Spurlock Sunday: Adulting 101 – A Progress Report to Your Inner Child

• Event Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025
• Time: 1:00 pm–3:00 pm (CST)
• Location: Collaboration and Community Gallery, Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory St., Urbana, IL
• Age: All ages welcome, especially children aged 15+
• Cost: Free

• Hands-on
• Family-Friendly tag

Despite being born under extremely varying circumstances, the majority of us are held to standards and expectations of success more appropriate for children born into the advantageous circumstances of the ruling class. Truth be told, most of us are underdogs who have OVER-achieved considering distance travelled and the conditions we’ve overcome. The odds of us having survived what we have—as vulnerable children, maligned members of targeted groups, and/or as combatants of regressive governmental policies—are exceptionally low. You not only survived but learned how to thrive, with less.

Adulting or parenting oneself involves creating and applying standards and expectations appropriate for the circumstances of the child we once were.

Join us for a creative, contemplative, and therapeutic hands-on workshop. Create a congratulatory message for your younger self as a way of acknowledging the hard-won victories you’ve earned and of releasing ourselves from any residual anxiety or guilt we experience from subconsciously identifying with standards of self-worth and success ill-suited for our circumstances. It’s an easy, versatile way to transform and upcycle nostalgic photos and outdated technology into whimsical, provocative art pieces.

No experience required. Bring a 2–4 inch original or printed copy of a childhood photo from a period of innocence. If you’d rather not experiment on a rare photo, adoptable ancestor polaroid pictures donated by random persons will be provided for use. All supplies are sourced from The Idea Store at 125 Lincoln Square, Urbana 61820.

About the Series

Spurlock Sundays are free, drop-in programs held on one Sunday of the month. Programs are open to visitors of all ages and developed with youth and family in mind. Spurlock Sunday activities can take a multitude of forms, from crafts, games, performances, topical open-mic sharing, community conversations, and hands-on experiences with cultural artifacts.