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In a message dated 2/25/04 12:34:19 PM Eastern Standard Time,
arcarpenter@... writes:

> It occurs to me as I write this that I could sit and
> explore it with him, helping him be gentle. Am I on the right track?)
>
> And what about small chokey things? Fisher has toys that we've been
> restricting to his room (Lego, Hot Wheels cars) -- do you have any
> strategies for those?
>
>

You are certainly on the right track. I haven't been posting on this thread
as there are so many of us. But you are on the right track. If you explore
with him, keeping him safe then you take the mystery out of it. It is no
longer forbidden and he sees you as someone who will help him with what he wants to
do. Not someone he has to sneak around to do what he wants to do. This is
how we made it to unschooling, it just naturally flowed from one to the other
and the principals of trust and respect have carried us through.

My boys are 6 and 9 now. When the 6 year old was really young he loved
LEGOs, still does, I would sit down with the boys for hours playing with LEGOs and
letting the younger one play too.

Pam G


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In a message dated 2/25/2004 3:54:38 PM Mountain Standard Time,
erikanunn@... writes:
I am sorry, but I cannot stand hearing parents at the
playground say "you are too young for that." They would be amazed at what
their kids could climb or do if they would just let them.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

I've told this story before, but Marty was a diaper-baby (1 and a half
maybe?) and Kirby was three, and we were at a park where we played every week with
other families who were all La Leche League based.

Kirby had become afraid of slides and swings, as some kids do when they gain
an awareness of the danger, and so he was sitting with the moms. The
playground equipment is a brand called "Mexican Forge" and there are platforms with
holes all in them (for easy grabbing) and everything is coated with a soft vinyl
stuff. Very easy to climb.

Older girls were taking Marty down the slide with them and he was at the top
of a slide waiting for another big kid to take him, very politely waiting his
turn. He was kinda squat-bouncing, like babies do, so it might have looked to
others like he was about to launch himself, but those of us who knew the
routine knew he was waiting for one of the girls.

Two older women were there, and one said in the LOUD judgmental grandma
voice, "WHOSE little baby is that way up there" or something like that. The answer
was basically "whoever responds to this accusation has been adjudged BAD mom,
BAD mom."

The other moms with me tried not to laugh, I walked casually over and stood
talking to Marty, helped him slide down by holding my arm out, and carried him
away saying "You were making those other women nervous." I didn't say it
where they could hear it. I wasn't as brave then. <g> Marty was not in any
danger. I wasn't ashamed or embarrassed. I was just unwilling to have them nag me.

Sandra


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In a message dated 2/25/2004 4:13:14 PM Mountain Standard Time,
danielle.conger@... writes:
Yes, a mother (or other adult) should be with the child, but I think there's
a lot to be said developmentally for a child's ability to go into another room
and explore on their own if they want to.
===============

Our old house had child-proof latches (that the children could open, but it
reminded them "ouchie") and a yard free of any stickers or sharp gravel. Great
kid yard. Covered patio, 18x20, new concrete; lawn, no roses or other thorny
plants. Door to the back yard; back yard had gates on bothsides. VERY
kid-friendly!

New house is crazy dangerous.

Sandra


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In a message dated 2/25/2004 7:55:52 PM Eastern Standard Time,
jnjstau@... writes:
<<< I truly believe that if parents attempt to "help" their children through
this,
they are only giving them the lesson that they cannot trust their own
judgement.>>>>


And it shouldn't stop in the toddler years; the same thing should just
continue on into the kid and teens years. I'm not saying not to help or assist, but
for a parent to constantly be telling a child or teen that he CANNOT do
such-and-such or MUST do whatever only leads to the child not trusting his own
judgement.

That's so important to me---that my children CAN trust themselves (and can
trust me not to run their lives!).

~Kelly


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In a message dated 2/25/2004 8:52:43 PM Eastern Standard Time,
pamsoroosh@... writes:
There was someone else at the conference in South Carolina with a
little girl who was a lot like Roya - I wish I could remember who it
was. I took her and watched her in the other room for a little while so
her mom could have a bit of time to watch a speaker. If that mom is
here on this list - I just want you to know she is a remarkable little
girl and all you can do is appreciate that energy level and expect it
to continue and support her in the wonderful things she's going to do
in her life!!!<<<<

That was darling Lydia.

~Kelly


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pam sorooshian

On Feb 25, 2004, at 8:43 PM, kbcdlovejo@... wrote:

> That was darling Lydia.

Ah yes!!! I have NEVER seen a kid go right between people's legs, time
herself perfectly to get out a door just before it closed, and get her
socks off ON THE WAY to the pool -- all in the blink of an eye!!!

Really took me back to when Roya was little. And I was WAAAAAAAY
younger, too!!!!!

-pam
National Home Education Network
<www.NHEN.org>
Serving the entire homeschooling community since 1999
through information, networking and public relations.

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In a message dated 2-25-2004 7:08:56 PM Mountain Standard Time,
dezigna@... writes:
In the future they make really nice
reflective bases for pillar candles.
++++++++++
And around the Xmas tree lights... put them down low so there ARE decorations
that can be touched :)

diana,
The wackiest widow westriver...for four more days!
"The man who views the world at fifty the same as he
did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."
- Muhammad Ali


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