This is wonderful
[email protected]
...
This whole post was so beautiful, and this part so especially profound, I
wanted to thank you.
Helen compared your writing style and clarity to John Holt's, and I can
see that too. But there is a kind of deep respect for children and a
love in your words that didn't always shine through in John's writings.
So, thanks for being a light in the darkness.
Deb L
> If you give kids a bunch of meannessSandra,
> they will redistribute it to other kids, the dog or your stuff when
> you're not looking. If you give them a bunch of love, even if they
> don't redistribute it lights up their darkness ...
This whole post was so beautiful, and this part so especially profound, I
wanted to thank you.
Helen compared your writing style and clarity to John Holt's, and I can
see that too. But there is a kind of deep respect for children and a
love in your words that didn't always shine through in John's writings.
So, thanks for being a light in the darkness.
Deb L
[email protected]
In a message dated 1/18/02 7:42:37 AM, ddzimlew@... writes:
<< Helen compared your writing style and clarity to John Holt's, and I can
see that too. But there is a kind of deep respect for children and a
love in your words that didn't always shine through in John's writings.
<<So, thanks for being a light in the darkness.
Sometimes I hear "GET THAT TORCH OFF MY ASS, who do you think you are?" more
than "thanks," but that's okay. <g> Occasionally I get a letter two or three
years later saying "Thanks for lighting that fire under me that I didn't
think I needed at the time. It changed our family's life."
Sandra
<< Helen compared your writing style and clarity to John Holt's, and I can
see that too. But there is a kind of deep respect for children and a
love in your words that didn't always shine through in John's writings.
<<So, thanks for being a light in the darkness.
>>Thanks.
Sometimes I hear "GET THAT TORCH OFF MY ASS, who do you think you are?" more
than "thanks," but that's okay. <g> Occasionally I get a letter two or three
years later saying "Thanks for lighting that fire under me that I didn't
think I needed at the time. It changed our family's life."
Sandra
Carol & Mac
I can relate to this, but with respect to a slightly different aspect:
SandraDodd@... wrote:
admitted to new people - well, anyone really - that the homeschooling
life can be hard at times, especially in the early years as you work
through all the issues that inevitably arise. I always said I thought it
was worth it, but I wasn't prepared to say that changing your whole mind
set and life was easy either. For example, when someone said their
husband was totally against homeschooling, and what should they do, I'd
try to help them find ways to talk him into agreeing to a trial for a
year, and ideas on what to do during that year to 'convert' him. The
others would just tell her to ignore her husband, and he'd 'get over
it'. Etc. etc. I was told I should shut up, that if people thought there
were negatives they wouldn't even try homeschooling. Must put a positive
face on everything, and tell them that whatever they did would be
lovely. And because everyone else was doing this, some new people got
quite offended by what I was saying. But as the years went by, I have
had so many people say that the memory of me saying 'it's hard
sometimes, but it is worth it' was the only thing that stopped them
sending their kids to school when they ran into a tough patch. They
would think of all the people who said how great and easy it all is, and
feel hopelessly inadequate. Then they'd remember what I said, and know
that they weren't the only one ever to have doubts and hard times, and
keep on going. It has been good to get that feedback, but it must be
nice to get the instant thanks all the time that the positive thinking
brigade get by dishing out only what people want to hear at the time. ;-)
Carol
SandraDodd@... wrote:
> Sometimes I hear "GET THAT TORCH OFF MY ASS, who do you think youFor many years I was the only person in our homeschool community who
> are?" more
> than "thanks," but that's okay. <g> Occasionally I get a letter two
> or three
> years later saying "Thanks for lighting that fire under me that I didn't
> think I needed at the time. It changed our family's life."
admitted to new people - well, anyone really - that the homeschooling
life can be hard at times, especially in the early years as you work
through all the issues that inevitably arise. I always said I thought it
was worth it, but I wasn't prepared to say that changing your whole mind
set and life was easy either. For example, when someone said their
husband was totally against homeschooling, and what should they do, I'd
try to help them find ways to talk him into agreeing to a trial for a
year, and ideas on what to do during that year to 'convert' him. The
others would just tell her to ignore her husband, and he'd 'get over
it'. Etc. etc. I was told I should shut up, that if people thought there
were negatives they wouldn't even try homeschooling. Must put a positive
face on everything, and tell them that whatever they did would be
lovely. And because everyone else was doing this, some new people got
quite offended by what I was saying. But as the years went by, I have
had so many people say that the memory of me saying 'it's hard
sometimes, but it is worth it' was the only thing that stopped them
sending their kids to school when they ran into a tough patch. They
would think of all the people who said how great and easy it all is, and
feel hopelessly inadequate. Then they'd remember what I said, and know
that they weren't the only one ever to have doubts and hard times, and
keep on going. It has been good to get that feedback, but it must be
nice to get the instant thanks all the time that the positive thinking
brigade get by dishing out only what people want to hear at the time. ;-)
Carol
[email protected]
In a message dated 1/18/02 11:24:47 AM, mjcmbrwn@... writes:
<< And because everyone else was doing this, some new people got
quite offended by what I was saying. But as the years went by, I have
had so many people say that the memory of me saying 'it's hard
sometimes, but it is worth it' was the only thing that stopped them
sending their kids to school when they ran into a tough patch. >>
Well that's the same sort of thing.
I never say "ignore him, he'll get over it," but I don't usually recommend
compromising unschooling, either, because people can go twelve or fifteen
years "compromised" and they never get loose of the structure that they're
hanging onto "just until" they can move on to unschooling.
Unschooling, like bike riding and playing guitar, only happens when you
actually DO it, and that's what I tell new families who want to unschool.
Reading and thinking about it won't convince them, but their kids can, given
the chance.
Sandra
<< And because everyone else was doing this, some new people got
quite offended by what I was saying. But as the years went by, I have
had so many people say that the memory of me saying 'it's hard
sometimes, but it is worth it' was the only thing that stopped them
sending their kids to school when they ran into a tough patch. >>
Well that's the same sort of thing.
I never say "ignore him, he'll get over it," but I don't usually recommend
compromising unschooling, either, because people can go twelve or fifteen
years "compromised" and they never get loose of the structure that they're
hanging onto "just until" they can move on to unschooling.
Unschooling, like bike riding and playing guitar, only happens when you
actually DO it, and that's what I tell new families who want to unschool.
Reading and thinking about it won't convince them, but their kids can, given
the chance.
Sandra