___

Unschoolers and friends with sparklers

Some of these photos are from holidays (4th of July, Diwali, Guy Fawkes), but some...


two photos above from Ren's blog

Ren Allen wrote:
I'm glad you mentioned the "why not" phrase. I use it in dealing with my children and my life so often, in order to keep myself from responding automatically, without thought. Once I started questioning those "have-to's", "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts" it was like a dam bursting open.

"Why not" has helped me loose many constraints learned in childhood.

When my children ask me to light sparklers up at midnight, my auto-pilot mode says "That's not something we do this late at night!" but that lovely little "why not" goes gently swirling through my mind, growing louder as I pause. Why not indeed?

Sandra note, years later:
There might be reasons not to light sparklers at midnight, but go through real considerations, when you decide whether to say yes or no to a child's request.

Maybe you live in an apartment without a yard. Maybe you live where there is a curfew, or noise laws after a certain hour. Perhaps you're not registered to homeschool and wouldn't like to deal with police or social services about why your children are awake and partying when others are trying to sleep.

But maybe it's a Saturday night and you live near a parking lot, or a lake, or your own land has places for tiny fireworks that won't bother anyone.

But then there are the nights when sparklers make sense to everyone!


photo by Sarah Dickinson, 2011

Sparklers at midnight

Ren wrote:

When my children ask me to light sparklers up at midnight, my auto-pilot mode says "That's not something we do this late at night!" but that lovely little "why not" goes gently swirling through my mind, growing louder as I pause. Why not indeed?
—Ren Allen

SandraDodd.com/rentalk
photo by Andrea Quenneville

Brief but bright


Sometimes an experience is brief, but memorable. Rather than big lessons, think of small moments that spark thoughts.

Playing with a sparkler is like stirring light into darkness. I like that.

"Sculpture" and other words
photo by Erika Davis-Pitre

Strangers with Sparklers

I don't know whose kids or where, but it seems profound. The girl is having thoughtful fun, and in a bit, a boy runs past with an sparkler and an announcement.


It reminds me of "sacrificing fire," about blowing out birthday candles, a story I have on the "Cake" page and also the page on Sacrifice.



Sparkly Unschooling



Late-night Learning



Generosity begets generosity.