Old School

We home schooled for eleven years.  In the mid 80's this was not so common.  You might say that the support group of like-minded mama's that I 'hung out' with, were a bit pioneery.  We forged ahead, knowing that our choice to school or 'unschool' was novel and not accepted by the mainstream.  Most of us were drawn to homeschooling for that very reason.  We saw schooling in the traditional sense, contradictory to the pattern of home life that our kids experienced for the first five or so years of their lives.  The reasons for homeschooling were as varied as our children and within our support group, we had them all.  We had hippies, wanting to teach their children the holistic way, we had religious zealots that believed that schools were of the devil and we had moms that just could not say good bye to their children.  The experience was varied yet helpful in all the different ways represented.  We learned which way we didn't want to go as well as the many positive suggestions.  We helped each other with curriculum ideas, (not too much to choose from back then) and shared ideas and materials.  Some of the most memorable books to my kids were the Old School books that I would buy at garage sales, like the ones pictured here. We loved the illustrations and the references to things long ago.  The books were simple yet clear.  Of course, we moved on to more comprehensive books in the upper grades, but these early years books were fun and historical at the same time. The gentler dialogue of another time intrigued me as well as the children.  Some times it was funny but mostly it was endearing....

Keep your eyes open for school books like these....A good viewpoint for your children, in school or home schooled.....

The Jibblies

My walk last night seemed very quiet.

The streets had a hushed sound and it was easy to feel that I was the only one in the town.

Then I remembered. First day of school.

As an ardent walker about town, I've come to appreciate the subtleties of change. Early morning Saturday is a quiet, quiet time as well. During a snowstorm, it's quite eerie. And the first day of summer vacation for the school is predictably noisy.

So without a child in the school system, I've come to notice that uncharacteristic silence that only comes when children are home early, preparing for the day/school year to come, in whatever fashion that looks like. I did observe one young boy out on his bicycle, but oddly, he was just going around and around in circles. Maybe he was stalling for time when he had to finally admit that his daily romp with his bike was ending. Or maybe he was so mindlessly bored that circling was all he could come up with. Whatever the reason, he was alone in his contemplation.

I remember the dread of a new year. I disliked having to train a new teacher all over again. I resented having to rearrange my very relaxed schedule to one of waking up before the light of day. The regimen of the school district never did coincide with my busy-ness and love of motion.

Sadly, I lived vicariously through my children with respect to the First Day Dreads. Outwardly, I was the penultimate cheerleader, complete with first day photos, special breakfasts, clothes and shoes. But it was all a sham. I hated it and I hated seeing them go. I would cry after they left for no other reason than I knew I would miss them so.

All these years later, just thinking of all the children headed back to their pre dawn bus stops and scheduled learning, I get the jibblies.

Some of us never grow up......

Catch up

Baby Girl has a friend in Lafayette that owns a wonderful shop called, First Class Clutter. It's an amazing display of everything wonderful from the past. It's a small shop with each nook and cranny filled to the brim. My kind of clutter. Last winter I found a fab piece of fabric in one of the corners of her shop. Beautiful stuff. I waited for just the right opportunity and pattern to make it up, and, of course, Amy Butler provided...The Madison Bag looked wonderful with the fabric. I packaged the purse and shipped it off to Baby Girl's friend. I visited her yesterday and she had many thanks for the bag AND another donation to the cause; MORE fabric for more bags! Lurking in another vintage container, was GRAND buttons! Be still my heart....My thoughts could not turn off last night what with making plans for the new fabric to be made into bags, totes and purses for the First Class Clutter store! One particular fabric calls to me and maybe want to stay with me.... A dangerous habit to get into! After looking at it, you're thinking so too, aren't you??!

Lily came over today as well. More on that later, but suffice to say, WE completed a nifty little shoulder bag for her first day of first grade on Monday! It's incomplete stage is pictured above....

Another order for a hobo bag came in last week and it's makings is the other photo..

Off to work on that one now.....

Yay!

Academia

I am currently in Grammy heaven otherwise known as Mason Ohio.

Heaven, not because of King's Island or that it is a mighty nice community. The heaven part comes from the fact that Mason Ohio is the home of my extremely important, special and idolized granddaughter, Vivien.

It appears that at least once every six weeks, I have found reasons for visiting. I manage to wangle an invite. Perhaps it is my pleading, whiny tone. Maybe it's the incessant questions about Vivie's size or updates that make my daughter feel sorry for me. Whatever it is, it's been working and I am here again.

Last night, as I lay in bed in the guest room, going over the events of the day and contemplating the wonder that is a grandchild, I noticed my son in law and daughter's college diploma hanging on the wall.

I home schooled my daughter for eleven years. I didn't say I was good at it, but I did the best I could, determined to keep her from the traveling special ed classes that our school district offered. Due to a myriad of health issues, Vivien's Mama struggled with learning. She was an amazingly brilliant little girl who struggled with the timelines of learning. Homeschool circumvented so much of the technicalities of schooling, but much was missed in the whole scheme of things. (Much was accomplished, to be noted, but much was also missed.)

Imagine my joy of her adult decision to pursue her education after high school! She was able to accomplish piece meal, allowing for moves and alterations to her and her husband's locations. A year ago, she accomplished her degree. Her father and I were so proud of all her hard work and her great grades. She truly is my hero.

And then I remembered her husband's college journey. I remember a visit during the first semester of his first year. I opened his math book, perhaps calculus, only to see squiggly lines and mysterious codes. The first page, I could not understand. This man, who had fun in college and still managed to do well, was my daughter's best tutor during her time in college. It is with profound gratefulness that I viewed his help with our daughter's schooling.

So know I look at those diplomas and all they represent. I am staying with these young adults in their lovely home with their adorable daughter. They are doing well for themselves and they alone have made it happen. Hard work and determination, the stuff that success is made of.

No wonder I fell asleep last night with a smile on my lips and a little bit of tears in my eyes.

Sigh.......Here's to my wonderful daughter and her equally wonderful husband.