Sondra Carr

This is definitely something I've thought a lot about. There's far too much
attention given to children being clean and presentable at all times. As an
artist, this offends me in so many ways. In school, I remember my younger
brother and step-son telling me that their art teacher paid more attention
to "cleaning up" than to art. So they brought home nothing but crayon
drawings (presumably because it is easy cleanup) well into their middle
school years. And although they were both extremely creative, they had
failing grades for art because they were too messy during their process! I
asked the art teacher if she'd like to visit my studio sometime - or perhaps
any artist's studio and see how clean they are? Thank goodness they were
able to make things at home without worrying about what fell on the floor.
Pity the poor kids there who didn't have artist moms at home.



-----Original Message-----
From: christy austin [mailto:romance9398@...]
Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 9:51 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Peaceful nest



I have discovered that
dirt won't kill any of us but a lack of joy might.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

christy austin

I'm 39 years old and still like to run through a
puddle on occasion. Why wouldn't I allow my child the
same fun. There is just something about finger
painting or play dough or cooking that kids love and I
think it is the mess. I had a neighbor once whose
children were bathed after every meal. The poor
little boy squatted to play in the dirt so he wouldn't
get messy. And she brought me over swim trunks for my
15 mth old son because he was swimming in his little
wading pool naked. I guess she thought we couldn't
afford a suit. His diaper had gotten soaked and we
just took it off. Why can't kids just enjoy being
messy once in awhile? I guarantee that for the most
part it is for our own convenience. Christy Austin
--- Sondra Carr <sondracarr@...> wrote:

>
>
>
>
>
>
> This is definitely something I've thought a lot
> about. There's far too much
> attention given to children being clean and
> presentable at all times. As an
> artist, this offends me in so many ways. In school,
> I remember my younger
> brother and step-son telling me that their art
> teacher paid more attention
> to "cleaning up" than to art. So they brought home
> nothing but crayon
> drawings (presumably because it is easy cleanup)
> well into their middle
> school years. And although they were both extremely
> creative, they had
> failing grades for art because they were too messy
> during their process! I
> asked the art teacher if she'd like to visit my
> studio sometime - or perhaps
> any artist's studio and see how clean they are?
> Thank goodness they were
> able to make things at home without worrying about
> what fell on the floor.
> Pity the poor kids there who didn't have artist moms
> at home.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: christy austin [mailto:romance9398@...]
> Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 9:51 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Peaceful nest
>
>
>
> I have discovered that
> dirt won't kill any of us but a lack of joy might.
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>
>




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[email protected]

In a message dated 8/16/2004 4:06:31 PM Central Standard Time,
romance9398@... writes:

I'm 39 years old and still like to run through a
puddle on occasion


~~~

I volunteered at a Camp Fire day camp last summer. One of the other
volunteers was also a Marine reservist. She ordered some of her reservist
subordinates to come and do stuff with the kids one day. However, it rained very hard
that day, a summer rain, where it stayed hot and steamy. After it stopped,
these Marines stripped down to their t-shirts and took the kids
puddle-jumping. They cavorted all over that park in the puddles and had the kids sliding
head first across the wet grass.

My son *still* talks about that day and the pure fun those Marines had with
those groups of 9 year olds.

Karen


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]