Jay read to me from a book he is reading entitled, “Lust for Life” and it’s on the life of Van Gogh. Van Gogh’s past is fascinating. It took him a while to sort things out before his artistic brilliance took center stage.
One of his obstacles on his road to self-discovery was his dad. His dad was frustrated with Vincent because he never lived up to his expectations. The book said, “If his son didn’t fit the mold, it was his son that was wrong and not the mold.”
That message is spoken to many kids everyday in classrooms and in homeschools. Not that directly of course. It sounds more like, “Get good grades so you can get a good job.” Or-”Honey, I’m glad you like painting(or singing or reading books or fill-in-the-blank) but you NEED TO BE PRACTICAL.” Or how about this one- “Why don’t you quit dreaming and be realistic?”
This is especially true for kids with a different bent.
The rate of ADHD is on the rise according to folks who keep track of these things. I can’t help but wonder if it’s on the rise because the boxes we insist upon keep getting smaller and smaller. (Hello? No Child Left Behind?) (And remember a lot of the diagnostic criteria for ADD/ADHD is satisfied chiefly in a school setting.)
Ditch the box and discover the wonderful world of exploration and freedom. I can’t think of a more wonderful adventure to enjoy with my kids.
PS Jay and I had an idea yesterday while drooling over all the magazines at Borders. We’re going to start bringing the kids down their regularly and insist they pick out a magazine on something unfamiliar that stirs their interest and curiosity. (Ahem—with limitations of course. 
)
Filed under: homeschooling, Individuality | Tagged: boxes, individualism, Individuality, schooling | 2 Comments »
