My education at a cooperative pre-school
Then I discovered my dream come true: a cooperative pre-school. A co-op cuts costs by hiring only the teachers; parents perform all other work and take turns as teacher aide. This innovative solution would give the boys the benefits of school and allow me to be involved in my children’s education while also having personal time.
Trusting my child to choose his own adventure: democratic unschooling in action
I’ve been answering the question, “What grade is your son in?” for nine years, and even now I’m never quite sure what will come out of my mouth. My son has been attending The Clearwater School since age four. Clearwater is a Sudbury school, a democratic school based on freedom, trust, and responsibility. Kids have as much of a say in running the school as adults.
Raising Miss Manners: how I taught my toddler to be polite
Maybe I am old-fashioned (despite the piercings and tattoos), but I think that by teaching my children manners, even before they fully understand them, that I’m laying groundwork for a future where they show others respect, and are respectable. Whats more, I feel that because my family is unconventional in many ways, that its even more important to observe conventional manners and etiquette.
Becoming a mom motivated me to learn to ride a bike
I wouldn’t say bike riding was a phobia, but I was 22 and I didn’t know how to ride. There was definitely a psychological part to it, but mostly I was just embarrassed. When you’re five, you’re fearless! When you’re 22, not so much.
How libraries shaped my motherhood
When my baby was born, he and I became library story time regulars. In a little room with a disfigured Hungry Caterpillar mural and stained carpet, I learned the Portuguese lullaby I still sing my boys at night and at least six ways my knees could be horses.
My kids are my great kitchen apprentices
Cooking is a total sensory and educational experience — my kids have learned fractions and enhanced math skills with the measuring of ingredients — just by hanging with me in the kitchen.
Parents are people, too: musings on the lessons that we teach
It’s super sweet when your kid copies something great that you do, but that’s not always the case — the lessons your kids learn from you at a young age can impact their young adulthood and teen years.