We spent an evening with friends...a cookout over the open fire. Add 3 adorable kids, some faerie wings and a rock and you've got FUN! Happy not back to school!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Boys or girls
Well it has happened already. I didn't think that at 2 1/2 it would come up, but it has. "This is boys and this is girls". Scout starting to apply gender to "stuff". I can only think of one place this has come from, public bathrooms. The only time we use gender specific terminology is using public bathrooms.
This is a topic that I consciously make efforts to prevent from happening. I don't want Scout, or any children that crosses my path, to think they should be pigeon holed by gender. It all started for me when I was only about 6 or 7 years old. I spent weekends with my Gram, camping in NH. I would run the woods, no shirt, wielding a hatchet, cutting trails, making camp furniture and hunting for mica. Then I was signed up for Brownies...we sat at a table and stuck cloves into an orange. That was it, I never went back. I had seen the Cub Scout handbooks in the library and that is what I wanted to be. But Cub Scouts didn't allow girls to join. I walked to the library, 1 block from Gram's house on the weekends and checked out the handbooks. I spent my weekends, page by page, completing the skills and "earning badges". Don't even get me started on the BSA discriminatory practices still today. Then it was time for Little League. I signed up and was the only girl on the team, probably in the league (this was in the 70's). As an adult things didn't change. I typically am the only girl in many things I do. When I train or deploy to a disaster there are very few females. As a K9 specialist there are more females but I am also a rescue specialist and I will generally be the only one. At a wildfire I will usually be the only girl on a crew of 20 firefighters and have been the only female in charge of medical for 3 crews spiked out on a remote fire. For a living I am a professional fire fighter. I am the first and only female firefighter on a city department with 144 firefighters....and did I mention I finished number one in my academy where almost every other recruit was half my age and all were male? I'm not trying to brag, actually you probably have never even heard me speak of these things. I am passionate about believing that you can do ANYTHING.
My amazing son had a dream when he was 6 years old to be a fighter pilot. He never gave up his dream. Even with plenty of obstacles thrown in front of him, he never gave up. He is 23 now and a Lt in the USMC...the beginning of next year he will be starting flight school in Pensacola, FL. I do not want to take any credit for this amazing accomplishment. But, I do hope I influenced him to follow his dreams.
Now, I want the same for Scout. One reason we chose the name was because of that passion. "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail". I want the same for any kids I have the privilege of spending time with.
Scout has a wide range of play stuff. She runs loose in the forest, climbs, rides, explores and builds. She has trucks, tools, balls, blocks, art supplies, dolls, bikes, books, musical instruments. She watches me build, repair, fix, sew, cook and clean...and her Dad also build, repair, fix, (no sewing), but cook and clean. She has no limits and does not feel any.
So where does this come from...I still think it is the public bathrooms. I am not saying they should not be separate, just that it must be where she got the idea. Girls and boys should both be able to follow their passions. Whether they are the "norm" in society or not. One of the wonderful things I love about unschoolers is there is no judgement. Kids accept each other for who they are and feel safe to be who they want to be. This could never happen in school, public, private or other.
We will continue to be non reactive to these gender comments from Scout. That is always the best way to let things pass. But we will also be more aware to talk about it being okay for anyone to try anything that they want to try...gender should never drive your choices.
This is a topic that I consciously make efforts to prevent from happening. I don't want Scout, or any children that crosses my path, to think they should be pigeon holed by gender. It all started for me when I was only about 6 or 7 years old. I spent weekends with my Gram, camping in NH. I would run the woods, no shirt, wielding a hatchet, cutting trails, making camp furniture and hunting for mica. Then I was signed up for Brownies...we sat at a table and stuck cloves into an orange. That was it, I never went back. I had seen the Cub Scout handbooks in the library and that is what I wanted to be. But Cub Scouts didn't allow girls to join. I walked to the library, 1 block from Gram's house on the weekends and checked out the handbooks. I spent my weekends, page by page, completing the skills and "earning badges". Don't even get me started on the BSA discriminatory practices still today. Then it was time for Little League. I signed up and was the only girl on the team, probably in the league (this was in the 70's). As an adult things didn't change. I typically am the only girl in many things I do. When I train or deploy to a disaster there are very few females. As a K9 specialist there are more females but I am also a rescue specialist and I will generally be the only one. At a wildfire I will usually be the only girl on a crew of 20 firefighters and have been the only female in charge of medical for 3 crews spiked out on a remote fire. For a living I am a professional fire fighter. I am the first and only female firefighter on a city department with 144 firefighters....and did I mention I finished number one in my academy where almost every other recruit was half my age and all were male? I'm not trying to brag, actually you probably have never even heard me speak of these things. I am passionate about believing that you can do ANYTHING.
My amazing son had a dream when he was 6 years old to be a fighter pilot. He never gave up his dream. Even with plenty of obstacles thrown in front of him, he never gave up. He is 23 now and a Lt in the USMC...the beginning of next year he will be starting flight school in Pensacola, FL. I do not want to take any credit for this amazing accomplishment. But, I do hope I influenced him to follow his dreams.
Now, I want the same for Scout. One reason we chose the name was because of that passion. "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail". I want the same for any kids I have the privilege of spending time with.
Scout has a wide range of play stuff. She runs loose in the forest, climbs, rides, explores and builds. She has trucks, tools, balls, blocks, art supplies, dolls, bikes, books, musical instruments. She watches me build, repair, fix, sew, cook and clean...and her Dad also build, repair, fix, (no sewing), but cook and clean. She has no limits and does not feel any.
So where does this come from...I still think it is the public bathrooms. I am not saying they should not be separate, just that it must be where she got the idea. Girls and boys should both be able to follow their passions. Whether they are the "norm" in society or not. One of the wonderful things I love about unschoolers is there is no judgement. Kids accept each other for who they are and feel safe to be who they want to be. This could never happen in school, public, private or other.
We will continue to be non reactive to these gender comments from Scout. That is always the best way to let things pass. But we will also be more aware to talk about it being okay for anyone to try anything that they want to try...gender should never drive your choices.
Friday, September 2, 2011
on their own
I am always feeling fortunate that we chose unschooling from birth. I have seen it written that if your kiddos are not of "school age" your not really unschooling. I disagree. Unschooling is more then just how they learn, it is how you live with you children. We see, daily, the rewards of that relationship. But they are learning at this age, for us 2 1/2 years old. There is language, of course, and more recently Scout is developing an interest in math. Sorting to be exact. She sorts everything. Here are some shots of her playing with some little people. She collected all the "same" style of people, then began lining them up in every way imaginable. All the while she is talking with them and creating a story about what they are doing. There is so much learning going on here. I have absolutely nothing to do with it...she is driving the learning. Trust your kids, they will make it happen!
Face to face
shoulder to shoulder
"Take a picture of us".
Front to back
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The tree house is opening
Fun Fridays has come to an end. But the last concert was great! Filled with tie-dye...
You know it had to be good!!
Families dancing barefoot on the lawn..
Then spending time with old friends..
lawn games...
we always stop at the carousel. This time the kids wanted to see the carousel museum pieces. Not to be missed!
This is the long awaited tree house..opening tomorrow...see you there!
Friday, August 12, 2011
My reply...finally
In my last post, about Sesame Street, TV and video games, I got a comment that I have wanted to respond to. I got the comment right before leaving town and am just now getting around to responding.
Annie, I don't disagree with anything you said. I am so happy to get comments on my post, to generate conversation, to talk about the things we are passionate about.
I tend to post a lot of photos on my blog (one of my passions) along with less then detailed thoughts that are racing around in my head (the writing part is less appealing to me). Maybe I should write more, but if that becomes my personal requirement I might not get the blog out. I appreciate the comments and welcome them often.
I love books too. As a matter of fact you can find an overflowing book case in every room in my house (and 3 in the barn), well except the bathrooms, but they have book baskets. The basement has boxes and boxes of books that don't fit up here in house. I have multiple books going at anytime, one by the bed, mags in the kitchen, one I take with me in the car for waiting places, and always some how-to book sitting on the couch (where I plan another project, probably before I finished the last ones). Scout has books in every room, the car and in the basement too. We read together everyday, we have since she was born. Up until she was 1 1/2 I had to put her in her crib to read to her, she would bounce on the mattress while I sat on the floor and read. It was the only way to read to her, she never sat still long enough to read a book.
TV. We have it, we watch it. But Scout is 2 years old. I saw a news report that said you should limit your 3 year olds TV to 3 hours a day! Really, are you kidding. There is good stuff there, but at her age, what is best for us is for her to be outdoors. When she gets older, yes she can learn about the world with some good programs/documentaries and stuff just for fun. But that will be secondary to be IN the learning. There will be places we will never get to but there are lots of places right in everyones local area that they never explore. There is local history in everyone's backyard that frequently gets overlooked. We are lucky living here on the Cape and so close to Boston. There is so much history, art, science, nature and outdoor opportunities here. But no matter where you live there is local history. It may not be as exciting as the pyramids but learning about it by being in it is so powerful. The people you will meet will be so passionate about it and opportunities for our kids will open up for them and what they are interested in.
As far as video games go, our choice is to not expose them to her. She will discover them on her own someday. We want her play outside, not sit in the house in front of a screen for entertainment. But, the world needs those kids too. One of my sons friends in grew up interested in electronics, computers, etc. His dad gave him boxes of electrical stuff and broken electronics to play with. When he graduated from HS he didn't go to college. A local bank hired him to be the IT guy for all their branches, and sent him to a local college at their expense in the evenings. The world needs a variety of people. We are not saying anyway is wrong. We are just saying it is not right for us. Maybe hoping to connect with others like us and others that are not. Hoping to spark conversation and learn something new...we never stop learning. Thanks for commenting.
Annie, I don't disagree with anything you said. I am so happy to get comments on my post, to generate conversation, to talk about the things we are passionate about.
I tend to post a lot of photos on my blog (one of my passions) along with less then detailed thoughts that are racing around in my head (the writing part is less appealing to me). Maybe I should write more, but if that becomes my personal requirement I might not get the blog out. I appreciate the comments and welcome them often.
I love books too. As a matter of fact you can find an overflowing book case in every room in my house (and 3 in the barn), well except the bathrooms, but they have book baskets. The basement has boxes and boxes of books that don't fit up here in house. I have multiple books going at anytime, one by the bed, mags in the kitchen, one I take with me in the car for waiting places, and always some how-to book sitting on the couch (where I plan another project, probably before I finished the last ones). Scout has books in every room, the car and in the basement too. We read together everyday, we have since she was born. Up until she was 1 1/2 I had to put her in her crib to read to her, she would bounce on the mattress while I sat on the floor and read. It was the only way to read to her, she never sat still long enough to read a book.
TV. We have it, we watch it. But Scout is 2 years old. I saw a news report that said you should limit your 3 year olds TV to 3 hours a day! Really, are you kidding. There is good stuff there, but at her age, what is best for us is for her to be outdoors. When she gets older, yes she can learn about the world with some good programs/documentaries and stuff just for fun. But that will be secondary to be IN the learning. There will be places we will never get to but there are lots of places right in everyones local area that they never explore. There is local history in everyone's backyard that frequently gets overlooked. We are lucky living here on the Cape and so close to Boston. There is so much history, art, science, nature and outdoor opportunities here. But no matter where you live there is local history. It may not be as exciting as the pyramids but learning about it by being in it is so powerful. The people you will meet will be so passionate about it and opportunities for our kids will open up for them and what they are interested in.
As far as video games go, our choice is to not expose them to her. She will discover them on her own someday. We want her play outside, not sit in the house in front of a screen for entertainment. But, the world needs those kids too. One of my sons friends in grew up interested in electronics, computers, etc. His dad gave him boxes of electrical stuff and broken electronics to play with. When he graduated from HS he didn't go to college. A local bank hired him to be the IT guy for all their branches, and sent him to a local college at their expense in the evenings. The world needs a variety of people. We are not saying anyway is wrong. We are just saying it is not right for us. Maybe hoping to connect with others like us and others that are not. Hoping to spark conversation and learn something new...we never stop learning. Thanks for commenting.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Our road
We are headed to Sesame Place! We are very happy to say that Scout has no idea what Sesame Street is or who Big Bird is for that matter. We are going because what is better then a water park for Sesame Street age kiddos?!
There always seems to be a lot of talk in the unschooling world about video games and TV..talk about how much they teach and how great they are. We choose a different path.
ONE reason for staying out of school is to learn through experience...by living in the learning, seeing it happen first hand, being part of it. Not sitting in a classroom being told about it or just reading it in an outdated text book. TV and video games are somewhat like that...we believe, anyway.
Scout has no idea who Big Bird, Bert, Ernie or Cookie Monster...what?! no more Cookie Monster...its Veggie Monster now. I didn't even know that until some one told me yesterday. But, she does know a lot of characters. We can hike in the woods and she will identify lots of things she sees there, mushroom, moss, pine cone, acorn, chipmunk, squirrel, hawk, lichen, robin, bluebird,chickadee, I could go on.
Maybe someday she will be interested in TV and video games..if so we will honor her choices. But for now we will continue to show her the wonder of the world and hope that passion stays with her...we know she has it now.
The photos on this post are a snippet of her life in the month of July, it is a normal month for us. Filled with wonder and adventure...and nature.
Scout, "do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail".
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