Why would they ever choose to do anything unpleasant?
emstrength@...
People wonder if unschooled kids would ever choose to do something unpleasant, that they don't particularly want to do, but that needs to be done. I have a story from today that might be encouraging to anyone wondering this.
My daughter is 8 (9 in December) and she's had a few pet sitting jobs in the past. She had one this whole last week taking care of a chicken and two cats. The cats pooped on the couch, and we saw it this morning. She was grossed out and gagging, but without hesitation asked me to help her find something to clean it up. She cleaned it up thoroughly. I don't think it crossed her mind to do otherwise, because she is very happy to have the job and to be known as being responsible enough to get these jobs.
She also offered to giver her sister some of the money she earned, because her sister was her "assistant." And when I was talking to the woman at the music academy (not really an academy, just a program for kids to learn to play instruments put on by the local symphony) about a payment plan for the one time registration fee for the violin classes the girls asked for, my daughter offered to use some of her pet sitting money to pay for it.
This is the result of her never having had any chores (though she often willingly helps out), and of her having a dog who I usually clean up after without complaint. Also the result of being willing to get all the kids (four of them) dressed and out the door twice a day for the last week to drive her to this job, joyfully, often singing as we go.
Emily
E- 8
L- 6
Z- 3
A- baby
My daughter is 8 (9 in December) and she's had a few pet sitting jobs in the past. She had one this whole last week taking care of a chicken and two cats. The cats pooped on the couch, and we saw it this morning. She was grossed out and gagging, but without hesitation asked me to help her find something to clean it up. She cleaned it up thoroughly. I don't think it crossed her mind to do otherwise, because she is very happy to have the job and to be known as being responsible enough to get these jobs.
She also offered to giver her sister some of the money she earned, because her sister was her "assistant." And when I was talking to the woman at the music academy (not really an academy, just a program for kids to learn to play instruments put on by the local symphony) about a payment plan for the one time registration fee for the violin classes the girls asked for, my daughter offered to use some of her pet sitting money to pay for it.
This is the result of her never having had any chores (though she often willingly helps out), and of her having a dog who I usually clean up after without complaint. Also the result of being willing to get all the kids (four of them) dressed and out the door twice a day for the last week to drive her to this job, joyfully, often singing as we go.
Emily
E- 8
L- 6
Z- 3
A- baby
Sandra Dodd
Emily, I loved this story and put it on a new page, here:
Thank you for writing it.
There are ten or so stories on that page, of touching surprises.
Sandra