Skip to main content

Perspective

 We all need reminders from time to time.  In the process of homeschooling two kids part time, while trying to keep four kids out of the ER full time, it's good to be reminded of why we did this to ourselves...I mean, why we chose this lifestyle for our family.  Today, was a day of good reminders.  

The boys had the larger portion of their school work done by 8:30 this morning.  We did some quick clean up around the house, and they headed outside while I baked a quick batch of scones.  Friends arrived at 9:45.  This is a group of kids we have been having playdates with since Sawyer was three.  Playdates are fewer and farther between now, but we are still able to make them happen in the middle of a weekday morning when schedules align.  It's a blessing.

The kids immediately began building shelters and outdoor "latrines" (Sawyer's word, not mine).  They tracked animals and looked for a place to build a fire if they should be trapped in a snowstorm.  Camping gear was collected and brought into their "shelter in the wilderness."  Hatchets, handsaws and shovels were all put to work.  They came in once for snacks and left with water bottles, extra cheese sticks, pepperoni slices, and a single scone to split between the eight of them.  We didn't see them again until we called them down for lunch.  They ate and drank and made a bee-line for the door before the moms could ruin their fun.  

By the time they left, everyone was tired and muddy but nobody wanted to go.  As one of the moms pointed out later, we got very little "school" accomplished today, but "who needs to know anything about fractions when you are learning valuable survivor skills."  Fractions aren't going to save you in a snowstorm.  

We all value education, but we are grateful for the flexibility to also teach our kids life skills.  And if they end up weird, so be it.  They are the ones we are going to want on our team when the plane goes down. 

   

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 18, 2023 at 5:42 PM

    Maybe more time cleaning and less time blogging

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pink Stinks

Our girls, like most four-year-old girls, love pink.  And purple.  And sparkly things, unicorns, butterflies, lizards and cats.  But especially pink.  Their brothers aren't so fond of pink.  They prefer the color dirt.  I know this because it's what they have chosen for the color of our walls, windows, light switches and their socks.   "Do you like pink?"  Emerson asked Fischer one day not long ago. "No." "Why?" "Because pink stinks !" Cue 'angry tears and screaming.' This of course delighted her brother who began using the line anytime he wanted to see her cry.  Which was often.  It didn't change her passion for the color, however.  She still demanded the pink plate, pink cup, pink shirt, pink shoes, and pink gum if she had the choice.  Because pink is the best when you're four.   Fast forward a couple of weeks.  The girls were collecting pieces of garbage off the van floor.  Why?  I don't know, b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Triple Threat

 People think we are raising twins, but they're wrong.  We actually have triplets: Emerson, Carter, and Carterror.  It's true.  Carterror doesn't hang around often, but when the days are long and naps have been missed, she comes out swinging.   Today, when we should have been napping, we ran errands.  We needed some grain for our cows, so before picking up the boys from school, we stopped at the feed store.  The girls spent a little time looking at all the fish, birds, and pets they have for sale.  Immediately, after telling them not to touch the tanks, Carter tried to go fishing.  That's when I realized Carterror had arrived.  I called her name to stop her and realized her shirt was exceptionally lumpy.   "What's in there?" I asked, pointing to her newly developed bosom.   "My kitty," she replied, pulling out a stuffed cat from her sweatshirt.  A minute later, we were walking down an isle of bovine parapher...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fear Factor

 Did you know that it has been not  scientifically proven that a baby can smell her mother's presence through a closed door.  It's probably the smell of fear that they are actually attuned to, but nonetheless.  I hold my breath and walk on tiptoe past the baby's room and still get busted nearly every time.  My fear is pungent. Besides waking the babies, I have another fear currently in the forefront of my mind.  Don't mind me, this is just another episode of True Confessions.. .  Here it is: the boys are getting so much outside time that they are building up incredible endurance.  It's great really, but it is   becoming  so hard to wear them out. It used to be an hour at the playground and we were golden.  Now, they basically put in an eight-hour workday, and it's just a warm-up!  Does anybody have a treadmill....?  Real school is going to be a bit of an adjustment for the big guy next fall.    Speaking of s...
4 comments
Read more