From Their Perspective

My kids never cease to amaze me. Admittedly, in the past few months of craziness with our adjustments here and the normal hectic fall schedule, I have not spent much one on one time with them as I would like. This week Kellen and Lydia are in Canada. They went with my mom to visit my Aunt Nancy. It is a great opportunity for them to spend time with family, and to see many interesting and educational sites.

But it is also good for Nolan and Vivian. I am amazed at how well the two of them have been playing together. It has been refreshing. It is also a great time for me to spend a little extra time with each of them. Something they both need, but Nolan especially who has been acting out a bit lately.

This morning we worked in the garden planting some fall crops. (A little late, but I'm hoping for the best.) We chatted, and they played, and they came back to plant a little more. It was an enjoyable morning. Conversations with a six year old and a four year old are funny sometimes, and sometimes their perspective on things catch me by surprise.

As we were digging holes, Nolan asked me where a friend of his kept his garden. When I told him that his friend did not have a garden, Nolan's eyes got really big and he asked, "But how do they grow their food?" I responded, "They don't." He was shocked, "Where do they get their food?" I told him that they buy it. For some reason, I don't quite understand, it was like a totally new concept to him. Really, we do go to the grocery store. We do buy food there, but I guess to him we've always had gardens and raised our own meat, and that is how everyone gets their food too.

I told Nolan and Vivian we would start school this week (finally.) Well actually I was just planning to start school with Nolan. Since she is only four, I really didn't plan on school for Vivian this year, but she is insistent that she gets to do school too, and how do you say no to a kid who wants to learn?

All morning Vivian was asking to start school. While we were in the garden, she asked about school for the 100th time. I said to her, "Isn't working in the garden school? Aren't you learning how to plant?" Truly, that is how I feel about school. Everyday really is school. Everyday they are learning about animals, plants, the Lord, cooking, cleaning, being polite, or a hundred other life skills that they will need later. In the elementary grades, I am primarily concerned that they learn to read, write, have basic math skills, but most of all learn to love learning. Though we do use books for some of that, much of our learning comes through everyday life experiences. Vivian, however, does not share my educational philosphy.

In response to my, "Isn't working in the garden school?" comment. I got a perturbed look and a firm, "No." I asked her what school was, and she responded, "You have to do papers." She might as well have added, "DUH." to her statement according to the tone of her voice.

So after finishing our lunch, which consisted almost entirely of food grown here, (How do families with out gardens eat?!) we are pulling out the "papers" and officially starting school.