Please let the record show that I have an excellent reason for having an unbelievably out-of-control house.
Here's a perfect example. Today, we got home from an unschooler gathering a couple of hours ago. Ottar is overtired but I don't want him to nap because when he naps he stays up until 11 or 12 at night and I refuse to stay up with him! So, he walked right in the door and knocked a plastic cup of water on the floor, and emptied the recyling all over my office. Then he was calm for about 40 minutes, but then announced that he'd swallowed a penny. Then I gave him sardines to eat (they're slippery) and had him help me make a banana "licuado." After this meal he poured water all over the floor from a water bottle, threw markers all over the floor from two different containers, and stuck his hand in the Chili Mac that was out on the table (something I'd tried to get him to eat earlier) and threw it all over the floor, and then dipped his hand again and threw more before I had a chance to stop him. He immediately ran off to jump on the beds with chili mac all over both hands, and when he came back, his hands were mysteriously clean.
Did I mention that I already had to take the kitchen broom away from him because he was trying to clobber his brother over the head with it? And I just stopped him from knocking the 10' tall, 15' long bedroom screen over onto the beds. I am sure I forgot something.
I just had to write that all down so I wouldn't forget. Now I have to go see what is going on in there while I type. Tomorrow I will post the inspirational story from John Holt - or a story I used to find inspirational from John Holt - about how kids in other countries don't do any of this stuff.
Go, Ottar! Can you say a hearty "yes" to this adventure, D. P. ?!?!?! Can't say I'd be exactly enthusiastic. . . But I have to laugh at his um, zest for life.
ReplyDeleteYeah, just look at that picture and that huge mess Ottar made! You'd think that he would know by now to put away the coffee grounds and to clean the French Press after he makes coffee, and that he should not put the gallon-jug of water onto the dirty knives he was using for preparing snacks, and that when he makes a new list, he should get rid of the old lists so they don't all just pile up on the counter and confuse people.
ReplyDeleteGeez, we really haven't taught him anything!