photo by Jesper Conrad
Friday, February 23, 2024
A learning environment
photo by Jesper Conrad
Monday, February 19, 2024
Compassion and kindness
I think that any time we get caught up in the idea that the child is "being disrespectful" (self-focused thinking) it can be harder to get back to thinking about what they are feeling, the need is they are expressing, and how to help them either fill the need, or cope with it being impossible right now, with compassion and kindness.
photo by Robin Bentley
Thursday, January 18, 2024
Listening, observing, exploring, helping...
I'm grateful for this forum that is helping me learn that it (unschooling, parenting, relationships, life) is not about perfection, right vs. wrong, a formulaic way of doing something, or a specific outcome—but rather, it's about listening, observing, exploring, helping, growing, awareness, choices—getting better at those things—little by little.
photo by Jesper Conrad
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
"I feel it in my fingers..."
I took the leap and we began homeschooling, with me trusting that like walking, talking, reading, writing, and all the other things he had managed to learn through his play and exploration and with our active support, he would come to have a meaningful understanding of math too. When I came to a greater understanding of unschooling, I suspected we had not made a error in judgement. As I have watched Ethan's relationship with math grow and deepen, I knew we had not.
What I didn't realize when I was worrying about how to bring math to Ethan, was that Ethan had already found math. He found it on his fingers. He found it in the seeds of an apple I had cut open. He found it in the peas spread over the tray on his high chair. He found it in every repeated drop of his cup or spoon. He found it in the music we listened to. He found it in the timing between jumps on his jolly jumper. He found it in the balance he needed to take the next step. He found it in the distance between steps. It was everywhere already, and he was already finding the art in it. I just needed to stop my worrying and start having fun.
So I have.
photo by Belinda Dutch
The title isn't from the quote, it's from a 1967 Troggs song.
In 2023, Ethan James is newly grown up and working at a video game company, at least for a while.
Saturday, May 13, 2023
Zoom
If it is shown at a distance with a big background, the details fade out. The object can be beautiful, in that context, though. A jewel.
Remember you can zoom.
Zoom out calmly. Zoom in curiously. Zoom thoughtfully.
photo by Brie Jontry
Friday, April 14, 2023
Smaller problems
Deb Lewis wrote:
The more you're aware of how good things are when they are good, the easier it will be to wade through the times when things are less good. If you're aware of how lucky you are, everyday problems by comparison can seem smaller, and more manageable."
photo by Cátia Maciel
Monday, June 20, 2022
The sun will be there
Sometimes a sunrise or a sunset is beautiful, but why? The symbolism varies. The colors might be different, and the effect won't be the same on different individuals, but it is the same old sun.
Let it soothe you and give you hope, when you happen to see those changes of colors and light as the sun appears, or as your part of the world starts to pass into darkness, just until morning. Take a breath and be grateful. Be grateful for the breath, for the gratitude, for being.
photo by Theresa Larson
Friday, September 10, 2021
The balance point
Harmony makes many things easier. When there is disharmony, everyone is affected. When there is harmony, everyone is affected, too.
photo by Renee Cabatic
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Sunday, August 29, 2021
Windows, and grown children
My youngest has her own house now. For a few months, she had a housemate, who is pregnant. The baby's father died, during the pregnancy. Holly had known the friend years ago, and invited her in to rest and recover.
A few days ago, Holly let me know she had been 200 miles away, overnight, helping the roommate move to another town to be with her mom, in a new place. This view is from that new window.
I brought that story to let you know that someday those little children at your house will grow up, and you might find them being compassionate and generous in ways you will only learn about after the fact. They will see beauty, out windows in other places, and might send you a photo.
photo by Holly Dodd
Tuesday, July 20, 2021
Thoughtful, patient, kind
See also SandraDodd.com/pets
photo by Annie Regan
Thursday, July 1, 2021
Peace, comfort and kindness
Kindness lights up the world.
photo by Renee Cabatic
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Sunday, February 28, 2021
Promote calm
Maybe
photo by Theresa Larson
Saturday, January 9, 2021
Just the right words
"I love writing. The process of throwing down my thoughts and ideas about unschooling onto the page and then rethinking and reorganizing and rewriting and editing until I figured out both what I was trying to say, and just the right words to use so that it made sense to the reader, is exhilarating." |
though I did change the last part to present tense.
photo by Theresa Larson
Sunday, September 13, 2020
Tension of the best kind
Uplifting forces should be balanced by weighty, anchoring, solid foundations. Both together are what can create a solid structure within which to live a safe yet expanding life.
photo by Tara Joe Farrell
Friday, September 4, 2020
Travel, or memories
Memories, or sharing stories and photos, might be the best substitute for a while. "Armchair traveling" might make a return, though Facebook and Youtube, films and documentaries can make it more interesting, and vibrant, with music and voices.
Pleasant thoughts while only looking at photos of distant places are better than grumpy thoughts, no matter where. Happy travel will return someday.
photo by Karen Lundy
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Images
Remember that things seem different different times to different people. My perspective when I'm stressed or sad will be colored by that. Things shift and change. Live lightly. |
photo by Belinda Dutch
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
All that verbal stuff...
Good conversation is really writing development. Sometimes I see parents who kind of shush their kids or get obviously bored when their kids are telling them a rather long drawn-out story (like retelling a movie plot). But retelling a tv or movie plot or telling everything that happened, in order, in a video game are really great for writing. In fact, all that verbal stuff—conversation, summarizing movies, persuading or arguing, playing games, etc.—is MUCH better for developing good writing than practicing writing in the artificial ways that schools do it.
Other Just Add Light and Stir posts about writing
photo by Belinda Dutch
Thursday, January 16, 2020
A bigger big world
It's a big world and school does not own it.
And the big world is not just right now, as is. It's all its history, all its future, all its imaginings and myths and fantasies and alternate endings. School presents a little package of one version of history, a little package of one summary of science, etc., and leaves all else out.
photo by Sobia Itwaru
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Thursday, January 9, 2020
What it means
SandraDodd.com/growth
photo by Sarah Dickinson
Monday, January 6, 2020
Looking back
and how
and where
she learned things is time well invested.
photo by Nicole Novakovics
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