I’ve been blogging about life in an intense and sensitive family for six months now, which means I have quite a few posts in the Laugh, Love, Learn archive.
I thought it might be helpful to organise them into a ‘Start here’ page.
If you’ve been with me since the beginning (thank you!) you might find the page a handy reference. And if you’ve joined me along my journey you may want to hop over and have a browse.
The more I learn about myself and my quirky family, the more I realise how many of us quirky types are out there, and the more passionate I become about connecting with you.
Would you mind clicking on one of the options below to give me an idea what you’d be most interested in reading about? Thank you in advance! 🙂
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Aloha! Things with my clan have been über busy recently, but I’ve kept up with your posts.
Your post about the classroom really sparked with me. I’m returning to work in September and, OEs aside, being a mother has changed me so much I know I’ll be a very different teacher to the one I was when I left to take on the mantle of ‘Mummy’. Now, after all I’ve learned about OEs and HS children (AND adults) my views on the classroom, it’s organisation and management, are reforming again……. Interesting times!
Keep the blog posts coming though- love reading them. Reminds me that I’m not actually going insane.
Thanks as always for reading along, Hannah – your encouragement makes a real difference to my sanity, too. 🙂
It’s so good to know there are teachers like you out there. I think it must be the hardest job in the world second to being a parent – hats off to you!
I don’t like multiple-choice questions! I always can see more than one correct answer. What does that say about me?
In this situation it means that I want to read all sorts of things that you write about.
:o)
LOL – I know what you mean – me too! I’ve never run a poll before so I’m on a bit of a technical learning curve. I need to figure out how to make it more sophisticated to accommodate us OE types. 😉
And thank you so much for your lovely words. I am very lucky to have you as a friend!
By the way – something I’ve been wondering for a while. Do you mind if I mention your first name when I reply to your comments, or do you prefer “M”? Just checking because I know everyone’s different with regard to online privacy. 🙂
Thanks Lucinda.
Ha! If you’d had a numbering system for your poll, I would’ve felt bad for the item I numbered last. Can’t quite win with us quirky types :o)
I’ll stick with ‘M’ for now, just because my first name is unusual and I’m new to sharing stories and comments online.
I’ve been to-ing and fro-ing about joining Facebook so that I can join in with your Powerwood community. I really think it would be helpful, but I’ve never used Facebook and I’m hesitant to share stories about some of the challenging behaviours that I see in my daughter if my real name is right there. I’m just such a newbie to technology and my head is still somewhere in the 80s.
I understand that Powerwood is a closed group, but how does that protect our privacy? And with Facebook, do we even have to use our full correct names? I’m quite clueless and the fear of the unknown is what’s holding me back right now.
Of course! You have a talent for putting into words what I’ve so often felt.?
I completely understand your concern about privacy. I do like to address people by name, so when I say ‘M,’ I will imagine I am using yours. 🙂
As for FaceBook, I know of at least one person who uses a pseudonym in the PowerWood group. I don’t think there’s any reason you have to join FaceBook using your real name. (No one sees your email address.) The closed group means that no one outside the group can see the posts, but of course in practice there’s nothing to stop people cutting and pasting posts from there or taking screenshots to share elsewhere. We do check member requests before allowing them to join the group, but of course it’s not impossible for a ‘rogue’ to slip through.
Internet privacy comfort zones are very personal, and we each have to honour our own. 🙂 But do feel free to get in touch (by email or here) if I can help with any technical aspects!
Wow, what a fantsatic colour on you! Don't think it would look the same on my pale freckly skin and blue eyes though! Probably make me look ill!x
I think one of the things I struggle with is the conflict between wanting to fit in, and being ok with difference. We have to live in this world and relate with others, yet I often think it’s the world that’s “insane” and I’m the only one that notices….Really, I’m interested in all the topics you write about because they have a calming effect – it’s OK to be different. It’s OK to accept our children as they are rather than trying to “fix” them. I think it’s that feeling of being judged that’s hard, so the more we talk about this, the more “normal” it becomes. But dealing with other people’s opinions on how I feel and behave or how my child feels and behaves is tough sometimes.
Cathy, I know exactly what you mean. Being different in a world that values conformity and ‘normal’ can be challenging – especially when, as you say, their ‘normal’ can at times seem quite mad to us! Add to that our children’s intense energies and our own sensitivity to other people’s reactions and we have quite a balancing act to perform every single day. (No wonder we sometimes wish we were more like other people.)
I do hope my stories help other people realise that ‘normal’ comes in all kinds of packages. I like to think that society is on the cusp of a tipping point where neurodiversity will be valued instead of pathologised.
Thank you, Cathy, for reading, commenting, and for your encouragement – it helps me enormously to remember that there are kindred spirits like you out there. 🙂
Lucinda,
A start here page is a wonderful idea. I’ve been meaning to put one together for my unschooling blog for a long time.
I like reading all your posts whatever they are about! And I loved Cordie’s video. She did a great job. It was good to catch a glimpse of you in the reflection and hear your voice! I meant to comment on the post but got distracted and never returned. I seem to do this a lot. I did it when I read your last post on your homeschooling blog. I wanted to comment about how it’s easier to share what our younger kids are doing and not so easy when they get older.
I find it hard getting good photos of my kids involved in their passions. There are only so many photos I can post of them looking at their computer screens or reading books or even running or walking along our bush tracks. I guess video shoot days are my big opportunity to write about something interesting and post some good photos. Families with younger children seem to have so much more to share at least visually. Anyway, I was glad to see you back on your other blog and hear you’re going to be writing about unschooling tweens/teens!
Hello Sue,
I’d been meaning for ages to follow Darren Rowse’s advice about a Start Here page and never seemed to find time. In the end I used the time when I’d normally write my weekly post to put one together. It didn’t take me long as I’ve only been blogging here for 6 months; I imagine creating a Start Here page for a huge blog like yours will be more of an undertaking! I’m glad I did it, though. Some kind folk seem to be sharing Cordie’s interview on FaceBook at the moment. It’s good to know that some of the people who stop by to look at that post might be able to find something else useful here.
Thanks for your encouragement about my homeschooling blog. I was inspired to pick it back up after a real-life chat with a blogging friend whose child is about to stop homeschooling and go to school. I asked the mum if she was going to write about their school decision on her blog and she said she wasn’t sure, because it felt like they’d failed. I thought that was a bit sad especially as both mother and child were excited about their choice. Each of us (both parents and children) are on a unique journey when it comes to learning, and the more of us willing to share our own path, the more other people will realise that there is no one correct way of doing things. That’s what I hope, anyway!
Your photographs are always a pleasure to look at. Gemma-Rose is such a natural model, and I love seeing pictures of Sophie taking photos, or Imogen singing or giggling behind-the-scenes, or a glimpse of smiling Charlotte.
Thanks, Sue, for taking time out of your busy week to write to me here. 🙂
Lucinda,
I just wanted to say that I always appreciate and enjoy your long replies to my comments. They are a real treat. I read every word. You listen to Darren Rowse too! He has so many good ideas. I wish I had more time to put them into action. Yes, my blog has got very big and a bit out of control!
Lovely to chat as always.
Thank you, Sue! My friends’ lovely comments always brighten my day and make me smile. Sometimes I feel bad because it takes me a little while to reply, but I’d always prefer to wait until I’m in my wellbeing before I write, rather than try to ‘fit it in’ when I’m feeling overwhelmed. I like to think I can trust my friends to understand that. 🙂
Copy and pasted from above reply:
” I like to think that society is on the cusp of a tipping point where neurodiversity will be valued instead of pathologised.”
This. So this.
🙂 xx