Christy Putnam

FYI - Target's $1 section has some great back to school stuff! I would say
most of it is pre-school elementary ages and some of it general teacher
decor like calendars and such. Anyway, I just got Aden some alphabet and
number window clings. He has been really focusing on letters and numbers so
I thought they would be fun. I also got him some board books in that
section.
In Gratitude,
Christy Putnam
Unschooling Mom to Seth (almost 12) and Aden (18 mo.)
Loving wife of Chester (ann. 7/4/04)

Visit my blog &/or join my group:
<http://blog.myspace.com/personal_balance>
http://blog.myspace.com/personal_balance
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"Go confidently in the direction of your
dreams. Live the life you have always
imagined." - Henry David Thoreau




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sandra Dodd

-=-To: [email protected],
[email protected], and 7 more�
-=-
To nine lists, huh?


Please don't cross post to this list, especially as many of our list
members are in places where Target stores don't even exist. If you
want to tell us a story about how your son used something in an
interesting way or something that will help other people unschool
better, that would be great. It's more appropriate for a local group
than an international discussion group.

Thanks.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Vijay Owens

I didn't so much take it as a heads up about Target in particular
(though in that context I would have loved to have heard about it a few
days sooner, lol) but just as a reminder that so-called "school
supplies" can really enrich your unschooling experience. Also that if
they're on sale at Target they're probably on sale elsewhere too. If
they're on sale we're more likely to be generous and carefree with
them, esp. those of us on really tight budgets.

IOW, even unschoolers can buy school supplies without necessarily using
them for schooly purposes. Maybe our more seasoned unschoolers don't
need reminders of this, but maybe newer ones do?

I used to get excited about new boxes of crayons when it was back to
school time, not because I was excited about school, just because
there's something exciting about a new box of crayons. Wouldn't it have
been nice to get a new box of crayons from time to time "just because"
instead of having to have a reason?

-Vijay


On Jul 17, 2006, at 5:24 PM, Sandra Dodd wrote:

> -=-To: [email protected],
> [email protected], and 7 more
>
> -=-
> To nine lists, huh?
>
>

Sandra Dodd

-=-so-called "school
supplies" can really enrich your unschooling experience.-=-

This is true and worth talking about.

That doesn't mean I want this list to be one of nine that gets the
same post. If anyone here wants to set up a list and not be at all
particular what's on it, it will be your list. If you can't figure
out how to set one up, there are lots of people here who would be
willing to help you!

I used to think my kids would want school supplies, but they didn't.
They can keep the same set of crayons for a long time, and take care
of them. We used to have an old-time school supply store that sold
individual crayons of the basic 16 Crayola colors. They had little
packets of metallics, too, and a skin-tones set. But my kids would
replace their most used-up crayons and keep the same box. Without
school desks to contend with, crayons can last a long time.

And they have the same binders and notebooks for a long time, too.
When Kirby took community college classes, he used some Ninja Turtle
folders (the kind that go into a three-ring binder) that I had bought
him when he was six or seven. He had used them for several different
things over the years, but he cleaned them out and took them to class.

I'm the school-trained one who smells autumn and wants new paper.

When my kids were little lots of their toys and supplies were stored
in school lunchboxes. They fit on shelves well and it was an excuse
to buy some, though we usually got them from thrift stores. And
three-ring binders became holders for Pokemon cards and various
things in sheet protectors.

Sandra

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

plaidpanties666

--- In [email protected], Vijay Owens <vijayowens@...>
wrote:
>> I used to get excited about new boxes of crayons when it was back
to
> school time, not because I was excited about school, just because
> there's something exciting about a new box of crayons. Wouldn't it
have
> been nice to get a new box of crayons from time to time "just
because"
> instead of having to have a reason?

Mmmmmmmm! I read this and instantly had the memory of the smell of a
new box of crayons. I love the fact that I can get a box of 64
crayons at a dollar store any time - I always resented my mom buying
me 16 or 24. I also remember being told over and over as a kid "you
can't make a living coloring". Now when I'm designing a quilt for a
customer I'll photocopy the basic design and spend the day with a
box of 64 crayons, coloring it all different ways. Actually, all the
things I do for money these days are "hobbies" that were maligned
when I was a child in favor of "academics". Ironic.

I'm sure we'll look at "school supplies" at least once - this year
in our state we have a limited time tax break on school supplies
coming up in August. There's a bunch of computer stuff included, but
somehow I don't think the SIMS Expansion pack will be on the list -
go figure....

---Meredith (Mo almost 5)