'Five, four...'
You know what's always been ab it of a letdown ever since I was a little kid? Watching the ball drop. I remember staying up until midnight when I was about seven or something, and being so excited for the ball to drop... And then, when midnight finally hit, all I could think was 'Why didn't the ball explode or something?'
I mean REALLY. Wouldn't that be like, a thousand times cooler? Like. 'It's Midnight! KABLAM! Happy new Year!'
Instead the lights just go out.
Anne:
Our New Year's Eve's are always quite tame. We choose to keep Christmas, instead.
Sam did some homework, as he called it...he sat down with his Ultimate Bar Book and some paper and started writing. He was writing down the name of every drink he's made so far, his rating and his thoughts about the drink, as well as the page the recipe is located on.
He sat there for so long working on his in-depth research, not only writing things down about the drinks he's made, but also researching the other drinks he has not yet made, for which we already had ingredients. AND he was also writing titles of drinks that he wanted to make, for which we needed ingredients...all so very cool (especially how he would write out the words of his ratings: four stars, instead of *making* four stars...heehee...).
It was getting late and I needed to watch our movie before I fell asleep...so I kept asking if everyone would come and watch the movie with me. Sam was (jokingly) moaning about how I was not letting him "do his homework" and how I was making him watch a movie!!
So, when the movie was over (Hamlet 2 ~ FANTASTIC!!), Sam started flipping through channels and he stumbled onto the FLN channel ...and what's on it?? A MIXOLOGY SHOW!!! THANK YOU UNIVERSE FOR AMAZING CONNECTIONS!!! We ended up dvr'ing wonderful shows about drink mixing and drink history, including a show about the history of bourbon and also one that gives a tour of the José Cuervo plant.
A little while ago, I had written a post on my Shine with Unschooling list in response to a member saying that she was afraid of her child eating sugar and she wished she could have kept her sheltered from it for longer. I suggested a shift away from that thinking. I wrote:
My family and I believe that this is the BEST part of home/unschooling...
to be able to truly live IN the world and be a part of all that it offers...
without fear or judgment. ...
Can you think of ONE interest your child may have where you wouldn't want to
JUMP IN TOGETHER, JOYFULLY
instead of *sheltering* her away from the world??
Just shifting OUT of that mindset will allow the
JOY and TRUST
to flow into your home and, more importantly,
into your relationship with your child...
and then the REAL learning (that is unschooling...that is life...) will happen
because it doesn't have to find its way out of the clouds (through the *crap*)...
the way to Joy and Trust and Learning and Real Living is clear,
and the compass' needle is pointing in the direction of your child's heart.
to be able to truly live IN the world and be a part of all that it offers...
without fear or judgment. ...
Can you think of ONE interest your child may have where you wouldn't want to
JUMP IN TOGETHER, JOYFULLY
instead of *sheltering* her away from the world??
Just shifting OUT of that mindset will allow the
JOY and TRUST
to flow into your home and, more importantly,
into your relationship with your child...
and then the REAL learning (that is unschooling...that is life...) will happen
because it doesn't have to find its way out of the clouds (through the *crap*)...
the way to Joy and Trust and Learning and Real Living is clear,
and the compass' needle is pointing in the direction of your child's heart.
My wonderful 14 year old's passion for mixology is certainly living proof of the fact that ANYthing my children are interested in is honored, deeply respected and joyfully celebrated...and for each passion and interest that stems from the hearts of my children, I hold their hands and I JUMP IN JOYFULLY, right along with them!!
(J: Boy, that is not an attractive picture of me. : D)
