As parents we can sure spend a lot of time worrying, right? And the world has no shortage of things for us to worry about in regards to our children. One of the areas where I sometimes let worry creep in is my children’s learning. We learn at home, and at the core of my being I know that they are right where they need to be, and that their curiosity is the kindling that keeps them inspired to learn.
I know that. In theory. Yet, on this particular day, two thirds of my being is at work, while the other third is like a woodpecker, drilling at my brain and heart. It’s not enough. They need more. You’re messing it up. You should be teaching them something. You’re not enough. You can’t trust them to learn.
For a moment, the drilling stops. And my fingers stop clicking away at the keyboard. And I hear them.
Quick! The larva is going to hatch!
Where’s the queen?
One of them runs upstairs. I’m looking for gloves and a hive tool. We already have a smoker…
Later on, as I was tidying up in the basement, I noticed the kids had taken several of my thread spools down and to be honest I was a bit frustrated that they had done so. Until I realized that the spools made up a frame of honeycomb for the bees to live in.
Despite my imperfection as a parent and teacher, my insecurity and the insecurity of others in regards to kids learning at home, they learn. I really can’t stop them. They seized the thing they needed most at that time, and it was space. Such a simple thing that so many of us are strangers to in our fast paced lifestyles. In that space they were able to play, to process what they had learned on a field trip to an apiary, through stories, through talking together about life cycles. They brought it to life, internalized it, and made it their own. When they are given space, either on purpose or when I’m busy with work and feeling guilty, they do more than I could ever imagine or plan for. I’m working on a new mantra for when I’m carving out some work time.
You can trust them to learn. Just make space. Tweet This
