Hannah has really been blooming in the area of reading, spelling and writing. She borrowed an electronic laptop v-tech toy from a friend and has been amazing everyone including herself with her spelling skills. She is writing a lot more on her own and drawing other things besides horses. One thing she drew that really surprised me was apples being manufactured in a factory into applesauce with an array of different machines. Go figure!
The boys have mostly left their comic book, art phase for a skateboarding interest. Endless tricks, practice, you-tube videos, and skinned elbows and knees, has actually taught them a lot. Aside from the fact that they should always wear their gear as mom says, and the wonderful soreness of good old fashion physical activity, they have learned perseverance, courage, and “ a few choice phrases” as Micah jokingly said. They have experienced physics and laws of nature such as gravity, momentum, inertia, friction, oh and “an object in motion stays in motion unless otherwise acted upon by an outside force”- preferable not the pavement. This, although not on paper learning ,will be even more beneficial to them practically in everyday life as their reflexes improve and their body and brain will instinctively know how to accurately judge speeds and angles and force. I have learned what “dropping in, Ollie, kick-flip, 5-0, 50-50 grind, tail- grind, tail- slide, rock –to-fakey, and other skateboarding terms mean.” Knowing and being excited about what excites your kids is wonderful for strengthening relationships. They have been allowed ample time to improve their skills and be boys- I daresay it has toughened them up a bit and bonded them more as brothers.
Our main educational focus as a family late, has been herbs, nutrition, and herbal medicine. On our walks into the forest lately, we have gathered nettle, plantain, dandelion, and red clover. I have been teaching the kids how each herb is beneficial to the body, and what herbs to mix them with to make tinctures, teas and infusions for specific ailments, that we plan to make for family and friends. We have strung and dried, nettle, red clover and dandelion, and planted the plantain plants in the front yard. We have infused garlic oil, cold tea mixtures and calendula (marigold)/ comfry oil for Rachel’s, eczema lotion. Hannah and I also spent an afternoon making scented lotions. I find that most the time when I start doing these things, the kids all come around naturally curious and start helping, as I tell them what and why, even Micah.
We have had amazing results with these home remedies. Eden has had a cold and cough at night that clears up right away with the infused herbal tea( cooked on low for 24 hours) with organic wildflower honey. One night Hannah started running a high fever for no apparent reason that she could tell me or I could see. After giving her some of the tea and rubbing the garlic oil on her lymph nodes and feet, her fever broke within an hour and she woke up good as new. Yesterday, Hannah raised up under the window that was opened up to air out the house ( German windows open up inwardly and have sharp points on the bottom.) Well her head was bleeding from a cut on it, so I quickly chewed up some of the fresh plantain we had just acquired and plastered it on the spot- then I had to quickly leave and recover before I passed out( I don’t do well with head wounds for some reason) This stopped the bleeding and has really speed up the healing process. The plantain also came in handy when Eden tried to get on a chair and fell off hitting her mouth, and busting her top and bottom lip. ( I am beginning to wonder if having all these herbs and remedies on hand is causing a influx of illnesses and injuries) Either way, we have avoided having to go to the doctor.
Learning together and using this knowledge has been extremely unifying and satisfying for all of us.
Next post- PUMPKIN PROCESSING and eggshell water! HMMM- gotta go, Micah just made pumpkin cookies!
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