A couple of common responses I get back when I tell people that we homeschool are: “Wow, that’s great, I wish I could do that but I’d never have the patience.” Or, “How do you fill in all those hours together? I’d go crazy!”.
Truthfully, I can’t usually share a good answer in the moment I’m being asked.
But during moments like this one; an entirely connected, effortless, peaceful morning spent at the beach together, that the answer comes to me crystal clear.
This is how we do it. This is why we not only survive, but thrive.
Life together is tricky. We are all whole, seperate individuals. We have different wants and preferences (usually very different most of the time); and despite what society, schools, certain beliefs and often what our own egos tell us, just because I am the adult, mine are not more worthy or more important or more right than my children’s. Not at any time. They are just different.
Naturally, dozens of conflicts of interest arise daily between each of us. Between my wants and my children’s, and between their wants and their sibling’s wants. I’ll say it again: IT’S TRICKY.
But we have many magic moments, when we all seem to just be one. Beautiful moments where our needs and wants all somehow align and we move together, make decisions together, and just be together with so much ease.
I’d like to share our (nearly) fool-proof recipe that almost always yields a great quantity of happiness, peace and ease:
Ingredients:
Some favorite healthy but simple snacks.
Comfortable clothes suited for the weather that can be easily discarded.
Plenty of wide open space.
A good amount of time.
Liberal doses of direct exposure to natural elements: sand, water, trees, plants, shells, pine cones, sticks, rocks, insects (and other creatures), lots of sky, some rain, some sun, some wind, and lots of dirt.
Directions:
Combine above ingredients in large amounts as frequently as possible, year-round. For variety, some days I like to fold some good friends, big and little, into the mix, yielding even more joy and happiness.
This, is how we do it. This is how we diffuse the differences. This is where we make our peace and nurture our connections. This is what works for us.
[...] wise post Jump to Comments Here from big and little. Homeschooling has been on my radar since we had kids. I used to say [...]
Pingback by a wise post « The Misadventures of Kelly and Kelly — August 16, 2008 @ 11:48 am
Purty pictures!
Comment by Annie — August 16, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Wonderful post and what gorgeous photos!
That’s the #1 response I get from people too btw… “I wish I could do that, I just don’t have the patience”. I always reply that I don’t really either! lol
Comment by Wendy — August 16, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
Wow.
I clicked over to this post from the wordpress “homeschooling” tag, and I think your photo essay is just such a perfect, incredibly moving response to the constant “I’d go crazy” refrain.
Comment by shaun — August 16, 2008 @ 2:02 pm
[...] I don’t have a great response to this — I’m not patient, my kids are really intense and stubborn, and sometimes we do make each other crazy. But I just saw this great series of photos that say so much more than my words ever could. [...]
Pingback by Go Look at this Photo Essay « Red Sea School — August 16, 2008 @ 2:47 pm
Well said. I get those comments alot, even from one of my child’s teachers.. when we first started homeschooling. How funny is that? She teaches 20 kids.. but wouldn’t have the patience to teach her own.
Jillian
Comment by Jillian — August 16, 2008 @ 4:16 pm
beautifully said.
though my kids are in the cement walls all day at public school, i experience this during our times together…getting outside, making fire, going to the creek, filling bellies.
yes.
thank you. i think i will print your recipe for my fridge.
Comment by kristin at prairie daze — August 16, 2008 @ 6:31 pm
Beautiful post!
I found your blog via your zucchini brownie recipe (fantastic, by the way!) and I love this recipe even more! Well said :)
Comment by Penelope — August 17, 2008 @ 6:18 am
I think what people are often thinking when they say “I wouldn’t have the patience” has something to do with envisioning homeschooling as make your kids sit still and do something they don’t want to do and that you find boring schooling. It’s true that some people do have the patience for that, but it’s not required for a rich learning experience (in fact, I’d argue that for most people it a hindrance to it.)
As to the other… well, I like my kids. A lot. More than anyone else. That doesn’t mean I want to be interacting with them constantly. Aside from tending to the needs of the littles, which I’d be doing regardless of our schooling choices, I have the time and space to do my own thing because as the kids get older, they also want the time and space to do *their* own thing.
The things you have to do to accommodate school necessarily change the way you relate and skew your perception of the nature of the relationship. Disagreements and annoyances are naturally going to be amplified if you’re trying to fit family time into a tight schedule that includes homework and making dinner and getting to bed at a specific time because you’ve *got* to get up at a specific time, and the stresses that go along with that. I’d also imagine that especially younger schooled kids would be starved for their parents’ attention and so more demanding of their time and energy.
Comment by Linda — August 17, 2008 @ 10:42 am
You are in a good place.
Comment by tracey — August 18, 2008 @ 6:22 am
beautiful. Even though I probably won’t have the luxury to home school this recipe can be taken into the time I will have to share with my growing family.
Speaking of recipes, I can’t wait to try out the one you posted before this one as well.
hope all is well!
Comment by vanessa — August 18, 2008 @ 9:05 am
This is so so touching…. putting this post and knowledge in my mental “back pocket” to think about again someday…. beautiful.
And the photos? WOW. amazingly gorgeous.
Comment by Kristin — August 18, 2008 @ 6:23 pm
Krista,
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the recipe. I don’t homeschool, but this is how we try to move along throught the seasons.
Comment by oya baka mama — August 18, 2008 @ 6:36 pm
that was very nicely said. That is what i love about homeschooling…the freedom to learn in another way. To go do something fun, explore and learn at the same time. I hope that we can put that recipe into play a lot this year. Thanks
Comment by Leslie — August 19, 2008 @ 8:59 pm
Beautifully written. And very true. I was homeschooled as a child and plan to do so with my children when they come along.
One very great thing about homeschooling is the freedom. The ability to learn in different ways and not having to conform to public school.
Comment by Becca — August 21, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
Hey,
Just a quick note to say thanks for stopping by my blog. Yours is very beautiful. I’ll answer all your cob questions tomorrow. There is a wonderful book to read. But I have to go look up the title. And I have company coming in an hour. More later…
: ) peace, Katherine
Comment by Katherine — August 22, 2008 @ 2:45 pm
Ah, I did post the book and you found it. Sheesh, sometimes I am sloooooow. I can’t say it any better than the book. The book is small, cheap, to the point, and very clear. We haven’t built the big oven yet.
Maybe you will build one first? A friend pointed out that you have to get them done before the first frost. The clay should dry before the water in it can freeze.
Ok, friends on the way here now. Cheers ~K
Comment by Katherine — August 22, 2008 @ 2:52 pm
“Life together is tricky. We are all whole, seperate individuals. We have different wants and preferences (usually very different most of the time); and despite what society, schools, certain beliefs and often what our own egos tell us, just because I am the adult, mine are not more worthy or more important or more right than my children’s. Not at any time. They are just different.”
amen, sister. well said.
beautiful post.
whether i return to teaching in the classroom, or homeschooling myself, i am going to keep these words where i can see them.
Comment by kathleen — August 24, 2008 @ 8:35 pm
Thanks for the beautiful recipe!
and thank you for the many experiences you share.
may you and your family be blessed,
greetings from a homeschooling-beginner from Morocco.
Comment by Itto — September 1, 2008 @ 12:09 am
[...] has a lovely post about homeschooling on her blog here that gets across the idea that embracing the simplicity in life with kids is a peaceful and sound [...]
Pingback by » Blog Archive » Unschooling — September 2, 2008 @ 9:54 am
Good post.
Comment by megan — September 19, 2008 @ 12:29 pm