Metabolics and Homeschool Philosophies

I've found two child-rearing "rules" so far.  They're complicated so pay attention. 

1. Follow Biblical guidelines. 

2. Let each child be their own person. 

Ok, maybe not so complicated. 

I don't expect my children to be the same as each other or the same as their friends. I don't expect them to like the same things or develop on the same schedule. And that's good. You know why? Because they aren't the same!  If you compared me with twenty five of my peers chosen solely by location we might not even be on the same page. I would look incompetent compared to some of them and I might be a genius compared with some others. Wouldn't comparing me with myself yesterday or last month be a more accurate way to discern what I'm learning? 

You see, in some things, Micah's "behind." Behind the average, I mean. (Although what exactly is an average child? I don't think I've ever met one.)  In a lot of things Micah is not "behind" at all. He has strengths and challenges and he will face them all his life. I will not teach him to give his challenges a name and dismiss them. We're going to work on them. We're going to take our time. 

How much of this is related to his IVA? I can only guess but probably a good amount of it. The official paperwork states that 50% of babies live through the crisis. And then that some of them make a full recovery. We're not at full recovery mode yet but if he continues as he has been we'll be there in a year or two (or four) I think. 

All of these factors force me to think about education. I find most modern (American) educational standards and philosophies to be a bit ridiculous. Ok, a lot ridiculous. My five or six or seven year old does not need to spend 7+ hours a day away from his family, sitting in a desk, surrounded by children his own age. How is that developmentally appropriate? And I don't really care if he tests the same as the next kid. Or reads when the neighbor's boy does. Or does math at the same level as his brother. I want him to be his best. 

I find I'm not alone in this outlook. 

Matt Walsh (in case I haven't told you, I love his blog) weighed in on this subject recently. Also just google "delayed academics" for starters. You can go from there.   

This is not an uncommon stance. Education can be tailored to the abilities and challenges of each child instead of to test questions. Quite a few homeschool advocates are also advocates of allowing children to develop at their own pace instead of pushing them to adapt to the timeline of "normal."  (And maybe even let them be children instead of pushing testing at such young ages.)

If an "expert" told me that my piano playing wasn't good enough because someone else was learning quicker or had a more natural inclination to playing I would want to quit. Why? Because I can't compete with them. I can only work with what I have. If I didn't quit, I would grow to hate it. Instead of enjoying what I was learning I would be consumed with what I wasn't doing yet. Is that any way to go through years and years of school?  

Micah and I have started preschool this year and he's doing great. And by preschool I mean that we're playing games, reading, and singing songs. Really, we aren't doing much new; I'm simply keeping track of it for my own benefit.  It's fun to learn what works for him and what his strengths and challenges are.

Now here's to letting him learn on his own schedule. No comparisons. No pushing. 

(Of course I'm not talking about not pushing him to do his best. I want my children to learn to do THEIR very best. I'm talking about not pushing him to be, or to do, like someone else.)

I know plenty of people, my husband and myself included, who went successfully through a public or private school system. What about you? What led  you to your educational choices? How are they working out for your family? 

Early K-3

I said a few weeks ago that we (Micah and I) were in unofficial school. And I really meant unofficial. I never call it "school" to Micah. I want him to think that learning is fun and normal, not shoved into a small corner of time called "school." However despite all that I did put some supplies in a basket. (Actually, it was linen bin I had in Kevin's closet.)

The Contents

We have our Bible story book and our "God Made the World" book in our basket. We read through this storybook when Micah was little but haven't use it for a while. He loves the other book. 

There are three number books. He especially likes "Ned's Number Book." It's very cute. And old. 

We have four alphabet books. He really enjoys them all but especially the big flip book at the bottom. 

Our Bible principle notebook that I made (and haven't finished- need some applicable stickers.)

A coloring book and a tracing workbook. We'll probably start "tracing" with our finger to begin with. 

I stuck two little books for Kevin in there. Micah loved the Mommy book when he was little and he really enjoys "The Hungry Caterpillar." We just bought it for Kevin.

Two little sets of flashcards. This is how I know Micah knows his colors :) 

And a color/shapes puzzle and an alphabet puzzle that we haven't really used yet. 

We don't work out of it every day but we read the number and alphabet books almost every day. He really enjoys reading so it's a fun way to teach him! We'll gradually add in more work with some of the other materials as we progress. 

The bin sits by the couch so it's easy to pick something out of it when we're reading and he frequently looks through it when the boys are playing. I like having it in the bin instead of the bottom of the bookcase because really, who wants to sit on the hard floor to read? Although it might help me stay awake...