Tuesday 9 July 2013

Fortune teller

I found myself making lunch to the sound of a spelling bee today.  Nicholas and Jaelyn were busy making paper fortune tellers, after receiving one as a gift yesterday.  Nicholas folded up a few fortune tellers of his own, based on the construction of the one they were gifted, and the writing began. 

"Mom, do you spell 'red' R-E-D?"

"Mom, is this how you spell 'successful'?

"Mom, how do you spell 'athlete'?"  Upon which I would ask, "What is the first sound you hear?  What sound do you hear next?" "What makes the middle 'e' say its name?"  And voila - my child has spelled "athlete" on his own.

"Mom, do you have any ideas for a fortune?  The hint word can only have an odd number of letters." (This was because the hint word was used rather than a colour name or a number that is often used before the fortune is revealed.  If that makes sense.)  And so I make up a few fortunes, based on what is top-of-mind for me today.  "I am a kind person" is my response.  What follows is a discussion of whether people are born innately kind or if kindness is something that must be learned...whether people choose to be kind or whether they forgo kindness simply because they don't know how to be nice.  My writer ponders the question and determines for himself whether the fortune will read, "I am a kind person" or "I will be a kind person".

Maybe I should make up a homeschooling mom fortune teller for times when a reminder is needed.  Here's what it might contain today...

  ~ Trust that children will learn what they need to learn, when they need to learn it
  ~ Just as Rome was not built in a day, a child's education will not be complete in a day, or a year!  Learning may just go on until their last breath.
  ~ Free time provides open spaces for exploring and creativity
  ~ Smile!
  ~ Choose to be kind!
  ~ Follow the children and they will lead you to extraordinary places
  ~ Let the children learn to follow their hearts and they will find peace
  ~ Be the change you want to see in the world


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