photo by Sandra Dodd
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query /factors. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query /factors. Sort by date Show all posts
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Natural learning flows
photo by Sandra Dodd
Monday, September 10, 2018
A distant tree
Come into my thoughts a minute, just a little.
"The tree was framed by this doorway." But the doorway was just sitting there, before the tree first grew. They both are there, all the time, now. What framed the tree was where I was standing when I saw how pretty it looked, and took the photo in such a way that the whole tree showed, and the whole doorway showed. Distance mattered. My height mattered.
Many relationships between things, between places, or people, depend on the perspective or the effect of another person. Surely the perception of two things changes, depending on many factors.
photo by Sandra Dodd, in Avebury
Monday, October 3, 2011
Eliminate half the world (in a good way)
No parent has to do anything. They choose to do things.
So being in that world of choices, where do they decide to stop and why?
There comes the philosophy back.
Through all the innumerable factors, how DO people decide?
By deciding what principles they are following. Each principle one clings to eliminates about half the choices in the world easily, and in a good way. Each additional principle eliminates some more options, until the world becomes manageable.
photo by Sandra Dodd
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Saturday, May 2, 2020
It depends
It's hard to explain unschooling, partly because the best answers are "it depends," followed by questions for the parents to consider while they're making their decisions.
It depends on time available, time of day, safety, resources, the effect on other people, need for food or rest, and other factors I can't think of right now.
photo by Janine Davies
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Friday, July 19, 2013
Choose the good things
No parent has to do anything. They choose to do things.
. . . .
Through all the innumerable factors, how DO people decide?
By deciding what principles they are following. Each principle one clings to eliminates about half the choices in the world easily, and in a good way. Each additional principle eliminates some more options, until the world becomes manageable.
One of my guiding principles is that I want my children's worlds to be sparkly.
There goes the dull and the darkness. Easily not chosen, not an option.
photo by Irene Adams
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Saturday, February 22, 2020
Cool and cheery
Help them live without having things to be angry about. Promote peace. Be a cool, cheery cruise director. Arrange for less anger to be around you. What they're angry about—avoid those factors. |
photo by Meredith Dew
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Healthy behaviors
"It's not because unschooled children are superior that they won't exhibit the behaviors that parents fear. It's that their lives lack the factors that cause children to use TV in unhealthy ways."
—Joyce Fetteroll
photo by Brandie Hadfield
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Environmental factors
In the quote below, "it" could be replaced with
- home
- life
- your nest
- your children's day
- yourself
Make it happy and funny and comfortable and exciting so that they want to be with you. Be sparkly.
photo by Sandra Dodd
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Sunday, September 11, 2022
Ideas and energy and fun
Joyce Fetterol wrote:
One of the factors that drew me to homeschooling rather than public schooling was that I thought learning should be fun. But only the unschoolers were focusing on fun and having positive relationships with their kids.
Much of the other forums were devoted to how to make kids do their work, what products were best, what to do with younger kids while older ones did their work.
Pam Sorooshian responded:
This got me thinking, Joyce. Because I found unschooling the same way, just looking for homeschooling information and discovered that the message boards where the unschoolers were talking were the ones that got my heart racing because they were so alive and sparkly with ideas and energy and fun and love of their children.
SandraDodd.com/unschool/sparkly
photo by Sandra Dodd
One of the factors that drew me to homeschooling rather than public schooling was that I thought learning should be fun. But only the unschoolers were focusing on fun and having positive relationships with their kids.
Much of the other forums were devoted to how to make kids do their work, what products were best, what to do with younger kids while older ones did their work.
This got me thinking, Joyce. Because I found unschooling the same way, just looking for homeschooling information and discovered that the message boards where the unschoolers were talking were the ones that got my heart racing because they were so alive and sparkly with ideas and energy and fun and love of their children.
photo by Sandra Dodd
Friday, May 20, 2011
Positive fun
Joyce Fetterol wrote:
One of the factors that drew me to homeschooling rather than public schooling was that I thought learning should be fun. But only the unschoolers were focusing on fun and having positive relationships with their kids.
Much of the other forums were devoted to how to make kids do their work, what products were best, what to do with younger kids while older ones did their work.
Pam Sorooshian responded:
This got me thinking, Joyce. Because I found unschooling the same way, just looking for homeschooling information and discovered that the message boards where the unschoolers were talking were the ones that got my heart racing because they were so alive and sparkly with ideas and energy and fun and love of their children.
SandraDodd.com/unschool/sparkly
photo by Sandra Dodd
One of the factors that drew me to homeschooling rather than public schooling was that I thought learning should be fun. But only the unschoolers were focusing on fun and having positive relationships with their kids.
Much of the other forums were devoted to how to make kids do their work, what products were best, what to do with younger kids while older ones did their work.
This got me thinking, Joyce. Because I found unschooling the same way, just looking for homeschooling information and discovered that the message boards where the unschoolers were talking were the ones that got my heart racing because they were so alive and sparkly with ideas and energy and fun and love of their children.
photo by Sandra Dodd
Sunday, February 5, 2023
Accept temporary changes
Try to model for your children an acceptance of change, and an appreciation of the days when things are calm and simple. Model being more careful when such factors as humidity, temperature or temperament come into play.
photo by Vlad Gurdiga
Friday, July 12, 2013
Secret recipe?
Kelly Lovejoy wrote once, in a lively discussion:
I think (almost) *everyone* would like kind, respectful, generous, polite children. I just think they haven't found the recipe yet.
We have!
I responded:
Yes!!
But when I try to tell them, their next thought is that Marty must be just an exceptional human to whom the regular "truths" don't apply.
So few people have seen a person who's not so scarred by social business-as-usual life that they can't imagine it. We've seen it but others don't believe us.
SandraDodd.com/money
photo by Liam, a houseguest
Footnote to what's above: There are other factors, and not all unschoolers get exceptionally generous children, but when the parents adopt those positive traits and live lovingly, they provide the possibility.
I think (almost) *everyone* would like kind, respectful, generous, polite children. I just think they haven't found the recipe yet.
We have!
I responded:
Yes!!
But when I try to tell them, their next thought is that Marty must be just an exceptional human to whom the regular "truths" don't apply.
So few people have seen a person who's not so scarred by social business-as-usual life that they can't imagine it. We've seen it but others don't believe us.
photo by Liam, a houseguest
Footnote to what's above: There are other factors, and not all unschoolers get exceptionally generous children, but when the parents adopt those positive traits and live lovingly, they provide the possibility.
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Easily amused, and compassionate
Some people have snow while others have heat waves. Leaves turn red and gold some places while others have year-round greenery.
Expect the world to surprise you. Moments, days and years will have different kinds of weather, activity, and learning. The factors are too many to track, so flexibility and the ability to be easily amused or quickly compassionate will serve you well.SandraDodd.com/skills
photo by me or Holly?
This photo was saved in non-standard fashion; if it's yours, let me know. The image was saved as though it were Holly's or mine, but the lizard is quite green, for here.
Some days are full of learning and laughter and others are quieter.
photo by me or Holly?
This photo was saved in non-standard fashion; if it's yours, let me know. The image was saved as though it were Holly's or mine, but the lizard is quite green, for here.
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Soft and gentle
Be soft and gentle
Helping a child learn to hold a kitten or a puppy isn't always easy, but modeling how to do it gently and softly helps. Parents can remember those factors when touching babies and children, too. Is he comfortable? Is he safe?
Someone who can gently handle a puppy, and a baby, might remember those things when dealing with another adult.
SandraDodd.com/better partner
photo by Rose Sorooshian
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Sunday, July 5, 2020
Warm (not cold)
If every conscious decision is taken with the intention of getting closer to the way one wants to be, then in a "getting warm / getting cold" way, it's not nearly as distant as one might have thought. You never even have to leave your regular house, car, family. It's right where you are, only the thoughts are different.
May you have warm relationships, warm feelings, a warm home, warm food and a warm bed.
The top paragraph is a quote from SandraDodd.com/factors
photo by Sandra Dodd
In 2011, this went out in January, during summer in the southern hemisphere. Greetings, readers in Australia and New Zealand! Have some warmth in a better season. I don't think Brazil or South Africa need much heat, and most other readers are equatorial or northerly.
The whole world could use the warm relationships and feelings, and I wish everyone good options!
May you have warm relationships, warm feelings, a warm home, warm food and a warm bed.
photo by Sandra Dodd
In 2011, this went out in January, during summer in the southern hemisphere. Greetings, readers in Australia and New Zealand! Have some warmth in a better season. I don't think Brazil or South Africa need much heat, and most other readers are equatorial or northerly.
The whole world could use the warm relationships and feelings, and I wish everyone good options!
Saturday, January 20, 2018
New combinations
There are random factors in the world around us. This tree was never blown down before. That horse never lay down near a downed tree that way.
Things happen in new combinations, without warning, and we make choices about how to see and respond to those things. I'm glad Cathy took a beautiful photo. It's good that the tree didn't fall on the shed, nor on the horses. It didn't break a fence.
Next year, it will be firewood.
Life will bring more surprises.
photo by Cathy Koetsier
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Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Words and pictures, sent to you!
When I was in first grade I decided I wanted to be a teacher.
All through school I paid attention to what teachers did and how, and why (when I could figure that out, which was pretty often). And I asked the other kids what they liked about teachers and what they didn’t. So I learned LOTS and lots about how learning works and what factors work for different kinds of people.
When I was older, 13/14 or so, I wanted to become a missionary (still teaching-related), or to work at a magazine. And it seems all those rolled together are what I’ve become. I write, and I help people have happier more peaceful lives, and it’s all about learning. So in a natural-learning way I’ve been working up to this always.
I wrote the above in an online exchange for Mothering Magazine in 2007.
Recently, I remembered another writing-related profession I had seriously considered for a short while in my late 20's. I had read that the Hallmark Cards company was hiring writers, in Kansas City. I thought I could do that! I knew nothing about Kansas City, and decided I didn't want to move, but while I thought about applying, writing mushy or funny or inspiring words to go with an image sounded easy and fun.
Then, with this blog already ten years old, when I remembered that, I saw that Just Add Light and Stir is much like a greeting card collection. Some are funny, or mushy, and many are inspiring. Some are seasonal, and some are about babies. This is post #3744. I guess I have inadvertently written some greeting cards.
When I was older, 13/14 or so, I wanted to become a missionary (still teaching-related), or to work at a magazine. And it seems all those rolled together are what I’ve become. I write, and I help people have happier more peaceful lives, and it’s all about learning. So in a natural-learning way I’ve been working up to this always.
I wrote the above in an online exchange for Mothering Magazine in 2007.
Recently, I remembered another writing-related profession I had seriously considered for a short while in my late 20's. I had read that the Hallmark Cards company was hiring writers, in Kansas City. I thought I could do that! I knew nothing about Kansas City, and decided I didn't want to move, but while I thought about applying, writing mushy or funny or inspiring words to go with an image sounded easy and fun.
Then, with this blog already ten years old, when I remembered that, I saw that Just Add Light and Stir is much like a greeting card collection. Some are funny, or mushy, and many are inspiring. Some are seasonal, and some are about babies. This is post #3744. I guess I have inadvertently written some greeting cards.
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