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Blogfodder first. I hate linking to – hell I hate reading the Huffington Post, partly because it’s mostly boring predictable liberal agitprop but mostly because they don’t pay writers for providing content that makes the website money.
But this struck me as very true, so here it is.
Simplicity Parenting encourages keeping fewer toys so children engage more deeply with the ones they have. Payne describes the four pillars of excess as having too much stuff, too many choices, too much information and too much speed.
When children are overwhelmed they lose the precious down time they need to explore, reflect and release tension. Too many choices erodes happiness, robbing kids of the gift of boredom which encourages creativity and self-directed learning.
It’s a useful argument to have handy: “You’re bored? Good. I’m just here to help. You’re welcome.”
True story: 11-year old just showed me a drawing of a space scene he’d done, describing the moment as “A cross between The Far Side and Mister Roberts.”
(The theme being the character in the drawing feeling left out of the action and feeling a yearning to be involved in distant battles and adventures. The Far Side cartoon involved a wolf in the middle of a forest holding a desk job, apparently.)
Very few Daily Homeschool Reports, I know. School has certainly happened, but every day has been truncated by afternoon activities – some of our own design, like walking the trail behind the local Jewish Community Center – and some involving other homeschoolers. Park Day, Gym Day, etc. Too nice to stay inside.
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The most notable thing we’ve done this week is read and discuss half of The Red Pony. I had never read it, but I have to say that I am being blown away by the depth of discussion this slim book is inspiring. It is a tough book in some respects, but also a very good starting point for a young reader to dive deeply into motifs, themes and so on. It is probably all but impossible to teach in a classroom now, even the young teens who could be ready for it, considering that it involves death and sorrow and other triggers.
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LOOK.
Ann Engelhart has illustrated a new book for Regina Doman’s Chesterton Press, a book written by Chesterton doyenne Nancy Carpentier Brown:
Doesn’t it look lovely? I can hardly wait to see a copy!
Hey, guys, I will be at the Catholic Library Association/National Catholic Education Association meetings in San Diego on March 29-30. I am for sure signing books at the OSV booth Tuesday at 2, and hopefully will be at one or two other publishers’ as well. If you are going to be there or have an educator friend who will, please tell them to say hello!
Oh – today’s my day in Living Faith. Check out the entry here.
A couple of years ago, we visited the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta. There’s a tour there, during which you can peer through windows and see lots and lots of paper money being collected and sorted. At the end, you take away a little plastic bag full of shredded bills, once “worth” something, now “worth” nothing.
Speaking of books…order some from me! Signed editions of any of the picture books (illustrated by Ann) at 8 bucks a title. Big orders for your entire First Communion class welcome! If you order in the next day or so, they will probably reach you by Easter.
For more Quick Takes, visit This Ain’t the Lyceum!
Crafts & Vintage
Oh goodness. I think I had to read The Red Pony in the 6th grade for class. I was a big horse-lover then and it completely ruined Steinbeck for me and tried not to read anything else of his (except the Grapes, required..) Definitely some tough subject matter in that reading….
HuffPost isn’t all bad. I write there and it’s not terrible, considering that they do accept republications (so no extra work, since you already wrote them) and they do send a lot of eyes your way by linking back to your personal blog. Of course I’m not saying I wouldn’t accept if they offered to pay me. :)