I have facebook friends who are trying out cloth diapers, homemade baby food, etc. etc. If these friends knew what kinds of things I let slide in lieu of insanity, they might turn me in. For example: my kids sleep in their clothes sometimes-- not because I like it, but because I don't check. I send them to bed and am just super grateful they're there, that I don't ask questions. Looking a gift horse in the mouth, you know
We sometimes have cereal for dinner.
The year before they go to kindergarten usually spend LOTS of time in front of media.
I am, at this moment, CRINGING at these confessions.
I buy bread from the store-- and like it.
I don't often shower before --5 pm
The Wendy's drive up people totally know me.
I once paid my kid NOT to enter the science fair.
The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days. On the other hand, she who lets habits take care of themselves has a weary life of endless friction. The mother needs to acquire her own habit of training her children so that, by and by, it is not troublesome to her, but a pleasure......(Charlotte Mason)
I could probably take a lesson or two from Madame Mason about consistency and order. But I guess you just do what you can do and hope, in the end, they become the people you wish for them to be despite their dirty clothes, messy rooms, and rumpled tresses. Because they also have tickle spiders, inside jokes, trampoline games, and good memories. Hopefully, too, they'll learn the pleasure of order, the thrill of learning, the satisfaction of work, and the hope of a better tomorrow that They are in charge of creating.
Practicing Alternative Dispute Resolution Finding humor in the daily Stuff; Occasionally waxing poetic and philosophical; Preserving a history for my family
3 comments:
My mom told me that dirty kids were happy kids. She was right (but don't tell her I told you :-). Store bought bread is yummy, as a dirty faces sleeping (think about all the immunity they are building up). You are a great mom and your kids are super wonderful!
I don't know WHO Charlotte Mason is but she probably [1] either has no children or [2] has a nanny and or cook/houskeeper.
Personally, I love Charlotte Mason. Anytime I read over her philisophy I have such a calming feeling. Of course, I've switched tracks over the years. Going from a very hectic life to a calm, cohesive one has been enlightening. The thing is...the calm might have come much sooner had I stopped having children. Ha, ha! Since that is not the case, I did the next logical thing. I got rid of the piles of extra stuff, brought my kids home, and now take care of it all as a family. Whether it's learning, doing dishes or making mud pies, we're one big mess together. Most importantly, I let go of my stress. What that really means is I don't hold everyone's opinion's too high up. That also means that I just embrace the fact that my kids are making messes, sleeping in their clothes and eating store bought bread. In a sense I think Charlotte Mason meant let us govern only to the point that we can still enjoy our lives instead of cringe at it.
Just today the 3 year old and I went to the store with his eccentric outfit that he put on himself. Instead of embarrassment, I felt giddy that he was so cute and ready to go (Then again, now that I think about it, the last time I saw YOU at the store I was wearing pajamas and sweater socks. Still - no embarrassment).
So I wouldn't call all of this survival parenting. Just enduring well. :)
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