Today my children and I are going to Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker, which we have done every December since 2002. My three-year-old son Luke has been anticipating it for weeks and has spent the morning circling the house yelling how excited he is. The other children have encouraged him by telling him how much they love it. And after spending the first three days of my week cooped up because of my disdain for the unusually cold weather, I am ready for something different.
My family takes frequent field trips as we homeschool. It's important to me for my children to take part in many positive experiences in the world so that throughout their life they will continue to choose substance and virtue over the frivolous and degrading. Besides that, it also keeps us sane. The difficulty of homeschooling is not something I want to downplay. Many days I collapse on my bed, exhausted physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Although I wish it were not so, my behavior and my children's is frequently less than exemplary. Going out as a family helps us to transcend the tedium and effort of our routine. For me, the Nutcracker is a magical moment when life halts and scary dreams become real, but Clara manages to transform the nightmare into something wonderful. When I return home and feebly attempt to reenact the ballet in my living room, holding hands with my young child, I remember that even my nightmare days will one day be my nostalgic dreams.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
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I am so glad you are writing. I enjoy hearing from you on WALDSFE and it will be fun to follow your blog. I definitely know the exhausted feeling you are talking about. Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteI love both your entries. YOu really have a gift for writing. Both entries were really fun to read and thought provoking. I'll look forward to other posts!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Amy. I loved reading this post and am excited to be privy to your thoughts on homeschooling, what works, doesn't work, etc. I loved your analogy of homeschooling related to The Nutcracker.
ReplyDeleteFascinating. I've already been interested in the Suzuki method as it relates to piano, and had no idea that it was actually made to apply to learning as a whole. And how fun about the Nutcracker. What a great tradition!
ReplyDeleteAmy, I am honored to read your blog entries. Thanks for sharing them! I admire your writing ability and your gift for teaching your children. There's a part of me that wishes I had the confidence and patience to homeschool my kids, too. The philosophy and the practical side of homeschooling are intriguing to me, and I look forward to having a window into them by way of your blog.
ReplyDeleteI am excited to keep in touch through your blog! I bet the nutcracker was great fun! I need some tips on helping Micah with his timed math tests. He is doing well in Math in general, but has hit a road block "fast puppies," as he teacher calls them. He hasn't passed one yet. We do flash cards and he practices every day. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteI go on outings as well for the same reason. I love your analogy here. You write so beautifully. I'm excited to read more about your homeschooling thoughts and experiences on the blog!
ReplyDeleteHi Nicole,
ReplyDeleteMy only suggestion would be to make up games with them. That can make getting faster a byproduct of the excitement and challenge of playing a game.