Re: But what do I do?!!
Jeff & Diane Gwirtz
> So please, what do you grownups do? I read of a mother who tells herI struggled with this also. My unschooler is 13 and works very
> children the hours she is available (undisturbed by housework, cooking,
> dishes) to help them with their projects and reminds them when it is their
>
independently. We also have very different interests. I found my
day whittled away with mundane tasks and chores. Finally, I woke
up and realized that I too deserved to follow my interests. In doing
so, I think that I'm doing the best I can for my teenagers. I model
unschooling on a daily basis, showing, not telling them, that
learning is forever. My 13 year old helps with some chores and
understands that it gives both of us time to pursue our interests.
Actually, the hardest thing for me, after all those years focusing
on my kids, was to figure out what my interests were. Hard, but fun!
Diane from KS
jagwirtz@...
Cats Meow
I'm new to this list and kind of new to unschooling although it seems I am
just returning to my roots.:) My decision to homeschool began with reading
John Holt, GWS, Home Ed Magazine and on and on. Four years ago, when my
older daughter was 5, I had to register as a homeschooler with a local
school as required. I chose a Waldorf school. Well, that started me down a
road of homeschooling with a Waldorf influence. WE has both incredible
child-led freedom and a very strict school dogma... which has been a major
challenge for me. The dogma side became too much and I have now turned to
unschooling with a Waldorf approach <bwg>. It has not been difficult to
drop the "lessons" and trust that my daughters are learning all the time.
What I do have trouble with is what to do all day!!
I know, I know- you probable all hate that question!! But I need to know. I
am not worried about the children- they have plenty to do. But it hardly
ever involves me! If I start on my own project, then it seems like we don't
see each other all day. I know that I am always there for them and they do
sometimes come for help with changing drillbits, threading a needle,
spelling a word, answering a question, calming a battle... but the schooled
side of me says "This is not enough! I should be teaching them something!"
So please, what do you grownups do? I read of a mother who tells her
children the hours she is available (undisturbed by housework, cooking,
dishes) to help them with their projects and reminds them when it is their
time to be with her. Would that be enough?! I like to think I'm always
available, but there are things that need to be done and the girls don't
necessarily always want to be involved. Helen- what did you do when the
boys were at the fishing hole for hours on end?!
I appreciate your sharing your wisdom and your lives on this list and on
the message boards.
Forever grateful,
Lyn
(mother to Zoe 9 and Molly 5 !/2 who are making their own lunch- hurray!!)
just returning to my roots.:) My decision to homeschool began with reading
John Holt, GWS, Home Ed Magazine and on and on. Four years ago, when my
older daughter was 5, I had to register as a homeschooler with a local
school as required. I chose a Waldorf school. Well, that started me down a
road of homeschooling with a Waldorf influence. WE has both incredible
child-led freedom and a very strict school dogma... which has been a major
challenge for me. The dogma side became too much and I have now turned to
unschooling with a Waldorf approach <bwg>. It has not been difficult to
drop the "lessons" and trust that my daughters are learning all the time.
What I do have trouble with is what to do all day!!
I know, I know- you probable all hate that question!! But I need to know. I
am not worried about the children- they have plenty to do. But it hardly
ever involves me! If I start on my own project, then it seems like we don't
see each other all day. I know that I am always there for them and they do
sometimes come for help with changing drillbits, threading a needle,
spelling a word, answering a question, calming a battle... but the schooled
side of me says "This is not enough! I should be teaching them something!"
So please, what do you grownups do? I read of a mother who tells her
children the hours she is available (undisturbed by housework, cooking,
dishes) to help them with their projects and reminds them when it is their
time to be with her. Would that be enough?! I like to think I'm always
available, but there are things that need to be done and the girls don't
necessarily always want to be involved. Helen- what did you do when the
boys were at the fishing hole for hours on end?!
I appreciate your sharing your wisdom and your lives on this list and on
the message boards.
Forever grateful,
Lyn
(mother to Zoe 9 and Molly 5 !/2 who are making their own lunch- hurray!!)
Lisa Bugg
> > So please, what do you grownups do?>>I became a computer addict. <VBG>
My dh laments the fact that I have not yet become a good cook, he keeps
telling me I have the time..........
Lisa :)
>
>
>
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Home Education Magazine
At 12:05 PM -0700 6/29/99, Cats Meow wrote:
the mother is one of those types who can't walk and chew gum at the same
time she might need to sort out her time into slots and advise her children
which slots are theirs, but that approach really just leaves me cold. Part
of being a mom is learning to juggle lots of needs, demands, ideas,
approaches... I guess some people are better at it than others though.
of the older, married sons (Jim, the industrial electrician I mentioned a
day or so ago) is here visiting (with his wife and daughter), and the whole
crew took off to catch enough trout for dinner this evening!
So what am I doing? Working. Tracking developments on the AHA-Networking
list (it's getting a little hair-raising, for those of you who aren't over
there), paying bills, shuffling laundry through the washer and dryer,
working on some articles and columns for the next issue with our two
editors, watching a peach upsidedown cake in the oven for this evening, and
just generally keeping myself busy. Being a working (at home) mom gives me
plenty to do every day, but if I weren't doing this I'd probably find other
things to keep me busy, like gardening, painting, playing piano, writing,
reading, working with our horses or a million other things I can think of
to do. I've never been one to be bored for long - as the old saying goes,
"The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as
happy as kings." I kinda suspect not many kings have it as well as I do
though. <g>
Helen
>I know that I am always there for them and they doWhat makes the schooled side of you think they're not already learning plenty?
>sometimes come for help with changing drillbits, threading a needle,
>spelling a word, answering a question, calming a battle... but the schooled
>side of me says "This is not enough! I should be teaching them something!"
>So please, what do you grownups do? I read of a mother who tells herThat sounds kind of businesslike to me. Regular hours and all? I suppose if
>children the hours she is available (undisturbed by housework, cooking,
>dishes) to help them with their projects and reminds them when it is their
>time to be with her. Would that be enough?!
the mother is one of those types who can't walk and chew gum at the same
time she might need to sort out her time into slots and advise her children
which slots are theirs, but that approach really just leaves me cold. Part
of being a mom is learning to juggle lots of needs, demands, ideas,
approaches... I guess some people are better at it than others though.
>Helen- what did you do when theLOL! Would you believe they're out at the fishing hole right now? :-) One
>boys were at the fishing hole for hours on end?!
of the older, married sons (Jim, the industrial electrician I mentioned a
day or so ago) is here visiting (with his wife and daughter), and the whole
crew took off to catch enough trout for dinner this evening!
So what am I doing? Working. Tracking developments on the AHA-Networking
list (it's getting a little hair-raising, for those of you who aren't over
there), paying bills, shuffling laundry through the washer and dryer,
working on some articles and columns for the next issue with our two
editors, watching a peach upsidedown cake in the oven for this evening, and
just generally keeping myself busy. Being a working (at home) mom gives me
plenty to do every day, but if I weren't doing this I'd probably find other
things to keep me busy, like gardening, painting, playing piano, writing,
reading, working with our horses or a million other things I can think of
to do. I've never been one to be bored for long - as the old saying goes,
"The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as
happy as kings." I kinda suspect not many kings have it as well as I do
though. <g>
Helen
Linda Wyatt
> From: "Cats Meow" <lturner@...>Depends on the day.
> So please, what do you grownups do?
Today I washed the dishes, played in the sudden rain, talked to a friend
about gardening, helped a friend by downloading a large file for him (he
has a very slow modem and I have a cable modem), talked to my husband on
the phone (he's away on business), coded some web pages, relayed a message
to my newsletter editor, played cards with my daughter, played cards alone,
discussed a book with one of my sons, mediated a dispute between kids,
played with the cats, read and wrote some e-mail, looked up some
information for my other son so he could write something about it, had a
discussion about puberty, discussed marketing, discussed business law,
thought about a wide variety of things, listened to a CD (and talked about
it), and fixed food.
This has been a rather slow relaxing day, actually. I've mostly been
waiting for an important phone call that hasn't come yet.
I generally do a fair amount of volunteer work for a number of
organizations I'm interested in, I run a business, I read and write a lot,
I occasionally clean house. The kids are interwoven throughout my days,
coming in and out with whatever is on their minds. Most days, one or more
of us leaves the house and goes to do something, but today we've all stayed
home.
Oh, we watched the Wizard of Oz, and for the very first time, I *finally*
realized why it is that when I used to watch it as a kid, I never noticed
that it's in B&W at the beginning, and turns to color in Oz. It's because
when I was a kid, we had a B&W TV! It *didn't* turn to color! LOL!
Linda
--
Linda Wyatt
hilinda@...
http://www.lightlink.com/hilinda
Learning everywhere, all the time.
Algebra before breakfast
"A lie, you see, no matter how often or how vociferously repeated, may be
mistaken for the truth, but it does not become the truth." - Adam Crown
Andi Kaufman
lyn, I do lots. Straighten and clean the house. Take care of managing the
house. I also do alot of volunteering for the rape crisis center. I do
hotline from home and I do alot for our Synagogue.
I also plan some homeschooling stuff.
Isaac and play alot of games. I do all the errands , pay the bills, run the
house. take isaac where he needs or wants to go.
and I spend time reading, emailing and sometimes i even get time for my
writing.
Today I spent the day helping a friends send out some mailing and
gardening. Then I relaxed a bit.
Andi...domestic goddess and active volunteer
mom to Isaac
tl2b@...
Never Underestimate the Power of This Woman!
house. I also do alot of volunteering for the rape crisis center. I do
hotline from home and I do alot for our Synagogue.
I also plan some homeschooling stuff.
Isaac and play alot of games. I do all the errands , pay the bills, run the
house. take isaac where he needs or wants to go.
and I spend time reading, emailing and sometimes i even get time for my
writing.
Today I spent the day helping a friends send out some mailing and
gardening. Then I relaxed a bit.
Andi...domestic goddess and active volunteer
mom to Isaac
tl2b@...
Never Underestimate the Power of This Woman!