we spent a rainy day today working on *last week's* workbook/schoolwork/etc. this whole scheduling thing - scheduling in the curriculum areas - while I see it's merit in the sense of giving the children something to check off, a visual confirmation of what's been 'done' during the day and week... well, it just rubs my free-spirited mind the WRONG way.
i prefer my lifelong learning to be more of an organic journey, less scripted by external doctrine and more from the heart... if i want to spend an entire day curled up in front of the woodstove, working on a cross-stitch, why not?! Likewise, if the children want to spend a day playing Lego, or colouring and cutting out paper doll clothes, why not?! who cares what's been accomplished so long as you are inspired and passionate and full of wonder and enthusiasm about how you spend your time? i think that coming from a place of inspiration and passion, no matter what 'subject' it's towards, i think you have a much better chance of remembering and truly learning than being forced to think of things in terms of distinct subjects... alas...
ds really doesn't like bookwork... he stalls and fusses and asks how to spell words and just generally drags his feet, and in personality, we're so alike that his way of being just pushes my buttons sometimes - it's like having a mirror at all the things i'm not comfortable about myself (like being sensitive, intense, and emotional), having them reflected back to deal with... NOW. and continuous self-reflection isn't easy, ya know. :P anyways, i'm not about to just cross off the schedule; i think there's something to be learned from catching up, even if it means spending a rainy day inside at the kitchen table. don't think that i'm a task master; he was off playing every few minutes... and although he awoke fresh this morning determined to catch up entirely - he's not there yet because of the foot dragging. although he made a fair attempt to catch up, it might be a couple more days yet before he's behind the eight ball again.
on the flip side, dd and i played many duets today on the piano, and that's enjoyable. she doesn't like to sit alone at the piano, but offer to play duets for the pieces she's learning and she delights in having a partner. ds, otoh, enjoys playing alone and will happily forego his workbook for a few minutes tickling the ivories.
apart from that, their glorious snowman lost his head today. steady rain weakened his neck. the ground is returning to its normal green and it's considerably warmer today than the past week or so.
i was disappointed today to hear the property we're contemplating looking at on the mainland already has a conditional offer on it, and unless we can come up with an unconditional offer (and carry two mortgages on one income?!?) it's not looking promising. life will unfold as it's meant to, this i am sure of, so i'm trying not to worry, to just let things be.
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