Somtimes I get so involved in the day-to-day that it takes me a while to "see" something as a cool unschooling thing. The last few weeks, Wyl has been absorbed in "making potions"; basically playing in the bathroom with small and medium bottles (mouthwash, trial size shampoo, etc.), water, some comb-in hair dye of his, mouthwash, soap and all sorts of colored things. It started out quite a while ago with 2 or 3 "Zelda/Link" potions... there was a long interval after that before he really started experimenting with color and trying to work with consistency. At first, I was kind of bothered because there was blue and red mess all over the sink (and occasionally the tub)-extra I had to clean up. But I've come to see the coolness of it all. So, I started looking around, trying to find ways to make "thick water". Started thinking about powdered poster/tempera paints, small squirt-bottles of poster paint, food coloring (though I wonder if that would have more stain effect), Kool Aid (didn't they used to have a kind that was white until you mixed it in water and you got "surprised" by the color?), etc. I asked him if he'd like to go shopping for potion bottles and so we have been. Its been fun scouting around thrift stores, looking for cool shaped bottles with stoppers and corks! I've yet to find a cheap source for paints, but we'll keep looking. The potion he made last night has neat pearlescent swirls in it that constantly move and twist-but never actually fully integrate into the liquid. Wonder how we'd Google that to find out why...
Storm's speech has taken a little jump today. I slipped back into "old ways" a week or so ago, "over-pronouncing" "M-O-R-E", trying to "encourage" him to speak more clearly (almost everything is "moh-"; more, blue [Blue's Clues], come here, pick me up, mama [though sometimes that will come out moh moh], milk, etc.) and when I thought about it later, I was embarrassed and chagrined. I *so* want to be able to understand this spirited child, who often gets frustrated when we can't understand him. Understandably so, but I really wish I could spare him that, and be able to "say yes" right away, instead of having to decipher or guess what he is saying first. I'm very glad we didn't have to deal with speaking/understanding difficulties with our first, since we hadn't found unschooling yet and I was often HIGHLY concerned with where my child was in regards to "the norm". Thank goodness we're over THAT. :~) So, anyway, Storm asked for "mioh" today (milk), and it excited me at first, then I got bummed and wondered if this sudden change was because *I* had a problem with the way he said "more" and tried to *correct* him... :~( I not only took the joy out of that for *both* of us, but I failed to TRUST him. :~(
Sometimes I get frustrated with myself with regard to the regular posters on my regular unschooling post boards.... I should probably have more patience with myself-and I *do* have far more patience with myself than I used to-but at this point, I don't. I "see" the patience and eloquence and "advanced unschooling" thoughts these ladies share and I sometimes feel I will never be "that enlightened". Like this week with an unschooling math board I'm on, as example. Somehow, a few people made it onto the board without "realizing" it was an unschooling board and were rude (calling names), ignorant and insulting. It makes me grumpy and cranky. I don't feel like "gently informing" or helping "lift them up" to my level, I want to give them what for in no uncertain terms. I hate wasting my patience on people like that. Deliberate ignorance is my pet peeve. So, instead of taking this person to task, I left it to others and kept my mouth shut. Feh. Maybe I wouldn't if it was my own board or if I knew the owner well enough to know that she would welcome that kind of thing.
So, living, learning, growing...
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