Isaac has joined a concert band and is taking a mentor role with a younger member.
He’s also been asked to join a leadership team at his jiu-jitsu school and I can’t wait to see where these opportunities lead.
A Little Mentor
Bee Petting
I learned how to pet a bee today.
Also Progress, but Ugly
I’ve never hung a door, and it shows.
The rug should be inside. The stoop isn’t swept. The mat is crooked. The boots need to be cleaned and donated. The threshold isn’t in place. The door knob works, but doesn’t have anywhere to catch yet. The frame is crooked. The masonry needs repointing. The door color doesn’t match the roof.
It’s all a proper mess, but we got the thing hung and it locks.
Progress
None of us expected this day to go this way.
We attended Elevated Studios adult promotions to support our mentors and training partners.
Isaac and Westen each earned a new belt and I got the first stripe on my blue belt.
History Resources
I try to unschool and follow my children’s interests as much as I am able.
However, philosophy and history are intensely important to me. I want my boys to have perspective on current events and be able to think clearly.
Mostly, my own passion for these subjects creates opportunites to discuss (my older and I are listening to a podcast series on Jim Jones and the People’s Temple tragedy that is a deep dive on domestic race relations in the 20th century).
The only thing I “push” on them (and myself) is Tom Woods’ history courses. They provide a wide approach to history and the background knowledge that I want my sons to have.
Martyr Made on Jim Jones:
Tom Woods: The Liberty Homeschooler
Grateful for Deschooling and Unschooling
Home education brought me to a place where I could find Christ in my heart. The bravery and freedom I discovered through deschooling and unschooling dissolved my assumptions and opened my mind and heart. In an effort to have a more peaceful and loving family environment, I found the ultimate source of Love.
More Shakespeare!
On Saturday, Kristen and I went on a date to see a friend in Twelfth Night.
I’ve seen at least three productions of this play and this was easily funniest. There’s still time to catch a performance this weekend.
Yesterday, Isaac competed in a theater competition at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire with Pages Alive Theater. Although it was only a single scene, Isaac had his first leading role as King Lear. I’m blessed to watch him grow into his interests.
Lego Memories
These boys have been building for a long time.
The Next Lego Project
Brainstorming for the tiki totem I’m planning to build.
Kristen drew this amazing design for a client and I found inspiration and challenge in translating it into Lego.
I decided to simplify and start by turning this minifigure accesory into a large piece.
It was a day full of failures.
I’ll have to start from scratch…again, but that’s alright, I love a trial-and-error launch.
I experimented today while we had a house full of homeschooled builders. They had a lot more success than I did.
This Teen
Westen has been getting a lot of attention with his musical endeavors, but Isaac has been quietly carving out his own narrative through jiu-jitsu, stage Shakespeare, rifle club, and trumpet.
Maybe it’s the length of Westen’s shadow combined with inherited rebeliousness, but Isaac’s growth has also come with a lot of trouble.
We’re struggling through his 14th year, much like we did with Westen, but I see him gaining skills in many disciplines.
