounting that; people get sick, family members, kids, sometimes you even have to deal with a death in a family. Working a normal 9-5 job though, you deal with it, then you get back in the office and things get back to normal after a short time. But with these professionals I guess is they simply lack discipline. They can’t manage their time well, and other things take precedence too often. There have even been writers who hire artists to do their crowdfunding books, and the campaign stalls because the artist can’t finish the work. Doing the daily grind of comic pages is just too much for them. Everyone is left out to dry, the hundreds of backers, including the writer who paid the artist, sometimes upfront! They do great work, beautiful art, but they can’t seem to keep it going. Another casualty of a non-disciplined professional.

BE A MAN OF YOUR WORD

On numerous occasions I’ve encountered artists myself who are unable to keep their word. As an artist doing my own crowdfunding campaigns and making my own comics, I get to interact with many other artists. I get to hire letterers, colorists, flatters, and other illustrators like myself to do covers for me and whatever else I can find. Thankfully I can say the majority of the time I’ve had great experiences and the artists I’ve worked with are the very definition of the word professional. They got the work done in a timely manner, I didn’t have to bug them, they sent me roughs to look over and they did a tremendous job on the final art. Once in a while however, you come across the professional who just can’t seem to get their stuff together. Again, sometimes things come up, sickness, acts of God, accidents, planned vacations etc. Gosh, even surgeries! I remember when I commissioned Aaron Lopresti to work on a cover for Shadow Sentry book 2, and he was having surgery on his hand or arm ( I think it was his drawing arm). But a few weeks later he was banging out a cover for me! He even colored it, which I didn’t realize came with the deal! Not even a surgery slowed this professional down! But then there are others I’ve commissioned and it’s like pulling teeth to get the work from them! Why do I need to remind, bug, pester, and wonder if this professional is even going to keep their word and get the work done for me. Case in point, I hired an artist to do work for me a while back. Check out this timeline (I saved it because it was just so bad!):

May – Paid ½ to get on the list and get in line. Was told it’d be a three month wait period. That’s fine.

Aug. – Three months later I contacted them. Not ready.

Sept. 20th – Spoke on the phone and sent all reference materials

Oct 1st – Said they had a set back and a customer didn’t pay them (now I think I know why!) and asked for the rest of the payment to help them out and that the work would be done no later than the 8th of October. (I don’t recommend doing this by the way! But as an artist myself, I’m a little sympathetic!)

I said that’s fine, I understand, I’m happy to help… I just need you to do two things for me. First, Make sure I see the rough before you finalize things. Second, Don’t rush! Take your time. I don’t want you to rush to get it to me by the 8th and I’m left with sub-par art. I don’t mind waiting a few more days for your best. (Again, I’m an artist. I know deadlines sometimes translate into: let me just pump this out and get it done and the work is seriously lacking. I don’t want that!)

Oct. 6th – Reached out… no rough. What’s up? Said there was an illness in the family.  

Oct. 28th – Reached back out. Said they’d have something in a day or two.

Nov. 13th – Contacted them again as I see more art they’re posting on their social media. Two more SINCE the last one they said they had to finish before getting to mine.

Nov. 17th – Said they’re getting to it, just needed to recap and go over the concept we discussed. I resent the concept of what I was looking for and environment etc. Said they got it and they’d send the rough soon.

Nov. 25th – Reached out again, and they asked for my patience as they try to grasp the characters, as well as jumping back and forth with another piece with “similar deadline.” (Hmm… I thought I was next in line? I guess that’s not how it works? Other stuff gets put in front of mine, even though I paid the full amount. So I guess whatever they want to work on gets precedence? Not a great show of customer service.)

Dec. 2nd – Sent a message… I was sure to attach another image that I saw on their social media feed to let them know I was keeping close track of what’s going on. To which they replied “Going to finish that, then dive back into yours.”

Dec. 9th – Me: Hey how’s it going? Them: “I’ll have something worth looking at by the weekend”

Dec. 19th – Now I’m freaking out… I really want to just let them have it, but at the same time, I’m fully invested and if just let my emotions get the best of me, I’m worried they’ll just take off with my money and I’ll never get this artwork. So I let my cooler head prevail and write this: “The weekend has passed. Going on 2 weekends now. You know you said you would have something back to me in the beginning of Oct. AFTER I paid you the FULL amount in good faith. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am in this whole thing.”

Then, I go onto their social media only to see another work they completed for another client. I’m furious!

I call them.

They actually answered the phone to my surprise and again I’m doing my best to not just go crazy and let them have it. My concern is chasing them off, and my money with them. I don’t know this person, they obviously have issues with keeping their word, and I just don’t know if I can trust them. They ended up giving some halfhearted excuse and apology that really didn’t take into consideration all of what they have been doing to my psyche these past 8 months. It also became apparent to me that they were super unorganized as they fumbled around looking for the sketches and roughs they had done. It was ridiculous. They had something about something but nothing was set in stone. This all after four months of when they said they would start on it. They assure me they can work on it and have it done the following month (to that I was even screaming in my head, are you flipping kidding me! But shoot, as long as I get the art, that’s all I cared about, and I’d be keeping them to their word).

I ended up getting the art, finally, but you want to know something else… they never sent me a rough to approve. Nothing. What a headache! I never want to work with that person again! Even though they produce great art, their work ethic is bananas! They don’t keep their word, they aren’t concerned with fulfilling their obligations in a timely manner, they don’t seem to be organized, and can’t manage their time, it’s crazy. A professional without some ethics and code to guide them, isn’t a professional. They aren’t keeping to the definition of the word, and they don’t deserve the title. They are just another person offering a service, but not a very good one. A professional must encompass all the attributes of a professional to be one!

THE GOLDEN RULE

When you think of ethics in business think of the good old golden rule! Treat others how you want to be treated. I don’t know about you but I try and drill this into my kids every chance I get. I want them to be people, citizens, and professionals, who treat others in the same way they want to be treated. That training starts now. Do you want someone to break their promise or their word to you? Don’t do it with others! Do you want people to be mean to you and treat you like an outsider? Make sure you include everyone and don’t exclude others in what you doing. The list goes on. But keeping this simple rule in mind goes a long way. It also speaks to the inner nature of ethics, it gets to the heart of the person. Can you be a horrible person but a good business man? I doubt it. I don’t mean “good” in the sense of successful and making a profit, but in terms of ethical. Fair. Honorable. In the flip side, if you’re a person with a strong sense of right and wrong, (and you adhere to it!) you’re going to do what’s right across all aspects of life, and that includes in your business practices.

So my encouragement to everyone is to work on yourself first (me included). Am I keeping deadlines? Am I keeping my word? Not just in business, but at home. Am I doing what I need to do and getting done what I need to get done and in a timely manner? Then teach it to your kids and those around you! Trust me, they’ll see it. You’ll model to them your ethic long before you speak a word about it. But make sure you’re first walking the walk. Kids are great about spotting hypocrites. Set a high standard for yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others! Outshine the rest by seeking excellence in all you do.

Having backed campaigns and comics that have yet to come out, years later, by artists who are peers in my industry, is a real shame. Not to mention it casts a bad light on everyone. But at the same time I do believe everyone rises and falls based on their own merit and name, but the effects of this recent condition isn’t a good one to be sure. Especially when those doing it have a bigger and more prominent name than the little guys beneath them. But here’s what I hope and what I think will happen. The little guys will rise to the top, and the top dogs will fall by the wayside. Just keep doing what’s right. Keep striving for excellence and to be the best professional you can be.

To wrap it up, being a professional is much more than doing that one thing you specialize in well. A good artist can still be a lousy businessman. It requires a code of conduct that you adhere to that makes you more than good at one thing, it must encompass an all-around good experience, and make you a person worth or desirable to interact with. Make it so people love your work, but keep coming back because they enjoyed the experience. That is what makes an excellent professional. Don’t just seek to be okay, seek to be excellent.  

Proverbs 22: 1 – A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.

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DON’T NEGLECT THIS GREAT TEACHER, TRAINER, TOOL: THE TOILET

First off, this may not be the best topic to start the good old blog with, but what the heck. In an effort to start a consistent blog to dump my thoughts on life, from kids, to parenting, to art, and anything in-between, perhaps this one will be lost to the annals of time, or buried beneath a heap of other posts if I continue with it! Either way, you have to start somewhere! So why not some insight into this neglected friend of ours that we literally share time with every day! If you’re a parent, this one is for you!

Besides being an artist, I’m a husband (20 years this year to be exact) to possibly the best wife ever and a father of four wonderful (but flawed) children. In an effort to share and cast my pearls of wisdom that I’ve gleaned (going on 15 years of child rearing), I thought I’d share my thoughts on this very neglected amenity (which I refer to as a tool, as well as a teacher and a trainer) that is present in a child’s life every day from the earliest years of their childhood: namely the toilet!

Once they are trained in using this amenity by themselves a wide and new world is open to you in the training and teaching of your child that goes far beyond the four walls of your bathroom. My goal is to open your eyes to the many ways you can view this tool and hopefully in ways you never even imagined! This guy that supports you has much more in store than you thought! Perhaps you’re using one right now as you read this amazing blog post! Its’ highly probable!

Shaping the life of a child is probably one the most challenging, terrifying, and rewarding things you’ll do as a parent. It’s not easy, but to see them succeed and do well in all areas of life, that’s something that’s priceless. So let me share just a few of the ways that this hidden porcelain throne can be used to enlighten your child’s eyes to some of life’s greatest lessons.

Now, when and how you choose to reveal this great wisdom to your child is totally up to you. But I have a feeling you’ll know when!

RESPONSIBILITY

First off, this tool is priceless in teaching responsibility. The R word is something that we big humans take with us literally everywhere we go. We learn that whatever we do has consequences or rewards depending on what it is. If we speed there’s a good chance we’ll get a ticket. If we forget to take the laundry out of the washing machine in a timely manner, we’ll be left smelling those consequences. If we’re good at managing our time and taking care of the those tasks in a timely manner, we’ll have the reward of nice smelling clothes (also another good teacher for older kids!). Children need to learn this lesson early on. Everything they do, has some sort of consequence, for good or ill.

For boys this lesson is much more apparent, unless you teach them to sit every time they have to pee, they will undoubtedly miss the mark and get something somewhere. If and when they do, here comes the lesson: take responsibility for your “miss-take” and clean up after yourself! I know crazy right! Who knew! But really, I’ve had grown men over my house who literally don’t know how to clean up after themself in the bathroom. Which brings us to the next big lesson of this teacher extraordinaire.

CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS

When you live in a house occupied by someone other than just yourself, you have to learn that not only what you do affects you, but others also. There will be others who follow behind you. Will your child take into account they aren’t the only ones living in the house? Will they leave their mess for someone else to clean up? This is a big one and it goes hand in hand with taking responsibility. Teach your child (when they are old enough, and you’re not worried about them breaking a dish in the sink) to clean up their plate after they are done eating. Don’t let them just leave and go play. Someone has to clean up their mess. Make sure they are cognizant of that. When they are done playing with toys, don’t always clean up after them (that one will haunt you, it’s a hard habit to break) make sure you tell them to clean up. Again, when they are at an age that they can. But I remember when our kids were 2-3 we’d sing a clean-up song with them and they would join in. We would first model it to them, and then allow them to join in. The song was more of a reminder and a whistle while you work song that they quickly joined in with.

Let me pause here and just say that making the mundane fun, is a huge help in teaching things to your kids! Who wants to clean up, really? But let’s sing a song and all do it together—much more enticing. They will actually enjoy it, and though they might not feel like it, just start to sing, “Clean-up, Clean-up, Everybody clean-up,” and watch their little diaper kick into gear! It’s great.

Consideration for others goes a long way, as does taking responsibility. So this will require some action on your part. You’ll have to be aware if they are actually cleaning up after themselves. Again, this one is more for the boys, but when you live in a house with girls (their mom and sisters) teach them it’s considerate to leave the seat down for your mom or sisters. They sit! We boys don’t have to, but… “How would you feel if someone peed on the seat and then you sat in it!? Eeeewwww!” Teach them to pick up the seat, and then put it down when they are done. Fathers need to teach their boys the lost art of manners and being considerate to females. We don’t see that too often anymore unfortunately. Everyone is in a hurry. Teach your boys to open up doors for ladies, and hold it open. My older son actually started to open all the doors in the van when we got to where we were going. He’d open the door for his mom in the passenger seat, and he’d actually run all the way around and try to get to my door before I opened it. I can’t tell you the feeling you get as a parent in seeing that consideration for others. He’s going to be 15 in April, and I pray that that continues. Again, I’ll be the first one to tell you our kids are flawed, and are little sinners, but when you see those areas of growth in your child it’s incredible to watch. To see them get it, and to become respectful and responsible little adults— it’s all worth it.

HUMILITY

Last but not least, what the often used but highly overlooked (he’s short, what can you say) trainer and tool can teach, is humility. This humble teacher gets all our crap, we piss all over it (sorry, but it’s true), and we even hurl and empty our guts into this thing, but through it all, it’s always there, over and over again on a daily basis, accepting, and quiet. Man I could make a sermon about who that reminds me of— but I won’t. But when dealing with the filth of life, sometimes you need to get your hands dirty. To understand and humble yourself in the face of filth that you made, and have to clean it up, that’s a powerful teacher. We all do it, and we should all partake in cleaning it up. Have your kids clean the toilet. Have them see and come to grips with the nasty and filthy. They’ll learn life isn’t all comfort and joy. One, they’ll be thankful they don’t have to do it all the time as everyone take turns in the house, but two, they’ll maybe understand that the thing will be less messy if it’s cleaned quicker and everyone doesn’t just let the junk pile up and pile up. Who wants to mess with that. It’s like taking out the trash. That’s something everyone in a house can contribute with, or just the boys, but again, everyone is contributing to the mess of a trash can, everyone can contribute in cleaning it up and taking it out. It’s a humbling experience to have to lower yourself to the level of the toilet and clean that thing. It’s uncomfortable, but let’s be honest, life is uncomfortable at times, it’s hard, but you get through it. Life requires hard work but we get through it.

What a teacher this guy is! What did I tell you?! It’s always there, but we can very easily neglect this great teacher, trainer, and tool. A tool to help you engage your children in the things of life and help shape them into productive, responsible, humble and considerate human beings. One day when they go outside the four walls of your house and you have to hear the reports of how they handle themselves out there, without you, you’ll either be super proud or you’ll be really embarrassed, probably a little bit of both. It’s a given. The day is coming. But you’ll be super thankful that you didn’t neglect to teach them a few lessons from our faithful porcelain friend: the toilet.

(Hat tip to whoever invented the guy… I wonder if he had all these things in mind when he crafted that porcelain masterpiece.)