Truth

Why is it that five children can all be involved in the same fight and that they cannot agree on what happens? My son came home today in tears because three children messed him up. He admits he threw the first dirt clod and that he didn't know when to walk away. His brother saw the tail end and stopped dirt from being shoved further up his nose. The other kids not only have a different story, they can't agree that he started it with throwing a clod of dirt. He supposedly pinched someone (very much in character, but deserving of a face washed in mud? I don't think so. Throwing dirt and getting washed in dirt makes a lot more sense.)

So instead of learning how to use his new fishing pole, my seven year old has learned:

Walk away when you can't stop arguing.

Never throw dirt because it will come back and hit you in the face.

My story isn't the one that the other moms believe.

Don't play out of mom's hearing.

Be thankful for your big brother.

His mother learned:

Although it takes a village to raise a child, it isn't a good idea to involve the village in disputes like these.

Even if seven-year-olds can hear you when you yell it's time to come home, they may not be close enough to stay out of trouble.

Big brothers care very much for little brothers.

When does Blogging become a habit?

It's been a long time since I've blogged and I find that I miss it. I think that's a good thing.

We joined a charter school this year and have felt a monthly urge to gather papers and show "real" progress. It just confirms that real progress should not be measured by how many sheets of paper a child can produce a month. What the school misses is the daily interaction with my children: the conversations that spark new ideas; the questions that beg investigation; the projects that are three dimensional and don't translate to written description (at least, not well!). When I am doing things "right," I am not teaching my children. I am participating in a learning experience. On those days I feel happy and content.

Our big project that we want to share with everyone is the Cornell University Feeder Watch. We log how many and what types of birds visit our feeders for two days out of every week (or so). We have learned that different birds like different foods and some birds feed from the ground and others from a perch. We have watched hawks come hunting in our backyard. We have observed a squirrel consistently attempt to gain access to a feeder that is placed in more and more difficult places to reach. The learning of myself and my children has been amazing. And the boys are proud to call themselves "Citizen Scientists." If you are interested, visit www.birds.cornell.edu/pdf.

In the meantime, Happy Homeschooling