Dresses, messes, and school depresses...

What I learned today is that Pageant dress shopping is hard! There are so many choices like colors, to applique or not to applique, do I want rhinestones or crystals or just embroidery? Is it OK to put a one year old in a glitz dress and go au naturale with her actual self?

I think you can...but there are others who would argue against it. I'm not putting my wee one in a pageant, just yet...I'm just looking for a beautiful gown for her one year pictures so she has something nice to look back at. Not like when I was one and every one wore gingham and plaid (go nineteen eighty's go)!

I often look at my horrible tear-streaked reddened cheek pics from my first day in Kindergarten and think, man...if I hated the thought that much...what made them think it would ever change? I mean, it never did change. I hated school from the first day onward, the saving grace? FFA and Marching Band. I had horrible teachers 80% of the time, I was stuck away from what I really wanted to be learning about 90% of the time and the people I really needed support from almost 100% of every school day. I guess that's why I'm so hell-bent on homeschooling.

I don't want Nixie to go through anything she's going to hate five days a week to only be rewarded maybe twice a month for all her hard work. Public school is certainly not where you send your kid to get a pat on the back and a "way to go!" because they worked for 12 hours straight on a science project, and if they aren't rewarded at home either it only compounds the frustration. I say send them off if you are sure you can give them one to three hours after school and before bed to focus on how they are doing in school and to make sure they're setting themselves up for success rather than failure. Keep them home if you can. By all means, hire a tutor if you don't have the time...but above all...remember that their teachers and school administration aren't your nannies or tutors or personal assistants. They are paid to teach a class of students, not just your kid, so stop acting entitled and start helping your children to learn.

A big push recently has been teaching children to read younger and younger. I was a fortunate one and had started learning by reading about a year before I entered public school, giving me a leg up. *Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for all your hard work and long hours giving a damn* I know it's hard to care sometimes, but before you worry about what's for dinner (because your kid isn't going to starve or get hurt if they have to wait an extra hour for dinner), worry about what's on your child's mind...and ask what they need help with and then get up and help them. It will mean the WORLD to them later even if they did have a god awful public school experience.

I was an average student...below average in math and science...barely graduating because of a near failing grade in one of the only two science credits I needed to graduate. I went on to college to sit on the Dean's list every year. I blame this on feeling bogged down and like everyone was breathing down my neck when I was a minor...then a breakthrough...people started treating me like an adult after I got married (at 18), moved out and started college. They let me make my own mistakes and study at my own pace...GENIUS! Who knew that was a century's old practice in how to learn?*headdesk*

Recently Ohio started a home/public schooling program available online. You, as a parent, will have access to a real life teacher if you have questions from your precious little one or for your self. The child is sent an actual working computer, internet ready, to sign into the database and do all their assignments as posted. GENIUS! again...why didn't this happen ten years ago? A friend's daughter is currently using this technology and if feedback is positive I might try this in a few years. Hopefully we'll be able to work at our own pace and take the tests required to move forward and graduate at a local school or a regional test facility. I can't wait for my yurt, alpaca farm, home-schooling facility to become a real life success.

Did I mention I'm moving to Yellow Springs for inspiration, and convenience...lol. I hope living in the shadows of (what was and kind of still is) Antioch will lead to many picnics with my Nixie who will grow up with ultimate diversity in colors and socio-economic statuses of her neighbors and friends. Maybe one day we'll make all this a reality, but until then I need to stop thinking only about myself and start living as an example of what is good for everyone. Have a heart, remember to take your chill pills, not everyone is out to get you, I love you in a general sense and care for your health and well-being...remember the golden rule, it has been written in many ways over centuries in at least 12 different languages that I know of: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you...and that should also say do TO others what you expect FROM them.

MOUNTAIN YURT!!!


Blessings,
~C~