photo by Sandra Dodd, but Holly put the clock in the tree years ago
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Connect and assist
An expression of boredom is a request for connection, for input, for assistance with the world.
Bored No More
photo by Sandra Dodd, but Holly put the clock in the tree years ago
photo by Sandra Dodd, but Holly put the clock in the tree years ago
Monday, November 15, 2021
Someone did that
Someone made my dishes, either by hand, or designed an original and others knew how to produce copies.
Someone chose and procured colanders, pots, pans, utensils. Some I found; some were gifts.
Someone (sometimes it's me) prepares food and sets it out.
Someone cleans up and puts those special things back where they go.
The more sweetness and gratitude involved in all of that, the better all the world is, but especially my own world is sweeter and better.
photo by Sarah S.
Sunday, November 14, 2021
Favorite tools
Cooks, artists, woodworkers, workers in tile, plaster, painting, brickwork or concrete—think of any field of work or art—know their tools, and maybe yearn for better. Gardeners and farmers know which shovel is best for their own height, strength and intentions.
Maybe ask for stories, from tool-using friends. Perhaps consider gifts of tools, but don't feel bad if the old one is still the favorite.
photo by Karen James (and the container is her art and artistry)
Something looks like this:
art,
collection,
reflection,
tools
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Three
It can be fun to play with the idea of three. I had a literature professor say "Three trees make a row." He meant that finding three instances of something in a piece of writing is worth pursuing.
I thought of real trees, though, and more often three trees make a triangle.
That idea has amused me for a long time, of rows and triangles. Finding, seeing, hearing three things that are similar can make fun connections worth pursuing.
There are threes in literature, lyrics, art, games, rhythms, and on clocks. Whether you have young children to amuse with this or not, maybe look around for and play around with threes.Patterns
photo by Cathy Koetsier
I thought of real trees, though, and more often three trees make a triangle.
That idea has amused me for a long time, of rows and triangles. Finding, seeing, hearing three things that are similar can make fun connections worth pursuing.
There are threes in literature, lyrics, art, games, rhythms, and on clocks. Whether you have young children to amuse with this or not, maybe look around for and play around with threes.
photo by Cathy Koetsier
Friday, November 12, 2021
Secret worlds
Parents new to unschooling often fear the responsibility of needing to discover things to show their children.
More experienced unschoolers discover the sweet joy of children finding wonderful things to show the parents.
Behind that bark is a little hidden world.
SandraDodd.com/discovery
photo by Rosie Moon
Behind that bark is a little hidden world.
photo by Rosie Moon
Thursday, November 11, 2021
Loving and patient
In families in which parents have considered themselves partners in their children's rich lives, teens don't have the desperate urge to leave. A natural desire to leave the nest does kick in, as it does for many mammals. It might have kicked in sooner if the culture didn't require parents to take care of their children and be responsible for them until they were 18 years old. I know dozens of teens up close, by name, who are loving and patient with their parents even though the parents are getting old and forgetful. Teens can be helpful and generous with parents and siblings when they themselves have been generously helped up to that point.
from "Saying Yes to Teens" in The Big Book of Unschooling (page 252 or 293)
which links to
SandraDodd.com/yes
photo by Belinda Dutch
which links to
SandraDodd.com/yes
photo by Belinda Dutch
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Inside choices
Someone wrote, of a six-year-old, once:
SandraDodd.com/rebellion
photo by Deb Lewis
She's currently refusing to go outside.I responded:
She can't refuse if no one is pressuring or demanding.
photo by Deb Lewis
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