Dashiell Maverick @ 17 Months Old Today

This little boy sure has my heart.

After kind-of a rough few days--

thinking about Diego, 

and Elijah;

today was just what I needed. 

Dashiell took a long nap, 

and he’s been smiles ever since. 

We’ve been cuddling, playing, 

and just being. 

His favorites over the past month: 

peek-a-boo 

looking at books (chewing on them, eek!) 

water play (of course) 

bananas 

playing with cars 

the sandbox 

strawberries 

hugs 

drinking water 

watching movies 

being outside 

breastfeeding 

playing with musical instruments 

dancing 

melon 

animals (smothering them) 

babbling 

apples 

running 

watching the bunny-rabbits in our neighbor's yard 

scribbling 

phones 

and . . . 

I tend to kiss and hug him a lot, a lot, a lot. 

Even more-so lately, 

and he has started to give me the occasional kiss, 

which melts this mama’s heart, of course. 

Cecily was mad because he hadn’t given her a kiss yet. 

They enjoy playing together. 

As does Sylvan. 

Of course, there are always times when the older kids don’t want Dashiell to mess with their stuff. 

But, overall, they all enjoy each other’s company quite well. 

One of the benefits of unschooling=closer sibling relationships.

Another Reason To Unschool: The Wheels on the Bus Go...Wait! Was That The School Bus Monitor Being Harassed!? Kids? Making Her Cry?!?

I loathe this video.

First, to see the way they treat Karen.
Second, that they are recording their behavior, because they think it is funny or cool.
Third, to post it on Facebook to show all their friends.

Sad, very sad.

The video was taken on a school bus in Greece, New York.

So?  Why am I posting this??
I posted this video because this is not just a New York thing.
I rode the school bus for the majority of my school experience,
in a small town in Iowa.
Harassment.
Bullying.
These are not new to the school bus scene.
I remember it all too well on our school bus.
But we didn't have a monitor, so, instead, the kids harassed other kids.
Hurting young egos.
Causing fear.

I was harassed more than I care to remember.

One incident had me confronting my harasser in the principal's office of his school.
Luckily, he was young enough he took that very seriously.
Thereafter, he no longer harassed me, physically anyhow, ever again.

If your kids ride the school bus, do they harass others?
Most parents would probably say no.
Many parents would probably be wrong.
Just like the dad, of one of the kids that harassed poor old Karen thought his child would never do such a thing.

Sometimes, I think that is wrong with some of today's youth;
Well, the ones that harass and bully, that is . . .
Which is a good majority of the schooled youth, at one point or another.
The fact that they are left together for days, weeks, months, years in schools, without much positive adult influence.
Very few (if any) to look up to.
Very few (if any) to aspire to be.
They don't know what it is to treat others with respect,
because often they are not respected by the adults in their lives--
in school or at home.

"Sit here."
"Do this."
"Bad job."
"That's wrong."
"You shouldn't."
"You can't."
"I won't help you."
"Don't."

I could probably go on and on . . .

The negativity with the words that are used from people (both teachers and students) in schools.
Trust IS a two-way street.
If kids are not respected, how will they learn to be respectful to others??
Lead by example, I say.

I'm feeling very blessed lately to be an unschooling mom.