My First Ramblings...

Hello New Blog! :)

All the dates of these first posts are the same because I had some housecleaning to do on blogger.. so just so you know I didn't really write 7 posts in one day!

I will just jump right in.

I was inspired to start this new blog mostly by my online friends. There is such a value to the cyber community, sharing with those who are doing down similar roads. I decided to start this blog, to explore the specific question of how to blend the influences I love, while keeping our home fresh, authentic and not contrived. Reading two blogs in particular have given me inspiration to start my own, those being: Willa and Faith. In their blogs they are exploring the lifestyle, their goals and just kind of take everyone along o the journey. That is what I hope to do.

But, if your road branches in a different direction, that is ok.. but I wanted to write along the way.

This blog is to be a place to discuss, discern and demystify what it is we are doing and what I want to be doing. And why I want to be doing it. And if that is what God wants me to do. And other light things like this.

How's that for clarity?

Speaking of clarity, my two sons (ages 15 and 12) have over the years been the primary catylist of that to me, particularly in what we do and how we do it. And now that they are teen and pre-teen, I have no wiggle room for hypocracy or falseness. Those of you with teens know just what I mean, I'm sure.

In facing my challenges and duties, I guess I had always thought it was about me. I thought that if I found a method, a plan- if I had control of things, then with enough hard work, everything would work out fine.

That seemed to work pretty well when I was in the corporate world 15 years ago. I was successful at achieving my goals but maybe not at seeing the larger picture, especially in the spritual and metaphysical world.

Parenting was another story and I soon learned control was not possible or even desirable at times. Having a baby teaches one fast.

Homeschooling brought that to a new vista. I did the school at home thing and soon burned out.

Then we did years of Charlotte Mason and loved it. However as the boys got older, even those techniques became a bit contrived.

Contrived is a big word in this house. It often looms like the silent white elephant, thanks mostly to a son who cannot tolerate too much of it no matter how much he tries how good his 'attitude' is that day. He is kind and generous and willing, but can sense falsity a mile away.

So, on this journey it has caused me to dig deeper. It has caused me to look at what I really believe education is and is not. I had to look at *why* I do things and why I required them to do things.

I love unschooling. I have seen how the kids really learn when it is interest led. I am seeing that that is how I really learn.

But I also love great ideas. I am trying to merge it all.


I hope to explore many of these aspects and more as time goes on. And also to post what we are doing and trying and how it is going.

My situation may be different than yours. As I mentioned, I have two older sons- ages 15 and 12. They are very happy here at home. They always have projects going and are rarely bored. They do not like to-do lists and contrived lesson plans. So, if you see a unit study here, scheduled lessons or curriculum here, it will be an experiment.

But that is in essence what this is about. I don't want to become complacent on our journey... what is working now is good, let's say, but now it is time to try something new, something fresh.. then maybe settle back into a past mode.

Oh, also.. it is early July. I not only can smell the Independence Day firecrakers, but can also sniff major homeschooler planning in the air! Just check out the major boards and lists and blogs. It is that time of year. Gosh it is tempting to jump back in to that boat! So I will vent some of my energy here. Then maybe do a bit of planning... (when no one is looking...)

Don't get me wrong, I love to plan! Oh, the hours I wold spend pouring over catalogs, making out schedules and dreaming of the upcoming year. Planning is good- God gave us a brain, intuition and a vocation to lead our children. But how much planning is for me and how much is really for them? How to discern one from the other? When does mentoring become the need to control?

More fodder for future posts.

In the meantime, I will focus some of that summertime energy here, hopefully finding the authentic path, whatever that may be, for us at this moment. Openly looking for new ideas and thought and discussion... but not confining ourselves to someone else's (often a curriculum publisher) idea of how we should spend our mornings.

There is so much good out there.. and I want to find the authentic road. Watching out for the speedbumps and ruts. Oh some great journey/road illusions here. Prepare for cliches to come... :-)


God Bless,
Cindy