A few months ago we watched the documentary Off the Rails. C. and B. were already of the sound opinion that the “court system” was nothing but a matter of opinion, subject to whim and change, and just as full of babyish, unhappy bullies as it was full of good lawyers doing work with respect…
Category: critical thinking
nothing really matters
I imagine when Claudia and Béla are adults they will talk on the phone about how we used to sit and watch YouTube on tv and sing and just go down a rabbit hole of decades and decades of music videos. It is one of our favorite times together. It is more interactive than just…
saturday sudoku
not much to say about this except after an afternoon of hanging on south street, they both sat down and started doing sudoku together. it was the last thing i expected but they can work together so well. it’s a pleasure to listen to. the video says a lot about their relationship.
spring rolls (eventually)
We hear that the the groundhog did not see his shadow today and we will have an early spring. After a week of a household cold, and incredibly cold temperatures, it was nice to have an upturn for my birthday — which we began early last night just as an insurance policy, with a lot…
Revelations in Role-play of an Autistic, First-time D&D Dungeon Master
Around the end of November 2017, I offered to be the Dungeon Master for a Dungeons & Dragons group comprised of local and homeschooled children. While I had never played D&D before, I had long been interested in D&D culture and gladly accepted, and set forth on reading loads of articles packed with tips, and…
lend me some sugar — i am your neighbor
Surprise, we aren’t a big sports family and don’t watch a lot of games. But it was exciting that the Eagles were in the Super Bowl and Jason Douglass’ Danceadelphia, which has been the kids’ studio since they were preschoolers, ALWAYS goes ALL OUT for EVERYTHING for Philly kids. Jersey-burning? Yep. Greased pole? Yep. I…
a rainy friday of snakes
Thanks to this inspiring and energizing video by Vi Hart, I spent — eh — a little under thirty dollars? — and bought four dozen plastic articulated snakes. Oh, these will get use more than once — with a number of friends, I have no doubt. But our particularly weather-intrepid friends A and Z came…
a year ago tonight
Was the last night of my life as a parent whose kids went to school. They came home on the afternoon of November 30th and Claudia asked me, “Can I say ‘damn’?” I said she could. “I’m never going back to that damned place,” she said. And Béla nodded. So that was it. Whatever I…
strandbeest
Sometimes there’s no point in adding any commentary because just listening to them talk (in this case, Béla), it’s obvious that we don’t need to “test” them very much to see that they learn. He has had this model for POSSIBLY half his life. He and Tucker finished it in two hours. I really don’t…
there is a field.
Beyond the ideas of right and wrong, there is a field. I will meet you there. — Rumi Beyond common sense there is irrational screaming about a hole in one’s leggings when stuck at the top of the fence. I will walk away from you there. — Me Actually, we have been using a written…
a tarot reading, a dissertation, a hijab, a swordfight
I was given my first Tarot reading by my own kid. And both kids participated in interviews about the homeschooling experiences of African-American children (and knocked it out of the park. And got to sign releases!)… Claudia also received her purchased doll hijabs from Hello Hijab, but succumbed instantly to the need to have them…
“blizzard” = hardcore contraption making
It wasn’t so much of a blizzard as a “really unpleasant day outside”. We are still working on our Rube Goldberg contraption although we are now happily aware it cannot withstand the rigors of the Philly Contraption Contest. But I mean — what better way to plan for next year? Here’s Baba Yaga amongst the…
Levin Dorko Collins Learning Ltd 