I'm THAT mom

I'm that mom who enjoys the idea that 'normal' people think we're weird, because i think it's just weird to want to be so damned normal.

I'm that mom who sometimes forgets that our lifestyle is not considered 'normal', because to me, it seems like the most normal and natural thing on the planet to follow the instincts to love, protect, and nurture your children.

I'm that mom who believes that childhood is precious, fleeting, and worth protecting, and that the world we live in deeply undermines and devalues the hearts and minds of our children.

I'm that mom who makes statements like the one above without the slightest bit of religious fundamentalism as the basis for those beliefs, but with the deepest and most sincere motivation of supporting the 'natural' order of things.

I'm that mom that believes there is wonder and knowledge all around us, and it is our natural desire to take in those things that fill us with understanding and appreciation of our world.

I'm that mom who is appreciating this exercise because it reminds me of the kind of mom that i am, and sometimes i need to be reminded.

I'm also that mom who believes it is equally valuable to share our failings with each other, as well as with our children, so as not to build an illusion of perfect ideology that is impossible to live up to.

So, I'm that mom that is still just a human being, with limits, and flaws, and quirks, and old wounds.

And I'm that mom who believes in apologizing to my children when said limits are breached and I react from a place that is other than respectful or loving to my children.

I'm that mom who believes there is opportunity for learning and growth in all things, especially our failings.

And I'm both that mom that I always wanted to be, and the one that I never wanted to be, sometimes within 5 minutes of each other.

But I'm always that mom who deeply loves and adores the preciousness of my children.

And I'll always be that mom who seeks the path to becoming a better mom, because i believe if you think you've got it all figured out, you're probably really missing the point!


*inspired by this spontaneous blog carnival (leave it to the unschoolers) which was originally inspired by this post which was then followed up by this post
*and specifically inspired by my friend Vicki's post
*and this one, written by another friend and fellow unschooling mom, Lisa Russell, really sums up our 'crazy' point of view pretty well, and she's funny!


You might also like:

MOMS ARE PEOPLE TOO!

CHILDREN & NATURE CHALLENGE

Children and Nature Network has designated April "Children & Nature Awareness Month".
April 2010 is the third annual Children & Nature Awareness Month.

This year, C&NN has two goals:
*First, to encourage parents to form their own Nature Clubs for Families.
*And, second, to invite grandparents and older outdoor enthusiasts to do their part to reconnect children and nature.

We're In, or should I say Out? ;)

FREE BOWLING ALL SUMMER!!!

Our family participated in this program last summer, and the email just came in again today, so I signed us up again, because even though we didn't use it as often as we would've liked to, it was still nice knowing we had it.

Bowling would be a great rainy summer day activity, or it's over 110 degrees outside kind of activity also!

I just realized this would probably be a pretty good thing to share with other unschoolers/homeschoolers out there, so feel free to pass along the link to your friends and groups that might enjoy it!

http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

This link will take you to the US Map page where you can just click on your state, then select a city near you, and it will take you to the registration form. Just that simple, and the coupons come to your email weekly where you can print them out or just ignore them if you're not up for bowling that week. Very simple, and FREE stuff is good!

You also have the option to sign up for a family membership for the summer for about 25 bucks, and then you can play with the kids too, 2 free games per day all summer. Nobody bowls that much!

HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE?

We are always looking for new IDEAS on how to CELEBRATE the HOLIDAYS and SEASONS. After all, celebrating LIFE is the best way to LIVE, right?

We are specifically trying to focus our holiday TRADITIONS towards a more NATURE-based approach, and away from a mass consumerism mentality.

Of course, because I LOVE doing kid focused CRAFTS, that's usually what's going on around here; so I'll SHARE a fun how-to that we did yesterday!

First draw a sketch (or have your daughter draw one ;) on a piece of paper to make a pattern:


Cut out:


Pin in place to two pieces of craft felt, wrong sides facing:


Or, if you forget to do a double thickness, like I did, just cut out the first one, flip the pattern over, and pin to the other piece:


After both pieces are cut, sew them together using a blanket stitch:


Add details, and attach to a hair clippie, and voila:



I'd LOVE to hear how you and your FAMILY mark the blossoming of SPRINGTIME.

IN THE SPIRIT OF SPRINGTIME!

We just discovered these videos last week and fell in love with them.

Lisa at 5 Orange Potatoes said it best, "They are so cute, witty, and the perfect blend of nature and animation, we can’t get enough of them!"

Word of warning: there are more than 50 of these on youtube, so you could get sucked in for hours! (i happen to know this)

But... if you have no plans for the day, or happen to be rained in, have a sit with the kiddos and enjoy!

Catapult Grasshopper


The Big Race

MOMS ARE PEOPLE TOO!

WHY IS IT....

that we 'moms' will stop buying an item at the grocery store just because we are the only ones who like it?

the kids dont stop asking for candy or toys just because they are the only ones who want it...

dads wont hesitate to buy beer when they want it just because they are the only ones who drink it...

So, I say...

"MOMS ARE PEOPLE TOO!!! "

Stand Up Ladies!

...buy mushrooms, or makeup, or durian fruit!

JUST BECAUSE you are the only one who likes it!

(then you don't even have to share!)

;)

Nothing.

"I have spent a long time and have not yet finished, in order to learn this, ...that one can learn nothing. There is, so I believe, in the essence of everything, something that we cannot call learning. There is my friend, only a knowledge- that is everywhere, ...that is in me and you and in every creature, and I am beginning to believe that this knowledge has no worse enemy than the man of knowledge, than learning."
- from Siddhartha, written by Herman Hesse

mii family

our family has been a bit reclusive in the last several months, not socializing much, (online or irl), but here is a little tidbit of what we've been up to:

we have surrounded ourselves with our family...


even if they are just virtual reality, they are there with us in spirit while we play, and that makes us happy!

under the weather...

...my oh my, has it really been 2 whole months since i've posted? apparently so...

...but, i have been happy to have some new friends stop by my quiet little blog and leave some very sweet comments... so i wandered over to their blogs...

...you can find them here: one thing. and roadways...

...and now, thanks to them, i feel re-inspired to share my life again...

...just for what it is at this moment...

...and at this moment... i have been feeling a little under the weather...

...so i thought i'd share a few rainy day photos...


...making egg carton boats...


...twirling...


...dancing...


...testing boundaries...


...enjoying nature...


...i really love rainy days...

...don't you?

UNSCHOOLER'S MONDAY

so, lots of people think that unschoolers dont DO anything all day long.
they aren't doing curriculum, or sitting in a classroom for 8 hours with 30 other kids, so their 'education' must not be valid, right?

well, let's talk about what we did here today.

there was cooking and cleaning, taking care of 2 new baby kittens, feeding, playing, petting, changing the litter box,
some swimming and snorkeling in the pool, some playing and talking with a much missed family member that's in town visiting and staying with us, preparing and planning for pottery night/tie dying/potluck, learning to cook a vegetable curry, tie dying, and pottery making, eating, laughing, and talking with friends, playing outside together, cleaning up together.
talking on the phone, making plans with other friends about tomorrow nights midnight showing of harry potter, which we are dressing up for and attending as a group, sending emails making plans for thursday's lunch and swimming play date with a new unschooler friend at the home of an unschooling alumni/goddess, making plans for visiting the aquarium later in the week with our life long unschooler/babysitter, watching some nice 'educational' videos, sesame street, baby signing time, and meet the fockers (for the older people), and making plans to visit a local beach for our weekly unschoolers park day gathering!
i'm sure i'm forgetting some things, and i know i've left out lots of details, but hey, it's 2 am, and i just now found the time to blog for a moment, after choosing to leave the rest of the email answering, and date making, and planning for tomorrow when i am rested and refreshed again.

but, what about socialization?

YEAH, RIGHT!