Sunday, March 16, 2014

Years or an hour

medieval market cross structure with 18th century clock up top, Chichester

"Gauge how much to do and when by your child’s reactions. Let her say no thanks. Let her choose. Let her interest set the pace. If it takes years, let it take years. If it lasts an hour, let it last an hour."
—Joyce Fetteroll

Five Steps to Unschooling
photo by Sandra Dodd

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Connections


Visiting a friend who moved to Australia led to a trip with new friends to Kuranda. Others showed me a local bird, and I showed someone the photo, and she identified the crank. Three days later, I saw a real one, and then looked it up, and it led to the Olympics, and the history of Australia, and post-WWII housing booms, and… those all connected to other things I knew.

You can do this, too. You might start with a bird and a clothesline, or it might be any other two things on this planet, or off.

Bush Stone-Curlew
photo by Sandra Dodd

Friday, March 14, 2014

Intentionally and carefully


For clarity of thought and for value of discussions about unschooling (or anything), it's important to use words intentionally and carefully. If a parent can't tell the difference between "consequences" and "punishment" and doesn't want to even try to, she'll probably keep punishing her children and telling herself it's not punishment, it's consequences. That muddled thinking can't lead to clarity nor to better parenting.

SandraDodd.com/semantics
Sandra and Kirby Dodd, under a sign at a barbecue place in Austin
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Thursday, March 13, 2014

Give it your all.

In an unschooling chat on March 12, Pam Sorooshian wrote:
I often think this way, "I've thought about this a lot and made my decision. Now I owe it to myself and my family to really truly embrace that decision and give it my all and not be wishy-washy about it."
Special Guest, Pam Sorooshian
photo by Sandra Dodd

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Bright and happy eyes

[Of professionals who do research on children:] They're looking at problems, and looking *for* problems.

If you turn and look the other way, you will see fewer problems, especially if you look at your own child's bright and happy eyes. And if your child has bright and happy eyes, do what you can to keep them that way.
SandraDodd.com/joy (the quote isn't there, but it's a good page)
photo by Sandra Dodd

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Thoughtful and sweet

What you think you "have to" do makes you powerless and frustrated. What you choose to do is empowering, and should be done thoughtfully and sweetly.
looking up into sunshine through a forest of Australian Tree Fern
SandraDodd.com/cairns
photo by Sandra Dodd
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Monday, March 10, 2014

Be, be, and you will be

Karen James (in part of something longer):
If parents wonder whether they should be more generous with their children, I would say yes. The more the better. Not in a give-them-everything-they-want kind of way. More in a give-them-as-much-of-yourself-as-you-can kind of way. Be open. Be generous. Be understanding. Be trusting and trustworthy. Be present. Be loving. Be compassionate. Be patient. Be helpful. Be kind.

You will be amazed at what you see.
—Karen James
SandraDodd.com/happy
photo by Sandra Dodd

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