Climbing A Wall and Gaining Some Wings

Photo by Mr. A

Week 25 is under our belt, leaving eleven more weeks with Mr. A in our homeschool. I am feeling better about that reality as he talks about his plans for the coming months which will more than likely contain lots of what is pictured above...gaining some wings.

Mr. A and his brothers went climbing at the Pipeworks last weekend and as I look at the photos they brought home I think about how grown up he has become this year.

Photos at the climbing wall are all by Mr. D.

I realized how climbing was such a perfect metaphor for this period of time where Mr. A is maturing and striving to reach his goals, taking the hard stuff and just getting it done.

"Mothers don't like their children to climb very much. Ripped clothes, scraped knees, and toes making holes in shoes (and even worse accidents!) make it a risky amusement. Yet it really is great exercise. Few skills use so many muscle groups and yet develop grace. And the bravery and resourcefulness it demands are so beneficial that even girls should be encouraged to try it. Children learn to heed caution, too, which makes them less prone to take foolish dares. Remember not to panic if a child looks precarious--don't startle the child by yelling out 'Get down from there!' or 'You'll break your neck!' because that could actually make the child fall." Charlotte Mason, Volume 1 page 84

The quote above reflects how I feel when one of my children starts to venture out into the world on their own. My instinct is to rush in and protect them from harm, to hold tight to them but every good mother knows that there is a time to let their children grow away from the nest and spread their wings. This mother is learning once again the bittersweet of having a child preparing to leave home.

No safety ropes.....no helmet......no problem.

Eventually they need to climb and achieve things all on their own and all I can do is sit back and wait to see the results of our efforts and training. If we have done our job well, it will be a pleasure to watch the ascent.

The Real Weekly Wrap-Up
This has been a week of "lasts" for Mr. A. He is starting the last of two novels for the year. He is beginning his last term of the year. He is writing the last of his research reports. He is finishing the last unit in his government course.

Highlights of the week:

• Reading George Orwell's 1984 together. What a great way to finish off the year and it is the perfect follow up to our study of the 20th Century together. I love it when he can work in a quote from the book as we go about our daily routine. It is something we can share as mother and son.
• The excitement that has been generated over the elements of the periodic table. The sheer fact that this went from one of our least favorite subjects to up near the top makes me leap for joy on the inside. Never underestimate the power of making things relevant and be trapped by the "normal" way to teach anything. My boys have learned more and discovered more about chemistry by researching the building blocks of life on the periodic table. I wish I had the time and space to share with you what real enthusiasm for chemistry looks like. (perhaps in the future)
• Taking long walks together this week has been a joy as the world around us is awakening to the beginning of spring. We observed two new birds in our neighborhood and spent time working out our garden plans together. Having time in the afternoons with the boys is worth the effort to start early with our school day and to stick to a routine of getting the academics done in the morning. Freedom to take a walk, a last minute picnic, a bike ride, and time sitting and talking about our plans for the summer is priceless.

I am working on finishing Mr. A's scrapbook as part of his high school graduation gift and I found this in the stack of drawings that I had set aside to include. I think it is a fitting way to end this post. Don't you?

Barb-Harmony Art Mom