I wanted to record our day today, because I realized the "educational" aspect of some of the parts of our day, and it reminded me that since we came home from the Kalahari Unschoolers Winter Waterpark Gathering, I've been wanting to record our learning.
Today, we have had Health, Science, and Psychology, Home Ec, Math, Physical Education, Computer, and Art. Just off the top of my head.
In Health, we discussed food, and its purposes, and effects on the body. Aaron instigated Science when he wanted to play with the lighter. I showed him how to use it, and he used it to light the candle. Jaidyn, Jesse, and Nathan were standing around with us, and we experimented with putting the lid on the candle jar to see what would happen. We did this a few times illustrating that fire needs oxygen to burn. We watched the flame "eat up" the oxygen, and then go out. Psychology goes on all day every day at our house. With 8 personalities under one roof there is plentiful opportunity to discuss human interaction, emotions, underlying causes, attitudes, etc., etc... We baked cookies (and ate cookie dough) for
Home Ec, which also included some Math (fractions). The kids had Phys Ed chasing each other, and running around outside (all the while using their imaginations). The Art was intertwined with the Phys Ed, because before they went outside, we made "wearable coffins" (just like on Sponge Bob) out of two old pizza boxes, some measuring tape, a brad tack, scotch tape and a rubber band. Good cheap fun! Jesse burnt trash in the backyard, that's gotta count for something, right?! For Computer, we researched Mega Bus tickets for Travis' America's Got Talent Audition in March, watched YouTube videos, played around on Facebook, and checked our emails. Jesse has his own Facebook page now.
Next we'll be doing Cooking class, making some Mini Chinese Egg Rolls. Maybe even reading some Chinese New Year books, and that'd count for Social Studies...
Amazing how much learning you can pack into one day at home, and that's only a fraction of the learning. Just what I could come up with in 15 minutes or so.
God, am I glad to be back in the land of the living. Depression sucks the life out of you.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Outgrowing my footed jammies
Tonight I am ruminating over the pain a certain person in my life has caused me. Different comments she has made to me, or to other people about me keep running through my mind, and the overall picture that I a get from them is that she really didn't think much of me, I seemed to fall short of her ideal in so many ways, and she spent over 10 years of her life trying to fix me... The exact quote for that one was, "She's hurt because she feels like she's put over 10 years of her life into you...". How the hell am I supposed to take that? What else could it mean but that she was trying to mold me, and unfortunately, I'm not turning out the way that she wanted me to... It sucks. It sucks because it hurts so deeply. The grown up part of me is going to have to have a sympathetic talk with the little hurt girl part of me, and be the comfort that I thought I'd always get from her.
Really, I am glad that the grown up part of me finally grew up enough to realize what was going on. To realize that I wasn't being allowed to grow as myself. I was being cut, and folded, and squeezed, and cajoled, and pushed, and manipulated into becoming her vision of what a woman should be.
I'm glad to finally be unfolding, mending the cuts, expanding, and ignoring everyone else's demands on me.
I do things now because I want to. I have a hell of a lot less resentment. The anger I've held in over the years has been slowly releasing, and is nearing the end of it's life. It's control over my emotions is gone. I can think freely now. It's a bittersweet relief, though, because with all this freedom comes a lack of the sweet comfort that was there along with the control. The "you just do as your told, and I will take care of everything for you, and I love you sooo much that I want to help you live your life, and teach you how to live it right!" It was the mommy I'd always wanted. But my little girl grew into a teen, and my teen into a young woman, and suddenly all that care was pinching me. I'd outgrown it like a pair of footed pajamas. They used to be so warm and comforting, and they still are warm, but they just feel constricting now in a lot of places... and when I first took them off, I was freezing! But then, I found my own size of clothing, and it may not be as totally encompassing as those footed jammies, but the freedom is worth it.
Now I just have to figure out how to get some warmth out of my other relationships. Being abandoned twice, no, three times in my life, has just about eaten up all the trust I can muster. Faith in adults is hard for me to come by.
Really, I am glad that the grown up part of me finally grew up enough to realize what was going on. To realize that I wasn't being allowed to grow as myself. I was being cut, and folded, and squeezed, and cajoled, and pushed, and manipulated into becoming her vision of what a woman should be.
I'm glad to finally be unfolding, mending the cuts, expanding, and ignoring everyone else's demands on me.
I do things now because I want to. I have a hell of a lot less resentment. The anger I've held in over the years has been slowly releasing, and is nearing the end of it's life. It's control over my emotions is gone. I can think freely now. It's a bittersweet relief, though, because with all this freedom comes a lack of the sweet comfort that was there along with the control. The "you just do as your told, and I will take care of everything for you, and I love you sooo much that I want to help you live your life, and teach you how to live it right!" It was the mommy I'd always wanted. But my little girl grew into a teen, and my teen into a young woman, and suddenly all that care was pinching me. I'd outgrown it like a pair of footed pajamas. They used to be so warm and comforting, and they still are warm, but they just feel constricting now in a lot of places... and when I first took them off, I was freezing! But then, I found my own size of clothing, and it may not be as totally encompassing as those footed jammies, but the freedom is worth it.
Now I just have to figure out how to get some warmth out of my other relationships. Being abandoned twice, no, three times in my life, has just about eaten up all the trust I can muster. Faith in adults is hard for me to come by.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Still growing....
My kids are growing, from almost 13 down to 2 years old. I never really thought this far ahead before I had kids... it was a dream to have babies to take care of and 5 year olds to have slumber parties with. Yet, life cycles on, and I'm evolving more than I ever knew was possible. I am so happy to be where I am.
Savannah wrote, "I am proud of my daughter because she has read 47 pages of the book called ice mummy! its a very interesting book."
Actually, I am proud of her because she read something that she was interested in. Her reading about her interests is sooooo much more important to me that how long she read, or how many pages it was. It's so much more real life to read and retain because you are interested. She is currently in school where they are trying to format her according to how much she can "accomplish".
Things are busy tonight. All the older three kids have more homework than normal because their teachers gave them last weeks homework to catch up on. Jesse's teachers just said, "We missed you!". Travis's teachers, especially Mrs. Storad, said, "Tell your mom that next time she needs to give me more notice than the day that you leave." I understand where she's coming from, and I will give her more notice next time..., but I will be glad to leave this unreal world of grades, pushing, and shoving as soon as possible.
Well, I'm gonna go eat a chocolate peanut butter pie that my mom made for me!
Savannah wrote, "I am proud of my daughter because she has read 47 pages of the book called ice mummy! its a very interesting book."
Actually, I am proud of her because she read something that she was interested in. Her reading about her interests is sooooo much more important to me that how long she read, or how many pages it was. It's so much more real life to read and retain because you are interested. She is currently in school where they are trying to format her according to how much she can "accomplish".
Things are busy tonight. All the older three kids have more homework than normal because their teachers gave them last weeks homework to catch up on. Jesse's teachers just said, "We missed you!". Travis's teachers, especially Mrs. Storad, said, "Tell your mom that next time she needs to give me more notice than the day that you leave." I understand where she's coming from, and I will give her more notice next time..., but I will be glad to leave this unreal world of grades, pushing, and shoving as soon as possible.
Well, I'm gonna go eat a chocolate peanut butter pie that my mom made for me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
