Carrots

I am studying (I did say that deliberately rather than just "reading"--I need something more than a casual read in order to improve!) another parenting book that is opening my mind a lot.  I'll have to post more on it another time, but for now, I want to share this quote that I really do agree with and relates to education:

"One researcher, after spending more than fifteen years following the careers of high school valedictorians, concluded that most of them simply 'know how to do school. They are not the group to look for, for creative breakthroughs...or for becoming notable leaders in a particular area."

I'm definitely not saying they are all like this.  But the point the book is trying to make is that sadly, many of these students are just the ones who have fallen into the trap of "doing school" for the carrots, the rewards, and once they end up in the real world where the carrots are more intrinsic in nature, they fail.

Hold Everything!

Ugh.  Every now and then I come to a point when I realize that my parenting needs some work.  I try to work on it constantly, but there are times when it seems I've been neglecting something for months and haven't realized it needs to be worked at, or have just not given it the proper attention.  Poor Conrad.  He has suffered the pains of my parental weaknesses the most for a long time now.  It must be so difficult to be the middle child, especially when you're three!  Everything is going great with homeschooling, but with my relationship with Conrad, I feel that he's being dragged behind a horse and the horse just keeps going.  I need to stop everything and take a good look at his needs and what I can do to help him grow and feel loved.

Homeschooling is just parenting 24/7 really, and I feel the need to brush up on my parenting skills very often.  So for now, I'm putting aside my book list (again), to review The Power of Positive Parenting and look into a few new sources (friends have suggested Alfie Kohn books).  And trying to read scriptures and pray more regularly in order to keep the conduit of the Spirit open for revelation and reinforcement for my efforts.  So Sparks of Genius will have to wait.  And my list of improv books and Unschooling Rules.  I'm still getting used to my new calling at church (primary chorister!) and we have the play performance (for which I need to make a costume for and help with sets/props) and the boys' dance recital coming up in about a month, not to mention various field trips. 

It's all good stuff, and I'm not overwhelmed at all right now.  I'm learning the value of staying organized and regularly reviewing my planner calendars so I'm not caught off-guard by some forgotten committment.  And not forgetting my most important commitments--my family relationships...which means dropping my own favored agenda for relearning weak parenting skills.