Temporary Insanity & Antidote
melissazietlow
Hello,
Just want to say this list is my antidote! I come here as often as I
can for an anxiety buster...
Well, I made it through the kindergarten registration date and the
first day of school without caving in! My 5yo dd is home and happy.
And today the world looks so sweet and interesting.
But a few days ago I did have a moment of insanity after the kids and
I visited friends and saw what the little girl did in kindergarten
her first week. Some quaint coloring pages, and writing practice on
manuscript paper. Her name looked so neat and straight...
You know what's coming. Over the next few days I kept thinking how
nice it would be for Orion to write her name like that on manuscript
paper, so I asked her if she wanted to write a letter to someone to
mail (which we have done a few times before). She sat down and
quickly made a little card, which I acknowledged, but I also
suggested that this time, we use the manscript paper instead of a
piece of colored computer paper, and send both to him. So I wrote a
few words and sentences on a piece and told her to try to copy it to
practice writing neatly, so Grandpa can easily read it. I informed
her that it is important to learn to write neatly so other people can
read our words. She said she writes her own way and I said that is
fine when you write for yourself. She proceeded to try copying the
my words, but had a really difficult time and soon became
frustrated. I suggested she practice on a wipe-off manuscript board,
which she did. She worked on that a long time, but by then I had
started to feel bad about the whole idea. So when she decided she
was done I said she did not have to try it on the paper again, but
she said she wanted to. Again, frustration. I suggested that we
send the card she made Grandpa herself, with a picture and a nonsense
sentence. I put it in an envelope and addressed it for her. I told
her that from now on she can do it her own way, but suggetsed that
perhaps she'd like to practice her name on the lined paper
sometimes? She said okay, and went on her merry way.
And I wonder how much damage I did! Alas, I got anxious seeing her
little friend's schoolwork, and felt the need to compare. But it was
fleeting, and I came back to my senses. I read a few pages in the
Unschooliung Handbook and visited this list, and I think we are back
in the hammock. I don't know what I would do without my antidotes.
Wait, yes I do. I'd be cracking the whip and we'd be running a race
with the rest of the pack.
Melissa Z.
Just want to say this list is my antidote! I come here as often as I
can for an anxiety buster...
Well, I made it through the kindergarten registration date and the
first day of school without caving in! My 5yo dd is home and happy.
And today the world looks so sweet and interesting.
But a few days ago I did have a moment of insanity after the kids and
I visited friends and saw what the little girl did in kindergarten
her first week. Some quaint coloring pages, and writing practice on
manuscript paper. Her name looked so neat and straight...
You know what's coming. Over the next few days I kept thinking how
nice it would be for Orion to write her name like that on manuscript
paper, so I asked her if she wanted to write a letter to someone to
mail (which we have done a few times before). She sat down and
quickly made a little card, which I acknowledged, but I also
suggested that this time, we use the manscript paper instead of a
piece of colored computer paper, and send both to him. So I wrote a
few words and sentences on a piece and told her to try to copy it to
practice writing neatly, so Grandpa can easily read it. I informed
her that it is important to learn to write neatly so other people can
read our words. She said she writes her own way and I said that is
fine when you write for yourself. She proceeded to try copying the
my words, but had a really difficult time and soon became
frustrated. I suggested she practice on a wipe-off manuscript board,
which she did. She worked on that a long time, but by then I had
started to feel bad about the whole idea. So when she decided she
was done I said she did not have to try it on the paper again, but
she said she wanted to. Again, frustration. I suggested that we
send the card she made Grandpa herself, with a picture and a nonsense
sentence. I put it in an envelope and addressed it for her. I told
her that from now on she can do it her own way, but suggetsed that
perhaps she'd like to practice her name on the lined paper
sometimes? She said okay, and went on her merry way.
And I wonder how much damage I did! Alas, I got anxious seeing her
little friend's schoolwork, and felt the need to compare. But it was
fleeting, and I came back to my senses. I read a few pages in the
Unschooliung Handbook and visited this list, and I think we are back
in the hammock. I don't know what I would do without my antidotes.
Wait, yes I do. I'd be cracking the whip and we'd be running a race
with the rest of the pack.
Melissa Z.
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/13/2004 3:33:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
Zietlowfamily@... writes:
****Alas, I got anxious seeing her
little friend's schoolwork, and felt the need to compare. But it was
fleeting, and I came back to my senses.****
Ah yes, the sweet seduction of neatly done schoolwork! I've been there,
Melissa!
What I love about unschooled kids is that they will not do busy work, no
matter how cleverly disguised. And then I am amazed at how quickly we and all
the other schooled kids became complete cows, doing what we were told. After
my frustration with my attempts at "doing school" with my kids dies down, I
am so proud that they stick up for themselves. Wow. You can't teach that.
Leslie in SC
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Zietlowfamily@... writes:
****Alas, I got anxious seeing her
little friend's schoolwork, and felt the need to compare. But it was
fleeting, and I came back to my senses.****
Ah yes, the sweet seduction of neatly done schoolwork! I've been there,
Melissa!
What I love about unschooled kids is that they will not do busy work, no
matter how cleverly disguised. And then I am amazed at how quickly we and all
the other schooled kids became complete cows, doing what we were told. After
my frustration with my attempts at "doing school" with my kids dies down, I
am so proud that they stick up for themselves. Wow. You can't teach that.
Leslie in SC
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
melissazietlow
--- In [email protected], Leslie530@a... wrote:
quickly we and all the other schooled kids became complete cows,
doing what we were told. After my frustration with my attempts
at "doing school" with my kids dies down, I am so proud that they
stick up for themselves. Wow. You can't teach that.
Funny you should use an analogy with cows... I worked on a large
dairy farm (great fun) for a time, and had to move cows from place to
place (ie barn to milking parlor) and interestingly many of them had
to be poked, prodded or worse with a 2 x 4 to move and do what they
were told! Cows are smarter than we think!
> What I love about unschooled kids is that they will not do busywork, no matter how cleverly disguised. And then I am amazed at how
quickly we and all the other schooled kids became complete cows,
doing what we were told. After my frustration with my attempts
at "doing school" with my kids dies down, I am so proud that they
stick up for themselves. Wow. You can't teach that.
Funny you should use an analogy with cows... I worked on a large
dairy farm (great fun) for a time, and had to move cows from place to
place (ie barn to milking parlor) and interestingly many of them had
to be poked, prodded or worse with a 2 x 4 to move and do what they
were told! Cows are smarter than we think!