Methods

Once again I am disillusioned with Waldorf. The thing is, I belong to these mailing lists for people who are trying to raise their children using Waldorf methods. Some of them really know how to approach an issue "in the Waldorf way". The problem is, when they speak, to me, they sound like total flakes. I am not sure I buy into the philosophy. I love natural parenting and looking to nature and slowing down a bit. I am just not sure I buy into Waldorf.

So I have been looking more at Charlotte Mason methods. Her ways are natural without getting into the strange philosophies of Waldorf. Additionally, I am interested in classical education and literature-based education. I think these are what I am really looking for.

Part of me thinks, why bother? I am just going to end up working fulltime and have to put the little ones in public schools. But I don't like the product of public schools. I don't like the peer-dependence and the culture that is emerging. I have to make some choices here. But I don't want to starve in retirement either.
Is it wrong to homeschool  if we have to get food stamps?

What is the answer? My heart says, keep them close to home, get active in the homeschooling community when they are bit older, and do what feels right. That is just so hard to do when a paycheck, nicer house, and vacations are around the corner.

BOOKS and BAIRNS: The Do Not Forget Things

BOOKS and BAIRNS: The Do Not Forget Things

Our First Michaelmas

This year, we decided to go ahead and celebrate Michaelmas, not for any reason other than September is dull and we needed some fun.

First, we read up on the following webpages:

http://www.rockingranola.com/2010/09/celebrating-michaelmas.html

http://homegrownmom.com/homeschool-2/michaelmas/609

We heard we were supposed to make a goose, but our local grocery store didn't have any goose. So we bought and prepared a simple dinner of baked ham, green beans, dragon bread, crackers and cheese, and chocolate chip cookies.

Taryn put simple decorations on the table.


The food was laid out.

I read Revelations 12 regarding Michael and Lucifer. Then we talked about St. George of England and the symbolism of good over evil.

Then Caleb brought out one of his swords and slayed the dragon.

Then we ate.

Head, Heart, and Hands

Head, Heart, and Hands is a familiar expression.
As I was reading "Before the Journey" this am, I found myself annoyed by the emotional, expressive voice of one of the narrators.
You see, I live by the head. I think my decisions through rationally, I rarely follow my heart, and even though I read books on cooking, knitting, and toymaking, I usually enjoy the read, but I don't actually follow through with my hands.

My children have said I rarely say "I love you" or hug them anymore. I find this weird. When did I stop? Because I think about them ALL the time. I make decisions base ON them. At what age do I pull away and stop the mushy gushy stuff, and why?

When they were younger I would say, "I love you" as I dropped them off at school. This slowly changed into "Have a beautiful day!", but that stopped, when Taryn, in frustration turned and said, "Mom, we are going to school. It won't be beautiful, it will be horrible, so stop saying that."

She said it a few times, and I got sick of what felt like rejection of my blessing on their day. I just say bye, now. (Interestingly, she still berates me when I talk of homeschooling Liam. Why?)

When did the hugs stop? I don't know. Probably around age eight or so. They just seemed bigger, and I just don't hug big people. I don't get anything out of it. I don't get warm fuzzies from hugs and I love yous. Love is a verb, not a group of words.

I am a teacher. I love information and sharing information. Lately, though, I wonder more and more about schools. I wonder about the addiction young people develop to their peers and their technology.

Don't get them a good cell phone and they are teased and embarrassed. Try and control the radio dial so we aren't listening to animalistic sexual, drunken party crap with a good beat, and they are angry.

I understand that kids pull away and grow up. Do they really have to soak up the mainstream and become as base and vacuous as everyone else?

I want something more for Liam. I want to engage him, head, heart, and hands.

I can't control my older kids now, but I can influence.

And here is my plan:

I will hug each of my kids at least 3x a week. Yes, I might need a checklist. I forget. This is easy where Liam is concerned. I will say I love you to them everyday. Bedtime would be easiest. I may gag at the artificiality of it (can't they "feel" the love?) but I will do it anyway.

I will actually make things. Somehow, I will find the discipline to stop reading and thinking and just sit and "do". It will be hard. And I will invite everyone to help, whether it's cooking, knitting, toymaking, whatever.

And by golly, I will NOT listen to 96.5 in my car ANYMORE! I hate that crap. Menage-a-trois, Kesha? Really?

Okay,Okay

I am getting back into Waldorf, at least for the next several years. I just want Liam to have a beautiful childhood.

Waldorf

Just checking in.

Extremism

This message board on Mothering tells of the "darker" side of Waldorf. 
It's a little depressing. I feel slightly disillusioned, like when I had a crush on a Mormon and then
read everything about Mormonism I could, and fell into threads where people mentioned being physically threatened and ostracized by former family and friends. I guess anything one can get too deeply into runs the risk of going too far.
Naturally I still love wooden toys and fairy tales. But I will keep my disclaimer "waldorf-inspired" and not adopt the philosophy. It's the wooden toys and colors that attract me, anyway.



It sounds like some of the schools are breeding ignorance. Sad.

I doubt that Liam cares if our table is light or dark wood. Although on a side note, we are sanding it down, and I hope it looks decent enough for meto wax it, and enjoy the natural wood look. I will probably just paint the legs, instead of sanding in the grooves. I'll post a pic when it is done.

Thoughts

I have been reading a lot on waldorf lately. Well, mostly online, because my book budget is gone. Okay, I did order a few books from Amazon. Totally irresponsible. And don't tell Karl-he doesn't understand. But hey, he smokes, so he can't say too much.
Anyway, I like a lot of it. I like fairy tales and archetypes; I think it's important for kids to embrace and participate in the rhythms of the day. I was scheduled when the kids were young. Not strictly, but everything fell into a natural place. After my divorce, though, everything sort of slowly came unraveled. Meals took place in front of the TV, if I even bothered to make a meal. Often we just grabbed stuff. I didn't mind this. I was going to college, and I was going to be "something important". I was depressed. I can see now that sitting in a dark , dirty house, with no rhyme or reason probably didn't help much.
My point is, it is hard to break old habits. It is hard to start eating meals at the table, and stay off the computer most of the time. But it is important to help Liam organize his brain. Waldorf helps.
I also agree with the heavy emphasis on the arts. As much as I love "science", we are more of an expressive genetic line. This includes Karl. I think he got this from his mom, because his dad is the most "SJ"ish person I have met. He is nice, of course, aside from the whole being a republican thing, but still not .... of the same mindset. Karl struggles to please him.
But I don't agree with some of the spiritual stuff. I do believe in guardian angels, but I don't think we should ask them for help.That's weird. Ask God, and let him send. I don't believe in reincarnation, simply because I don't want to keep coming back to this dark world where I don't belong. I am eager for the light of heaven.
If I homeschool, I will not use delayed academics. Although I believe kids can catch up academically, intellectually its has been shown the earlier a student is introduced to academics (appropriately, of course) the higher IQ they have. If IQ means problem solving ability in one's cultural paradigm, then I certainly want my child to have that.

There is a weirdness to Waldorf. Like the the homesteading pages, where people blog about their life, Waldorfers show the waldorfy things they have. The handmade toys, the watercolor paintings, etc. I, in fact, can't wait to jump on this bandwagon, which is why I have this blog. But....it's a little weird, isn't it?

About Twinkle Stars and Shimmer Moons

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