When my son sits down to color, he often gets frustrated if his drawing doesn't turn out the way he intended. This results in a lot of crumpled paper balls. I will try to help him find potential in those unintentional smears or lines. "Hey, what do you think that smudge could turn into? Maybe it could be a rocket ship or a cloud?" These moments are reminders that what appears to be a mistake can be an opportunity to create something even better.

We know this applies to life as well as drawings.

What mistakes have you or your kids made that ended up being a happy accident?

Share with us at startribune.com/cribsheet.

KAY KRHIN