Ahhhh, the joys of learning to cut with scissors or rather, the pleasure of supporting children on how-to cut with scissors. For the imperfect perfection I think of Jonah and his great, creative effort to cut across the thin strips of paper I keep feeding into his cutting frenzy. I wish I could capture the intention and drive he has as he continues to be the master over the paper and scissors. It is messy! When children are first learning to cut with scissors, allow this beautiful and messy learning process to unfold. Let things get messy. Let the scraps fly. Oops, their clothing gets ripped: nothing a little stitch can’t take care of. However, maintain enough order and guard to avoid injury. Put your heart-shaped safety goggles on and here we go…. Helpful Tips: Use 1” across and 8.5” wide strips of paper. Construction paper takes away the need for the child to keep the paper rigid (thin and flimsy printer paper is more difficult to control). Forget about lines at the beginning and allow them to cut the paper freely as random pieces snip off! Encourage both thumbs to be “thumbs up”. Quit worrying about the bangs or the curtains, and provide your kids or students with both success and autonomy! It keeps the desire to continue using scissors alive and well.