Then he said, “I sent a message out to the friend group that I’m inviting a new kid to eat lunch with us tomorrow. One of the friends responded, ‘Everybody be nice. Make sure he feels included. Don’t let him feel left out.’” Continue reading Invite the New Kid to Sit at Your Table
“I hate School,” is not the first thing out of my kids mouths when I pick them up anymore. “Guess what I did in Specials today,” is what comes tumbling out in an excited jumble and fight to see who gets to talk first. Specials is the ingenious program started this school year that brings art and creative play and physical education back into our school. … Continue reading When School Gets it Right
For the last week, I’ve been mulling over the reckless idea of a Singleness of Purpose. It floors me, the thought. I’ve been wondering about it almost nonstop – as if the quest for a Singleness of Purpose has been my purpose lately. Who are the people who seem to have one? People who dedicate large swaths of time to writing a book, who research … Continue reading Where to from here?
It has been a while since I wrote anything here. I have to admit I’ve been a little discouraged and down, perhaps in a bit of a depression for the last couple of weeks. Despite all my best intentions, we have decided to put Ben back into regular school. He is doing well. He missed his friends. I think we both needed to try this. … Continue reading Transition Time
This is not a cookie cutter situation, where we can prescribe a common solution to a standard situation. This is Ben and this is me, and when Bean comes into the mix next year, it will be even more exciting. Ben is an artist, so our exploration of all things historical, scientific and literature-related focus on how art fits into these things. Bean is interested … Continue reading No Cookie Cutter Solutions
Here’s how the conversation went with my husband earlier today… “I’m afraid I complicate things,” I said. “No, Really?” he laughed. “But first you simplify your complicated, then that seems too easy, so you complicate it again, and add layers and extra buttons, and some fancy widgets, then you scrap the whole thing and go for simple again, but only if it can be in … Continue reading Complicating Simple
This week, I was inspired by the drive and determination of Skateboarders. We went for an afternoon to play at the park with a friend and her kids. It was a bit of running around that we needed to break up this new routine of boredom from the curriculum we are currently using. As we were leaving, we decided to go check out the Skatepark … Continue reading Lessons from the Fail Tree
Chores. I remember being a kid and having chores, and thinking I was overworked and under-appreciated. I remember feeling like all I ever did was work. I know it takes a while to have a grownup mind, but wow, is the young mind a crazy place. I truly remember knowing for certain that our home would cease to function without my efforts, and that somehow, … Continue reading Chores, Homework & Accomplishment – Aha!
Our hike through Poison Ivy wasn’t nearly as scary as I’d imagined. Yes, we had to stick to the path, and all the moms and dads had to keep reminding kids to keep their hands in and not touch the greenery on either side of us for one little (though it felt long at the time) section, but the views were gorgeous. There were … Continue reading Nature Hike with 3rd Graders
This morning I read The General Comment to Article 31 (the Right to Play) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It gave me hope after a week of deep sadness based on just knowing too much about stuff I can’t control. In contrast to what I heard on the radio earlier this week, which sat like a weight on my heart, and … Continue reading Hope and Play and a Plan
There are more tragedies in the world than I can fathom. The truth is, our world is so connected, we cannot help but know devastating details of incidents that happen across vast distances. Which is why I have unplugged recently. The recent cruelties and losses have been horrendous. I stopped listening to the radio. I haven’t been online in quite a while. It scared me … Continue reading Regrouping and Using Curiosity & Creativity Locally
Bean, Mom, Ben and our wrapped wrists and big stick! It’s not that I’m uncoordinated entirely, I simply lack normal depth perception, I think. I hurt myself all the time. Not serious injuries, but little, ridiculous, annoying misfortunes. I can hurt myself getting a book out of the bookshelf. People at work no longer worry when they hear me throughout the office bumping into things … Continue reading Game Designed to Help Mom
The first decision for Success (according to an amazing book I just finished reading, and now will begin the joy of delving into it in more detail for the next few months) is The Buck Stops Here. The Traveler’s Gift, by Andy Andrews was a beautiful read. There are so many ways to explore how to incorporate these decisions into my life. The Buck Stops Here … Continue reading Friday Flashcards
Bean a few days ago, striking a pose with a scarf. He likes to help accessorize me. Tonight, Ben wants to learn about the History of Toilets, and thinks that we can do a little research on the internet to learn about that amazing subject. When Bean heard this, he piped in that he would like to learn about the History of Beds. Then … Continue reading Children Assigned Research Topics
