Unschooling Monday

Scienceworks is a favourite place for my kids to visit.  Museums in general are always fun.

My girl is enjoying being out of school but concedes she is lonely. She would like to relate to those who don't go to school and have someone to hang out with.  She is also becoming more self aware as she becomes a young woman. I am so glad she is at home and able to talk to us and ask questions. She is learning a great deal, despite the worries of well meaning others such as grandparents who want her to go back to school so she wont lose her intelligence or learning. Learning is inevitable.  We had a good chat to Av's sensei who happens to be a life coach. He was amazed by her awareness and intelligence and maturity. Honestly so am I! I am constantly amazed by her and her brothers too.

Our 9 year old is seriously considering homeschooling and I hope that we will be a homeschooling family from next month. I feel that he is ready to embark on this journey. It has been a hard few months with him feeling conflicted. He has been told that he needs school to succeed yet he sees how much his younger brother is learning and doing without school.

Av is so interested in things, asking questions and has such an enthusiastic attitude to all that he pursues. His sensei says that his attitude inspires him. He  can also see through people's arguments and words. I think when you allow your children freedom, choices and a  voice, you learn so much from them and open up relationships where you can understand them as whole people now not just when they have finished growing. I believe that matters. It can be challenging but its all good. Av is enjoying karate and has improved so much in recent weeks. He is willing to talk to adults and children alike.

J is a chatterbox. His vocabulary is growing and his speech is improving. He still has trouble with the k/c sound eg. he used to say 'ar instead of car now he says tar. I wanna tum too (used to be "I wanna 'ome 'oo") I am sure he will get the hang of it soon enough.

Bub is walking, not too confidently yet but still  taking a few steps often during the day at a time.

Extremely normal

Its interesting that I am considered extreme or alternative in my thinking especially when it comes to parenting. Maybe when it comes to what society deems normal then I am not normal. But I do what is natural, what is normal and what is right for my family. Maybe it just shows what sort of world we are living in where the natural things are seen as strange and anything that seems normal to me is odd to most. Like breastfeeding, co-sleeping, avoiding drugs and vaccines, birthing at home. These are all normal to me but to some people, these things are not spoken of and when they are its often seen as crazy, wrong, stupid etc.

Society almost teaches us to detach from people. To not trust even from an early age, nobody cares if you cry, toughen up. I personally feel this, I do not get close to people. I want better for my kids. I want them to come to me for a hug, for a chat, have their needs fulfilled. And at a young age wants and needs are practically the same. I can't buy them anything that has more value than what I can give them every day without a sticker price. The unconditional love I receive from them is inspiring to me. They forgive my shortcomings and love me without wanting more than what I can give them. That to me, is just amazing.

So I am extremely normal. I don't hide the way I do things now. I used to...When my daughter was a baby, she so desperately wanted to co-sleep. All I heard was, Put her in the bassinet, don't let her get attached. Feed til one year exactly. Do what you are told, everyone else knows best.

Truth is, Trusting Your Instincts is all the advice I needed. I learned that the hard way.

My boys in their purple Eden singlets. I made one for J so they each have one. Knitted in Cotton Fleece (merino and cotton). It was too challenging getting a photo of them all together on this day so this is as good as it gets.

I made the King of too many soakers another soaker. This one is crocheted sideways giving a stretchy rib. I used Casacde 220 Heathers with Woolganics worsted for leg cuffs and tie. It is very roomy so he has it rolled up. I did 27 rows, with 33 rows it would be way too big. I find this photo comical. He adores playing with the phone and here he has his serious face on.

Throwing Marshmallows

"Learning can only happen when a child is interested. If he's not interested, it's like throwing marshmallows at his head and calling it eating."

~ Barbara Lamping

Mum

Mothers Day is back again. Its so interesting we have one day to reserved for mothers out of 365 days, when the realities of motherhood clearly go beyond what society defines to have one day set aside is an understatement. From Eve to now, there are so examples of attributes from my own Mum to my wife. One I can name is built in determination. My wife decided to have our son at home without medical assistance last year. This tested my resolve and my faith to the core, however her faith in God shonethrough when everyone had serious doubts including me. But God replaces fear with faith and despair and anger with love and commitment. I knelt with my wife with a prayer in my heart, as she gave birth to my son Jhansen at home.

Prince Tui Teka - Mum

(Talk by my loving husband to be given at Church today)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SL4SezIYCk