Sunday, February 24, 2008
Going away
No posts for four days or so. We're off to Sydney for Bright Eyes' assessment week. Should be fun! I get to drive over the harbour bridge by myself tomorrow morning with three kids in the back. eeeek.
I want a different nose and other stuff
I've got the worst hayfever and I've had it for months. I'm allergic to dustmites and I think they have taken over the house. Even washing the carpets and the curtains hasn't improved things. Help!
Big Love is on SBS again. This is a must-see drama involving a polygamous Mormon family in Utah. The dilemmas of multi-wife families is an eye-opener!
Am learning to sketch. I've always wanted to draw and been crummy at it, but now is the time. Library books and practice are helping.
Knitting barbie clothes is fun and achievable.
My youngest child is obsessed with being naked.
Big Love is on SBS again. This is a must-see drama involving a polygamous Mormon family in Utah. The dilemmas of multi-wife families is an eye-opener!
Am learning to sketch. I've always wanted to draw and been crummy at it, but now is the time. Library books and practice are helping.
Knitting barbie clothes is fun and achievable.
My youngest child is obsessed with being naked.
Thanks...
...to Mum, Dad and Pop who came down to our place yesterday and worked like well, workaholic self-motivated small businesspeople in order to help us mow and edge the large lawn and clean up the garage and the kitchen. The fridge is clean, the boxes are gone and we all had a lovely day together.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Two cool
Two cool things happened today.
1. With great trepidation I rang a publisher about the friendship book manuscript. I was worried that I'd sound like a crazy woman because sometimes I stumble and forget my words when I speak on the phone. However, I sounded relatively coherent, and the editor was warm, encouraging and best of all, interested! I'm sending her a synopsis and a sample chapter. Here's hoping!
2. I visited the local homeschooling get-together and it was great. Loads of children everywhere playing together beautifully and creatively. (The parents were also pretty nice.) There were teenagers learning to make baklava and in their turn teaching younger ones. There was a gorgeous group of eight year old girls who came straight up to my daughter, smiled and offered to play with her. I don't think I've seen such friendly and mature children since my days amongst Missionary Kids in Pakistan. It added fuel to the fire and I have filled out an application to homeschool my daughter. Not posted yet though...
1. With great trepidation I rang a publisher about the friendship book manuscript. I was worried that I'd sound like a crazy woman because sometimes I stumble and forget my words when I speak on the phone. However, I sounded relatively coherent, and the editor was warm, encouraging and best of all, interested! I'm sending her a synopsis and a sample chapter. Here's hoping!
2. I visited the local homeschooling get-together and it was great. Loads of children everywhere playing together beautifully and creatively. (The parents were also pretty nice.) There were teenagers learning to make baklava and in their turn teaching younger ones. There was a gorgeous group of eight year old girls who came straight up to my daughter, smiled and offered to play with her. I don't think I've seen such friendly and mature children since my days amongst Missionary Kids in Pakistan. It added fuel to the fire and I have filled out an application to homeschool my daughter. Not posted yet though...
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Discombobulated
Yesterday's post about all the thinking and changing I've been doing is all very well. It's been occupying my mind extensively for a long time.
But then I sat down to read 'Gogo Mama' a book about the lives of 12 African women by Sally Sara, the ABC Africa correspondent.
The first woman was mutilated with her lips cut off by the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda. They also killed her daughter and murdered her husband. Her family work their fields during the day and sleep anywhere they can find to hide at night, just in case they get attacked again by the rebels. Children are at constant risk of being abducted and forced into becoming child soldiers. Men can be murdered. Woman are raped and mutilated.
The second woman, a traditional Pygmy lives with her family in the path of a live volcano in DR Congo, because she and her tribe were forced out of their traditional land in the forest. Being abjectly poor and the lowest of the low, they had no other option but to till the land no-one else wanted. The volcano has erupted twice in the last 30 years. Each time they had 15 minutes to get to safety up a hill, and watch all their possessions and their crops be crushed and sizzled by molten lava.
The other stories include a woman who survived the Rwandan genocide, one who walked her children across Sudan to a refugee camp, through starvation and terror, one who is fighting female genital mutilation and one who didn't want to get married. As she wouldn't cooperate, her family arranged for her to be abducted and raped by the prospective bridegroom.
I read this stuff and it shakes my life around. Are we all living in the same universe? Why is my biggest problem autism, where another woman's is rape, or anguish, or constant anxiety from fear of attack a baby who died of untreated dehydration?
Discombobulated apparently means shook all out of whack. That's how I feel some days.
But then I sat down to read 'Gogo Mama' a book about the lives of 12 African women by Sally Sara, the ABC Africa correspondent.
The first woman was mutilated with her lips cut off by the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda. They also killed her daughter and murdered her husband. Her family work their fields during the day and sleep anywhere they can find to hide at night, just in case they get attacked again by the rebels. Children are at constant risk of being abducted and forced into becoming child soldiers. Men can be murdered. Woman are raped and mutilated.
The second woman, a traditional Pygmy lives with her family in the path of a live volcano in DR Congo, because she and her tribe were forced out of their traditional land in the forest. Being abjectly poor and the lowest of the low, they had no other option but to till the land no-one else wanted. The volcano has erupted twice in the last 30 years. Each time they had 15 minutes to get to safety up a hill, and watch all their possessions and their crops be crushed and sizzled by molten lava.
The other stories include a woman who survived the Rwandan genocide, one who walked her children across Sudan to a refugee camp, through starvation and terror, one who is fighting female genital mutilation and one who didn't want to get married. As she wouldn't cooperate, her family arranged for her to be abducted and raped by the prospective bridegroom.
I read this stuff and it shakes my life around. Are we all living in the same universe? Why is my biggest problem autism, where another woman's is rape, or anguish, or constant anxiety from fear of attack a baby who died of untreated dehydration?
Discombobulated apparently means shook all out of whack. That's how I feel some days.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Change
In the last two years, but especially in the last two months, I have undergone some huge changes in my thinking about parenting and education.
I have come from being a person who had strict rules and incredibly high standards to being a person who will never again use a smack or a 'naughty spot' and who doesn't really care if the kids don't get bathed this evening. I have come from rolling my eyes whenever I heard about homeschooling, to feeling incredibly enthusiastic about it and wishing I was doing it right now... for everyone.
It began because of Bright Eyes, our son's autism and the therapy we chose for him - Relationship Development Intervention. In the end, it has been more a therapy for us than for him.
We had to get to a point where we accepted what we had done with Bright Eyes so far had not worked, and was not going to work. I’m talking about the regular parenting things like naughty spots and reasoning and explanations and smacking and time outs and all the regular 'discipline' things we had done with our daughter.
We had to completely change our tack with him. We also had to look at our attitudes of how we perceived our children, what we expected from them and why, and what our basic presumptions were.
I realised that I came from a point of view where even though I loved them, I saw the children as unimportant, impositions and also a source of pride and status. What they did reflected on me. If I could make them behave, I looked better and got more kudos as a ‘good parent’.
I also wanted them to go away and leave me alone when I was doing most things because they took up time and energy and nothing was as efficient. I also saw them as naughty and gave them consequences accordingly.
So back to Bright Eyes, whose behaviour at the age of three was completely appalling. He threw six to eight major tantrums a day, never listened, yelled and screamed and was impossible to manage with my regular control techniques.
I needed other ways to deal with him, so I started reading.
One important book was ‘The Explosive Child’ which taught me to relax and realise that there are many things that just don’t matter. It also taught me that punishments and time outs put up power struggles. It is far better to see the child as a partner in solving the problem.
RDI taught us to take a far more interactive approach with all the children. We command less, and invite more. We do more things together, we slow down, we get rid of things we don’t need and that cause stress. We enjoy our company together and choose less pressurised lives. We don’t worry so much about things that make us appear good and acceptable - like having pyjamas for example (Bright Eyes sleeps in his clothes). We seek alternative solutions to difficulties that come up. Most of them can simply be solved by taking more time and not making everyone go on my schedule, which I have to admit is fairly pressurised.
I started to use the different things I had learned from RDI and the other books with my daughter too. I had always found her to be clingy, needy and able to throw absolutely enormous tantrums. Seeing her as a partner in problem solving our difficulties, and giving hugs instead of time outs was actually far more effective in really solving the problems. She has become less needy and much happier (and has consequently made me happier).
However, I was still not really getting it. All last year I was incredibly depressed and swore all the time in my head. I cried and cried every week because my son was so very difficult. RDI, slowing down and doing all this stuff so very difficult. It didn’t feel right to me, and it didn’t feel like I was useful or fulfilling my potential.
At the same time, I was so worried about Bright Eyes going to school in a year’s time. I just couldn’t see that he would cope at all, and I didn’t see that teaching him to sit in a classroom and stand in line would help him in his life when his problems are more complex than that.
Lots of people who do RDI also seem to homeschool their kids, but the thought filled me with utter dread. I thought I’d better look into it though, as I would seriously do anything possible to help my little boy, so I asked a lady I know if I could read some of her books about homeschooling.
She brought a whole stack around and I went through them and had a mini-conversion experience.
The reading I did changed my whole attitude towards all the children. I can’t exactly say what it was that changed me. Perhaps the idea that learning will happen, even if I just relax and don’t feel all the stress of having to do something.
But I did have an incredible change. The swearing went away. I have more energy. I have miles more patience. I have been enjoying them so much. We went through the summer holidays just having fun and being together and enjoying each other. At the same time I could see my daughter ‘learning’ all through the holidays in the ways the books talked about.
I thought, “It could be like this all the time. There’s no decree from heaven that says you have to go to school. There’s no moral rule of the universe that says going to school is the way you must learn."
Having the idea that Bright Eyes didn't have to be 'ready' for school has also helped me relax with him and let him improve at his own pace. He will be ok if I allow him room to process everything and move ahead as he is ready.
I then started to think through the ideas of: rewarding and punishing, grades, learning what you want to learn, learning in fits and starts rather than with steady progress... all sorts of things.
I have started to relax much much more with all the children. I feel a little bit like a weirdo hippie, and I'm a bit nervous because the way I've done things has been changed, but I have had such an attitude shift towards real joy and better relationships with the children, and also with my husband that I just don’t think I believe in compulsory traditional schooling anymore.
I am of course in the first flushes of a new idea, and I rarely do things by halves, so I am enthusiastic – most likely annoyingly so. I am just so pleased to be at peace, happy and enjoying the children, and seeing good results from what I’ve been trying out.
I have come from being a person who had strict rules and incredibly high standards to being a person who will never again use a smack or a 'naughty spot' and who doesn't really care if the kids don't get bathed this evening. I have come from rolling my eyes whenever I heard about homeschooling, to feeling incredibly enthusiastic about it and wishing I was doing it right now... for everyone.
It began because of Bright Eyes, our son's autism and the therapy we chose for him - Relationship Development Intervention. In the end, it has been more a therapy for us than for him.
We had to get to a point where we accepted what we had done with Bright Eyes so far had not worked, and was not going to work. I’m talking about the regular parenting things like naughty spots and reasoning and explanations and smacking and time outs and all the regular 'discipline' things we had done with our daughter.
We had to completely change our tack with him. We also had to look at our attitudes of how we perceived our children, what we expected from them and why, and what our basic presumptions were.
I realised that I came from a point of view where even though I loved them, I saw the children as unimportant, impositions and also a source of pride and status. What they did reflected on me. If I could make them behave, I looked better and got more kudos as a ‘good parent’.
I also wanted them to go away and leave me alone when I was doing most things because they took up time and energy and nothing was as efficient. I also saw them as naughty and gave them consequences accordingly.
So back to Bright Eyes, whose behaviour at the age of three was completely appalling. He threw six to eight major tantrums a day, never listened, yelled and screamed and was impossible to manage with my regular control techniques.
I needed other ways to deal with him, so I started reading.
One important book was ‘The Explosive Child’ which taught me to relax and realise that there are many things that just don’t matter. It also taught me that punishments and time outs put up power struggles. It is far better to see the child as a partner in solving the problem.
RDI taught us to take a far more interactive approach with all the children. We command less, and invite more. We do more things together, we slow down, we get rid of things we don’t need and that cause stress. We enjoy our company together and choose less pressurised lives. We don’t worry so much about things that make us appear good and acceptable - like having pyjamas for example (Bright Eyes sleeps in his clothes). We seek alternative solutions to difficulties that come up. Most of them can simply be solved by taking more time and not making everyone go on my schedule, which I have to admit is fairly pressurised.
I started to use the different things I had learned from RDI and the other books with my daughter too. I had always found her to be clingy, needy and able to throw absolutely enormous tantrums. Seeing her as a partner in problem solving our difficulties, and giving hugs instead of time outs was actually far more effective in really solving the problems. She has become less needy and much happier (and has consequently made me happier).
However, I was still not really getting it. All last year I was incredibly depressed and swore all the time in my head. I cried and cried every week because my son was so very difficult. RDI, slowing down and doing all this stuff so very difficult. It didn’t feel right to me, and it didn’t feel like I was useful or fulfilling my potential.
At the same time, I was so worried about Bright Eyes going to school in a year’s time. I just couldn’t see that he would cope at all, and I didn’t see that teaching him to sit in a classroom and stand in line would help him in his life when his problems are more complex than that.
Lots of people who do RDI also seem to homeschool their kids, but the thought filled me with utter dread. I thought I’d better look into it though, as I would seriously do anything possible to help my little boy, so I asked a lady I know if I could read some of her books about homeschooling.
She brought a whole stack around and I went through them and had a mini-conversion experience.
The reading I did changed my whole attitude towards all the children. I can’t exactly say what it was that changed me. Perhaps the idea that learning will happen, even if I just relax and don’t feel all the stress of having to do something.
But I did have an incredible change. The swearing went away. I have more energy. I have miles more patience. I have been enjoying them so much. We went through the summer holidays just having fun and being together and enjoying each other. At the same time I could see my daughter ‘learning’ all through the holidays in the ways the books talked about.
I thought, “It could be like this all the time. There’s no decree from heaven that says you have to go to school. There’s no moral rule of the universe that says going to school is the way you must learn."
Having the idea that Bright Eyes didn't have to be 'ready' for school has also helped me relax with him and let him improve at his own pace. He will be ok if I allow him room to process everything and move ahead as he is ready.
I then started to think through the ideas of: rewarding and punishing, grades, learning what you want to learn, learning in fits and starts rather than with steady progress... all sorts of things.
I have started to relax much much more with all the children. I feel a little bit like a weirdo hippie, and I'm a bit nervous because the way I've done things has been changed, but I have had such an attitude shift towards real joy and better relationships with the children, and also with my husband that I just don’t think I believe in compulsory traditional schooling anymore.
I am of course in the first flushes of a new idea, and I rarely do things by halves, so I am enthusiastic – most likely annoyingly so. I am just so pleased to be at peace, happy and enjoying the children, and seeing good results from what I’ve been trying out.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
5,000
I've just noticed that I'm about to get my 5,000th hit on this blog. Cool. If it's you, please leave a message to let me know!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
For heavens sake just let the kid read it
Parent-teacher information night last night. I came home more than a little frustrated.
The school is introducing a new reading program to help extend children who can now read fairly independently. This is good. They have bought a whole lot of readers from Scholastic. This is good too. The books look fresh and attractive. I would have liked to have read a few of them myself. This is also good.
However, this is how the program works.
The kid does an online test on the computer to see 'what level' they read at. Then they are able to borrow a book 'at their level'. Once they've read it, they can get a new one if they pass another online comprehension test about it.
"It's to see that they can understand what they are reading," explained the teacher.
My question: "Surely if they are reading it keenly and getting through it and want the next book, they shouldn't need to do a test?"
The teacher: "Oh, you'd be surprised to see what a lot of children read without actually comprehending. (Holds up a fantastic looking book) Take this book, for example. This is the holy grail of reading for some of these kids because it's big, it's shiny and it's impressive to look at. But I want to make sure the child is at the right level before they are allowed to read it."
Another parent piped up loudly. "Yes, a case in point is my daughter. She came home from the library where they had free choice (splutters in indignation) with the Green Gables trilogy. I mean, it was three inches wide and I knew she was never going to get through it. I said to her, "Is this yours?" and she said, "Yes, isn't it a great book?" and I said, "How long are you allowed to borrow for?" and she said "two weeks" and I said, "There's no way you'll ever get through that!"
Please.
Let the kid read the book. Does it matter that they don't 'comprehend' every single thing? I read the entire Narnia series except for two, and books about Nazi concentration camps when I was eight. I didn't understand everything in them, but I understood enough to make them interesting and meaningful for me at the time. As I went on to re-read things in later years, I understood more.
If a book is 'the holy grail' of reading for a third class child, for heavens sake, let the child read the book. If my daughter brought home the Green Gables Trilogy and only had two weeks to read it, I'd buy her her own copy if she didn't get through it in time. I might even take some time to read it with her at night.
Testing, levels, comprehension.... piffle.
The school is introducing a new reading program to help extend children who can now read fairly independently. This is good. They have bought a whole lot of readers from Scholastic. This is good too. The books look fresh and attractive. I would have liked to have read a few of them myself. This is also good.
However, this is how the program works.
The kid does an online test on the computer to see 'what level' they read at. Then they are able to borrow a book 'at their level'. Once they've read it, they can get a new one if they pass another online comprehension test about it.
"It's to see that they can understand what they are reading," explained the teacher.
My question: "Surely if they are reading it keenly and getting through it and want the next book, they shouldn't need to do a test?"
The teacher: "Oh, you'd be surprised to see what a lot of children read without actually comprehending. (Holds up a fantastic looking book) Take this book, for example. This is the holy grail of reading for some of these kids because it's big, it's shiny and it's impressive to look at. But I want to make sure the child is at the right level before they are allowed to read it."
Another parent piped up loudly. "Yes, a case in point is my daughter. She came home from the library where they had free choice (splutters in indignation) with the Green Gables trilogy. I mean, it was three inches wide and I knew she was never going to get through it. I said to her, "Is this yours?" and she said, "Yes, isn't it a great book?" and I said, "How long are you allowed to borrow for?" and she said "two weeks" and I said, "There's no way you'll ever get through that!"
Please.
Let the kid read the book. Does it matter that they don't 'comprehend' every single thing? I read the entire Narnia series except for two, and books about Nazi concentration camps when I was eight. I didn't understand everything in them, but I understood enough to make them interesting and meaningful for me at the time. As I went on to re-read things in later years, I understood more.
If a book is 'the holy grail' of reading for a third class child, for heavens sake, let the child read the book. If my daughter brought home the Green Gables Trilogy and only had two weeks to read it, I'd buy her her own copy if she didn't get through it in time. I might even take some time to read it with her at night.
Testing, levels, comprehension.... piffle.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Bible time
I'm trying to read the Bible more. Sometimes it feels like the words are bouncing off my eyes and back out into the stratosphere, so I'm taking a leaf out of my RDI work and slowing it down. (Amazing how well that strategy works for most things.)
My latest idea is to find out the sermon text for the upcoming week and read the passage every day. If I can get one small thing out of it each time, I'll have gained four or five insights myself and hopefully more through the Sunday talk.
So.... today's reading is Romans 1:7-18 or thereabouts...
Romans 1:11-12 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong, that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.
A spiritual gift that will make them strong is really nothing more complex than being encouraged by Paul's faith. He will also be made strong by being encouraged by their faith!
So, being together is important for strength. But that is not enough. Togetherness must be accompanied by mutually encouraging each other through our faith.
I wonder how intentional I have been about encouraging others with my faith. How could I do it more? And how can I be connected well enough with others to take encouragement from their faith?
My latest idea is to find out the sermon text for the upcoming week and read the passage every day. If I can get one small thing out of it each time, I'll have gained four or five insights myself and hopefully more through the Sunday talk.
So.... today's reading is Romans 1:7-18 or thereabouts...
Romans 1:11-12 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong, that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.
A spiritual gift that will make them strong is really nothing more complex than being encouraged by Paul's faith. He will also be made strong by being encouraged by their faith!
So, being together is important for strength. But that is not enough. Togetherness must be accompanied by mutually encouraging each other through our faith.
I wonder how intentional I have been about encouraging others with my faith. How could I do it more? And how can I be connected well enough with others to take encouragement from their faith?
Positions vacant
A friend working overseas in a country which will not be named, but which is in northern eastern Europe, is looking for the right person* to start up an English school.
Here's the ad they're sending out:
Future work/ministry position available – English school manager.
Background – Over the last two years we have been seriously considering the possibility of establishing an English school in our city. An English school will provide opportunities for foreigners to serve in our city. Future employees could opt for either a long or short term period of service. A school would be a useful tool in building relationships and a great witness to locals if we run it well. Furthermore, it could be a stable source of income for believers who often struggle to find good work. Ultimately, we see the school as an excellent support structure for the exciting things going on over here.
There is one crucial element for all this to go ahead, and that is to find a “product champion” (ie. Business/school manager), to lead the school from 2011 on.
This position would be ideally suited to those with small business experience and those with a willingness to train and encourage a small team. We need a foreigner in order to see the project thrive in its formative years.
If we are to start the groundwork for the project now we need to hear from interested applicants before July 2008. (Yes, this is a long lead-in time, but this is the time one would need in order to do language and culture training).
We would be most appreciative if you could pass this on to anybody you think might be suited and interested for this opportunity.
*Mark Wilson - this is you...
Here's the ad they're sending out:
Future work/ministry position available – English school manager.
Background – Over the last two years we have been seriously considering the possibility of establishing an English school in our city. An English school will provide opportunities for foreigners to serve in our city. Future employees could opt for either a long or short term period of service. A school would be a useful tool in building relationships and a great witness to locals if we run it well. Furthermore, it could be a stable source of income for believers who often struggle to find good work. Ultimately, we see the school as an excellent support structure for the exciting things going on over here.
There is one crucial element for all this to go ahead, and that is to find a “product champion” (ie. Business/school manager), to lead the school from 2011 on.
This position would be ideally suited to those with small business experience and those with a willingness to train and encourage a small team. We need a foreigner in order to see the project thrive in its formative years.
If we are to start the groundwork for the project now we need to hear from interested applicants before July 2008. (Yes, this is a long lead-in time, but this is the time one would need in order to do language and culture training).
We would be most appreciative if you could pass this on to anybody you think might be suited and interested for this opportunity.
*Mark Wilson - this is you...
Friday, February 08, 2008
Help
What am I going to call my book? I've never been very good at catchy titles. As I'm getting through the chapter drafts I need to give the thing a working title so I can start trying to sell it.
It's about: understanding how relationships work, being better at relationships, how to make friends, how to feel like you 'belong' more, how to do a better job of moving around, or of welcoming others in, the pitfalls and the practicalities of relating to people.
The book is pitched to 16-30 year olds, so it needs to resonate somehow.
Any suggestions?
It's about: understanding how relationships work, being better at relationships, how to make friends, how to feel like you 'belong' more, how to do a better job of moving around, or of welcoming others in, the pitfalls and the practicalities of relating to people.
The book is pitched to 16-30 year olds, so it needs to resonate somehow.
Any suggestions?
Quirks
I've been tagged and am required to admit six quirky things about myself.
The rules of the meme:
1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
Here goes.
One: I had my nose pierced when I was 18 and again when I was 32. The first time, I took it out because I thought I was going to be a lawyer, and thought it might hinder my career prospects. The second time I took it out because, having given up the pathetic lawyer dream I was in the middle of giving birth to my third child and had to go into surgery for an emergency caesarean. You have to remove all your jewellery, and I put it in my husband's pocket and never found it again.
Two: When I was 16 I said that I might possibly get married, but I would certainly never have children because it would interfere with my career. Ha. And now I've turned into a homeschooling freak...
Three: I had a dummy (pacifier) until I was six. Mothers out there, don't worry about your kids and their dummies! After all, I'm reasonably normal.
Four: Perhaps I gave up my dummy too soon because I constantly need to have something in my mouth and I still bite my nails.
Five: In summer I have such hot feet that I have to sleep with my feet over the edge of the bed.
Six: I am a very fussy sleeper. I must have: my own mattress, doona and two pillows. I must not have bare arms or pyjamas that climb up my legs. In cold weather I must not have a midriff 'gap'. In summer I must have a fan. I have to wear ear plugs (the kind they give you for heavy machinery) and I must have lip salve on my mouth. There must be no bright lights or background noise from TV or radio. There must be NO SNORING!
I tag:
Andrew
Fairlie
Sonia (who has a new baby so probably doesn't haven't time)
Kaylene
Sophie
Blaise
The rules of the meme:
1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
Here goes.
One: I had my nose pierced when I was 18 and again when I was 32. The first time, I took it out because I thought I was going to be a lawyer, and thought it might hinder my career prospects. The second time I took it out because, having given up the pathetic lawyer dream I was in the middle of giving birth to my third child and had to go into surgery for an emergency caesarean. You have to remove all your jewellery, and I put it in my husband's pocket and never found it again.
Two: When I was 16 I said that I might possibly get married, but I would certainly never have children because it would interfere with my career. Ha. And now I've turned into a homeschooling freak...
Three: I had a dummy (pacifier) until I was six. Mothers out there, don't worry about your kids and their dummies! After all, I'm reasonably normal.
Four: Perhaps I gave up my dummy too soon because I constantly need to have something in my mouth and I still bite my nails.
Five: In summer I have such hot feet that I have to sleep with my feet over the edge of the bed.
Six: I am a very fussy sleeper. I must have: my own mattress, doona and two pillows. I must not have bare arms or pyjamas that climb up my legs. In cold weather I must not have a midriff 'gap'. In summer I must have a fan. I have to wear ear plugs (the kind they give you for heavy machinery) and I must have lip salve on my mouth. There must be no bright lights or background noise from TV or radio. There must be NO SNORING!
I tag:
Andrew
Fairlie
Sonia (who has a new baby so probably doesn't haven't time)
Kaylene
Sophie
Blaise
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Oh, and I'm an aunty again
My brother and his wife are proud parents for a third time. Congratulations Peter and Sonia. For a picture of the baby girl (no name yet), check out their blog (link on the right.)
Last time they had a girl, they named her with a first name beginning with A and a second name beginning with Z. When my brother rang me up to tell me, I thought he was kidding and had just picked A and Z out of the baby name book for fun and was going to tell me the real name next. "Yeah right," said I. "What did you really call her?"
Last time they had a girl, they named her with a first name beginning with A and a second name beginning with Z. When my brother rang me up to tell me, I thought he was kidding and had just picked A and Z out of the baby name book for fun and was going to tell me the real name next. "Yeah right," said I. "What did you really call her?"
Degrees of separation
My husband and I attended a dinner for Anglican ministers and their spouses from our immediate region last night. Out of the 20 or so people who attended, I had at least 12 personal connections with:
- One lady who had been in a bible study with my grandmother for years.
- A couple who had originally come from the same church as my other grandmother and who had known me since I was tiny.
- A man who gave my dad a job about 15 years ago and met me before I was married.
- A woman who had been on a Moore College Mission to my dad's church in Gunnedah when I was in Year 12.
- A man who was in the same year at Bible college as my father.
- A woman who knows a girl with whom I went to school in Pakistan.
- Four people (at least) who had read the book I wrote.
- A couple who know my parents quite well and who are taking over a parish where my aunt and uncle used to work.
- One woman who asked me directly if I was related to said aunt (whom she knows), without knowing that we had any connection, just from my mannerisms.
- A couple whose daughter married the son of some friends of ours from Dapto.
- A man who I worked with a little at CMS.
- A couple who went to the same church as us over three years ago.
- There was only one person who I seemed to have no direct link with... but he was the son of one of the others!
Anglican circles are small.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Why isn't religion part of our education?
I was moved by a chapter entitled Absolute Absolution in John Taylor Gatto's book The Underground History of American Education. Here are a few choice bits and pieces.
"The problem of God has always been a central question of Western intellectual life; the flight from this heritage is best evidence that school is a project having little to do with education as the West defined it for thousands of years. It's difficult to imagine anyone who lacks an understanding of Western spirituality regarding themselves as educated. And yet, American schools have been forbidden to enter this arena even in a token way since 1947."
"[Christianity,] this unique moral chronicle led to an everyday behavioural code which worked so well that in a matter of centuries it became the dominant perspective and soon it made inroads into every belief system across the planet. But... competing codes viewed Christianity antagonistically because of its power to liberate ordinary people from the bondage of fear and envy... Superficially you might argue that the success of the West is the result of its guns being better, but really its that the story of hope we have to relate is superior to any other."
"According to Christianity, religion is not a sometimes thing when you need it but a medium in which we act out our lives. Nothing has any meaning without religion."
"Schooling is an instrument to disseminate [a] bleak and sterile vision of a blind-chance universe.... We teach children to scorn faith so comprehensively that buying things and feeling good becomes the point of their lives."
"The neglected genius of the West, neglected by the forced schooling institution as deliberate policy, resides in its historical collection of spiritual doctrines which grant dignity and responsibility to ordinary individuals, not elites. I have the greatest respect for every other religious tradition, but not one of them has ever done this or attempted to do this."
"The effect of [Christianity] on world history has been titanic. It has brought every citizen in the West a mandate to be sovereign... a purpose for being alive, independent of mass behavioural prescriptions, money, experts, schools and governments. It has conferred significance on every aspect of relationship and community... In Western spirituality, everyone counts. What constitutes a meaningful life is clearly spelled out: self-knowledge, duty, responsibility, acceptance of ageing and loss, preparation for death. It's time to teach these things to our children once again."
"The problem of God has always been a central question of Western intellectual life; the flight from this heritage is best evidence that school is a project having little to do with education as the West defined it for thousands of years. It's difficult to imagine anyone who lacks an understanding of Western spirituality regarding themselves as educated. And yet, American schools have been forbidden to enter this arena even in a token way since 1947."
"[Christianity,] this unique moral chronicle led to an everyday behavioural code which worked so well that in a matter of centuries it became the dominant perspective and soon it made inroads into every belief system across the planet. But... competing codes viewed Christianity antagonistically because of its power to liberate ordinary people from the bondage of fear and envy... Superficially you might argue that the success of the West is the result of its guns being better, but really its that the story of hope we have to relate is superior to any other."
"According to Christianity, religion is not a sometimes thing when you need it but a medium in which we act out our lives. Nothing has any meaning without religion."
"Schooling is an instrument to disseminate [a] bleak and sterile vision of a blind-chance universe.... We teach children to scorn faith so comprehensively that buying things and feeling good becomes the point of their lives."
"The neglected genius of the West, neglected by the forced schooling institution as deliberate policy, resides in its historical collection of spiritual doctrines which grant dignity and responsibility to ordinary individuals, not elites. I have the greatest respect for every other religious tradition, but not one of them has ever done this or attempted to do this."
"The effect of [Christianity] on world history has been titanic. It has brought every citizen in the West a mandate to be sovereign... a purpose for being alive, independent of mass behavioural prescriptions, money, experts, schools and governments. It has conferred significance on every aspect of relationship and community... In Western spirituality, everyone counts. What constitutes a meaningful life is clearly spelled out: self-knowledge, duty, responsibility, acceptance of ageing and loss, preparation for death. It's time to teach these things to our children once again."
Things I'm...
...Feeling
Better and relaxed! I've worked out too much tea makes me feel ill and tired and lacking in energy. Rats. Tea is my favourite thing ever. I think it's the copper in it. So I'm avoiding avocadoes and mushrooms too. And, in theory, chocolate.
...Doing
having friends over for lunch and wanting to do it, and enjoying it! A by-product of feeling better above.
...Enjoying
my children. Oh they are gorgeous and I adore them.
...Persisting with
Daily therapy with Bright Eyes. I can see the results, so it's not as thankless as it seemed to be last year.
...Watching
We've enjoyed Evan Almighty, Amazing Grace and Hairspray on video. I still like survivor, even though I already know who the winner of this season is.
...Hearing
A gorgeous compliment from my daughter yesterday. "Mum, you're more fun now."
...Reading
The book of Mark. Plus stacks of subversive literature about homeschooling, including the most awe-inspiring chapter on religion and education by Gatto. Quotes in the post above.
...Thinking
Am I just a rebel? Since I was 14 I seem to have done and thought things that not too many people around me have done or thought... Am I just looking for the road less travelled out of principle? Is it a habit because I don't want to be ordinary or like other people? I hope not! I hope my motives are pure.
Better and relaxed! I've worked out too much tea makes me feel ill and tired and lacking in energy. Rats. Tea is my favourite thing ever. I think it's the copper in it. So I'm avoiding avocadoes and mushrooms too. And, in theory, chocolate.
...Doing
having friends over for lunch and wanting to do it, and enjoying it! A by-product of feeling better above.
...Enjoying
my children. Oh they are gorgeous and I adore them.
...Persisting with
Daily therapy with Bright Eyes. I can see the results, so it's not as thankless as it seemed to be last year.
...Watching
We've enjoyed Evan Almighty, Amazing Grace and Hairspray on video. I still like survivor, even though I already know who the winner of this season is.
...Hearing
A gorgeous compliment from my daughter yesterday. "Mum, you're more fun now."
...Reading
The book of Mark. Plus stacks of subversive literature about homeschooling, including the most awe-inspiring chapter on religion and education by Gatto. Quotes in the post above.
...Thinking
Am I just a rebel? Since I was 14 I seem to have done and thought things that not too many people around me have done or thought... Am I just looking for the road less travelled out of principle? Is it a habit because I don't want to be ordinary or like other people? I hope not! I hope my motives are pure.
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