photo by Jihong Tang
Showing posts with label tree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tree. Show all posts
Friday, August 8, 2025
Traditional "truths"
photo by Jihong Tang
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Nurturing growth
So it is with children. They need to be protected from physical and emotional harm. They need to have positive regard, food, shade and sun, things to see, hear, smell, taste and touch. They need someone to answer their questions and show them the world, which is as new to them as it was to us. Their growth can't be rushed, but it can be enriched.
photo by Brie Jontry
Thursday, May 22, 2025
False positives
Pessimism can feel like energy conservation. Eeyore never jumps up and runs. Eeyore never bothers to plan ahead.
When people are very cynical, they seem to think that if all the things they think are stupid are eliminated, what's left will be non-stupid. Smartness. Cleverness. Art. Good music. But once so many things are eliminated, what's left is a cynical person who has rejected half the world, and has the memories of all the details of that negativity.
photo by Brie Jontry
Friday, May 16, 2025
Neither parrot nor reactionary be
That's not easy.
SandraDodd.com/voices
photo by Sandra Dodd
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
An individual (listening)
I like how you wrote that I need to be my child's partner not the program's partner. I will listen to my child and my heart each step of the way.
—mom of a Down Syndrome child
(original, at SandraDodd.com/special/program)
(original, at SandraDodd.com/special/program)
photo by Cátia Maciel
Something looks like this:
art,
passageway,
sunlight,
tree
Friday, March 21, 2025
Curiosity and flow
That all 'just happened,' but it happened because we've been building up to it with our whole lives and our whole style of communicating and living together in a constant state of open curiosity.. . . . Once you start looking for connections and welcoming them, it creates a kind of flow that builds and grows.
Photo by Cátia Maciel
__
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Together; partners
Be your child's partner, not his adversary.
Choose partnership many times each day.
photo by Amy Milstein
Monday, November 4, 2024
Things started happening...
—Jenny Cyphers
photo by Cally Brown
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Hours and days of joyful time
I tend to err on the side of just spending time together.Don't think of it as erring.
And don't think of it as "just" spending time together.
SPEND freely of copious hours and days of joyful time together.
Don't just spend time together.
photo by Rosie Moon
Monday, July 1, 2024
Experiences, not lessons
—Jennifer / Jen Fox
from the last comment, here
from the last comment, here
Jennifer was writing about deschooling, so...
photo by Julie D
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Describing unschooling
If parents of school children ask, I usually say our homeschooling is pretty eclectic. I may give certain examples such as visiting interesting places, doing experiments, playing 'learning' games, reading stories, having conversations of events that happened in the past, talking about famous people, making things, hanging out with friends, etc. Sometimes I share with them a detailed description of an interesting day that we've had, especially if it has impressive signs of learning that they will recognize.
—Rippy Dusseldorp
photo by Kelvin Dodd
Saturday, February 3, 2024
More peaceful, more loving
(video and transcript)
Related info: Better Choice
photo by Cátia Maciel
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Relax inside yourself
Someone wrote once:
I was amused, but responded, in part:
Being "vigilant" sounds like absolutely exhausting effort. Relax. You do not "have to be vigilant." Especially not on yourself. That's you watching yourself. Way too much work. Let go of one of those selves. Relax inside the other one. Have a snooze. Don't be vigilant.
When you wake up, think. Am I glad to be here? Is this a good moment? If so, breathe and smile and touch your child gently. Be soft. Be grateful. Find abundance. Gently.SandraDodd.com/battle/
photo by Denaire Nixon
"I really have to be vigilant on myself and try not to control."
I was amused, but responded, in part:
Being "vigilant" sounds like absolutely exhausting effort. Relax. You do not "have to be vigilant." Especially not on yourself. That's you watching yourself. Way too much work. Let go of one of those selves. Relax inside the other one. Have a snooze. Don't be vigilant.
When you wake up, think. Am I glad to be here? Is this a good moment? If so, breathe and smile and touch your child gently. Be soft. Be grateful. Find abundance. Gently.
photo by Denaire Nixon
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Hearts renewed
I wrote this verse for a Christmas card we made when my children were eight, five, and three years old.
More about that, written in 2014
art by Kirby Dodd, in 1994,
with printing and finish work by relatives and friends
Warm, glowing traditions
Abundant joy, a special toy, warmth and firelight, carols at twilight; Memories of old, children to hold, comforting food, and hearts renewed. |
art by Kirby Dodd, in 1994,
with printing and finish work by relatives and friends
Warm, glowing traditions
Monday, December 18, 2023
Positive, inspired, happy
When I was 14 years old, I asked the leader of the Sikh ashram I was visiting what to do when I am feeling blue and he told me the scriptures advise meditation, service and giving gratitude. He told me that it is also the same advice for when you are happy.
This all helps me keep my cup full. That is what works best for me - keeping my cup full of positive, inspired, happy energy as much as possible. Life has its ups and downs, but I like to focus more on the ups and put myself in the best possible position to help myself out when I am down. I am more sensitive than most people, and I feel very deeply. If I had not learned early in life how to deal with my lows, life might not have been as wonderful as it has been.
—Ripandeep Saran
(a.k.a. Rippy Dusseldorp)
(a.k.a. Rippy Dusseldorp)
but I also saved it at SandraDodd.com/cup
photo by Marta Venturini
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Changing thoughts
—Pam Sorooshian
Motivation might be wanting to be the sort of parent who can unschool well. Alternative ways to see things are offered in Just Add Light and Stir, and at the pages linked from the posts. Best wishes finding jewels to brighten your life.
photo by Sandra Dodd
Monday, August 14, 2023
Blossoms
—Joyce Fetteroll
photo by Gail Higgins
Monday, July 17, 2023
Lyrical magic...
What will help wonder return to you? Pay closer attention to young children. See what they're seeing. Think about what they're asking. Wonder at what they wonder.
(quote from 279 or 322 of Big Book of Unschooling)
photo by Sarah S.
Saturday, June 24, 2023
Being fun
Play with your children, and gently.
Play with your friends, and kindly.
Be glad when things are fun. Help them be so.
SandraDodd.com/playing
From the "Being" section of The Big Book of Unschooling
(page 202, or 235, depending)
photo by Cátia Maciel
Sunday, May 21, 2023
Concerned and attentive
It doesn't happen all at once, and you can't send them the bill. You can't count or measure it. It has to be selfless and generous. Your kindness needs to be given because it makes you kinder, not because you want any further reward.
Also see: SandraDodd.com/betterpartner
photo by Marin Holmes
Something looks like this:
lights,
reflections,
stonework,
tree,
water
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