Hand-in-Hand

Today I had the pleasure of walking to the playground in my neighborhood with Ev and Hari. It always amazes me how much I learn from these sweet and sometimes sour little ones. Lately Hari has been uber independent. I've been doing my best to encourage her even though it's against my nature. So all the way to the park I let her hold Ev's hand instead of mine as she wished. They looked so incredibly adorable walking in front of me hand-in-hand. Because they look so much like their mothers, I expect them to act much differently than they do.
I expect Ev to be athletic, dare-devilish and too busy to stop and notice the little things, yet she never walks by a bug she doesn't have to inspect and she is the one that nearly poked her eyeball into the sewer through a manhole hole to see what was down there. She stops to observe everything--including globs of cut wet grass that she refers to as "dragon poop."  She packed her book in my bag in case she found a nice shady tree to sit under and read just like her Auntie Lysa used to. She tried to get Hari to listen as she told us a tale about the mushrooms and the microscopic worms that live inside it, but Hari wasn't having it.
Hari was much to busy chasing her favorite ball that is bigger than she is. She insists on bringing it to the park every time we go. She simply does not have the time to plant seeds in the grass when there is so much open space to run away from Gram in. She is very orderly in her park play. She goes from one activity--slide, show Gram a trick, ride the seahorse, swing--to the next in the same order over and over.
Today that all ended when she saw Ev climb up the slide. From that point on climbing up the slide was Hari's single goal. Because of her independent spirit she likes me to stay back as she plays. I'd be more comfortable much closer to her than she likes me to be. On the walk over I was thinking about how giving her the freedom she is asking for would help build her self-confidence. So with that fresh on my mind I stayed back as Hari struggled over and over to get up the slide. I encouraged her verbally, but stayed back. I was feeling like the world's best Gram. I looked over at Ev taking my eyes off Hari for just a second and heard that thump all mamas hate to hear at the playground. In her attempt to pull herself up the slide by grabbing the bar she flipped herself off at about three and a half feet. ARGGG! One would think I'd know better than to get cocky. While I rushed over to "help" Hari up she simply got up crying, dusted herself off still crying and proceeded to try to climb the slide again despite her tears. This time I learned my lesson, trusted my instincts and gave her a little help. I was thinking I'd lost the opportunity to build her confidence but when she reached the top she got the biggest I did it grin and started clapping while chanting, "Hari!" It appears she realizes getting a little help now and then doesn't take away your glory. She is a little dare-devil trickster like her Auntie Coie was at her age.
So I learned it's unlikely I'll ever figure out how to perfectly support these girls as they grow into women but that it's okay because they'll give me a little help when I need it and they'll certainly challenge everyone of my expectations. Not bad for a trip to the playground.

Spring or Fall: A New Unschool Year Begins

As it is the beginning of our unschool year we will be doing all sorts of fun new stuff. We are continuing letterboxing, flat traveling, visiting John Day Fossil Beds, being actively involved in COOL--our local unschooling group, learning to draw with the Monart system, researching our family tree, completing some of our science kits and keeping a lab book on them, volunteering at the High Desert Museum with the birds of prey, learning to play either the bag pipes(Sam first choice) or Guitar(a backup) and learning babysitting basics so Sam can save for a Mustang. He's only 12 but he's determined that his first car will be a 65 Mustang Fastback so he's going to start earning $$ by babysitting his niece.
I am also beginning many new endeavors on my own. I am taking some classes at the community college, blogging & making crafts to sell at a Christmas craft show. I'll also be making diapers for my latest grandson whom we expect Nov. 13.
With all of these new beginnings it feels more like Spring than Autumn. That's okay though, I take my joy wherever I find it.
Watch for our flat traveler posts!!