Unschooling NYC

We have a video taken at Maya’s 2nd Birthday party.  We invited 3 kids she played with at the time, and the mothers, and a couple of my friends.   It’s very cute to watch the kids, but whenever I see it I have to press the mute button.   Why?  Because in the video, I never shut up! I just want to scream at myself, “God woman, stop telling everyone all the things your child knows!”   But there I am, going on and on about how Maya’s into numbers now, and can spell this or that.   Ugh.   It’s truly nauseating.   (… Read more

I’m back in school and realize that there is one class (usually Math) that I haven’t been attending all semester.  I can’t even really remember when it is, or where.   But I’m sure there’s a final coming up and I haven’t a clue what it’s about.  I’m going to fail and not graduate!   To make matters worse, I can’t find my locker or remember the combination.   The more I try to work it out, the more frantic I become.  The counselor!  Maybe she can help tell me when and where my classes are, and how to find and open my … Read more

Part I: This has a lot to do with ‘happy’ and almost nothing to do with ‘new year’.  Can you guess how long it took me to decide that Wii games are more fun than anything attached to a TV really has a right to be?  Maybe 30 seconds.   The Wii was our gift to ourselves this Christmas.  Kind of a for the whole family gift.  I’d never played one.   We got a package that included Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort.  And then I bought Gotta Dance 2.   As the kids say,  OMG!     First of all, the sports are … Read more

First, this post is way off topic, but every now and then I can’t resist.   Second, I know in advance it is going to get me in trouble, so let me just say – if you see yourself or your actions reflected in any of the topics discussed below, just know that I write with all the love in my heart.

I think we can all agree that some people are really good gift-givers, and others, well, not so much.   Take my friend Nan, for instance.  Fabulous gift-giver.   She and her husband Jeff always come up with cool gifts that … Read more

Why do we work?   Well, to make money to support ourselves and our family if we have one, and hopefully also to do something that fulfills us, or contributes to something we think is worthy.    Service to others is also a reason to work.   When I talk to Maya and Ben about what they might choose to do for when they get older, we talk about things that they would enjoy, or that would provide a worthy experience.    We also talk about what type of businesses they might want to own (this is mostly for Maya at this point), or … Read more

We are in the process of hiring a few new people to work in our store in the city.   Specifically Joshua needs people to do data entry.    In the past we’ve had good results hiring through Craigslist, so last night I placed an ad for Data Entry.   By this afternoon, I had almost 100 responses.   When I place these ads, I always say that we are looking for detail oriented people who can follow simple instructions to the letter.   I then tell people to respond to the ad by sending contact info, two references and a brief description of their … Read more

There is 26 inches of snow in New York City and we are kind of sad we missed it.  Snowstorms are great fun in the city, because for a few hours, everything is forced to a standstill, and the snow is white.

But here in Indiana, there is still a decent amount of snow on the ground, and today the kids were treated to an afternoon and evening with their Uncle Doug (my brother) and Aunt Wendy.    In the past they have gone to the movies together, but they’ve never just gone up to their house and hung out.    I … Read more

I’ve talked about the art of strewing in the past, but  for those who are just joining us, strewing means discovering things in which your kids are interested and then leaving things around for them to find and do related to those things.    Another facet of strewing is doing something (in my case, it’s usually sewing or crocheting) while the kids are around, and watching how they almost magically ask to take part.   Many a tote bag has been sewn in our house as a result of this type of ‘strewing’.     I’ve also been known to pop in a documentary … Read more

The first bad thing about Christmas?  Starbucks is closed.  (At least in Columbus Indiana).

The second bad thing?  ….I can’t think of a second.   I love Christmas.  I don’t get people who are grumpy at Christmastime.   What’s not to love?   Good food, presents, magic, and family.   Ok, maybe for some people the family part isn’t so fun – I’m lucky in that regard – but everything else?   Golden.

We’re not a religious Christmas family.  We’re a no religion, dual holiday family,  Joshua being a secular Jew from Israel and me being a once Lutheran but now something of a neo-pagan,(according … Read more

As I mentioned a day or two ago, we are in Indiana at the moment.  We come every year at Christmas, and I love spending a week or so on the farm.   It’s great for the kids to run around in the fields, play in the barns and do all the ‘dangerous’ stuff farm kids do on a regular basis.  (Like riding on the open tailgate of a pick up truck when going back to the pasture or into the fields.)   This Christmas we have the added bonus of snow – enough snow for some serious sledding.     There is a … Read more