A record of minute detail

As I lay upon the couch in my semi-comatose early pregnancy state I gazed across the room at my bookshelf.  My 2 year old snuggled against me, I had no desire to get up but soon the pull of all that perspective pulled at me...so I asked my "willing-legged" Piper (13) to retrieve an unlikely pair of books: "Roots of Strategy: Book 2" and "The English Governess at the Siamese Court."

Strange Connections
Lounging in utter comfort I started reading "Roots of Strategy" and was immediately pulled into the narrative of a man who sought to learn the art of war by reviewing what happened in previous engagements rather than just in theory, like so many of his genre.

The smallest detail, taken from an actual incident in war, is more instructive for me, a soldier, than all the Theirs and Jominis in the world.  They speak, no doubt for the heads of states and armies but they never show me what I wish to know--a battalion, a company, a squad, in action.

He goes on to ask a series of questions regarding the nature of information he is seeking: from the changing attitudes of the soldiers during advances and retreats (when and to what degree), the reactionary orders of officers, how they were received, reactions to varying degree and types of assault, etc.  It was very exhaustive.

I pondered on what that kind of study of parenthood would do: not a book on organized theory but to give someone the actual account of parenting experiences in similar detail for the reader to draw their own conclusions based upon actual experience. I find I enjoy books like this: "More than Happy Children: The Secret of Amish Parenting" and "There's No Such Thing As Bad Weather"...even if I don't agree with all their conclusions or take-home messages.  There is something delicious about wandering through the minutes of someone else's life to learn from and draw my own conclusions from.

Perhaps that is part of the draw of using "original sources" so touted by the Thomas Jefferson Education community?

I put down that book and picked up the other while enjoying a few cookies and milk some time later.  This book is the basis for "The King and I" and as I read it, I realized it was similar in scope and purpose to the account of duPicq I had just read.  Anna Harriette Leonowens sets out with an intent to share with the world her personal experience in the courts of Siam.  Her book is part of  Andrew Pearson Zuckerman's Southeast Asian Collection:

Through these world, readers can discover many people, places and events described by those who came before us.  This historic collection is intended to keep in print all the divergent political and cultural perspectives of this region, enabling those who come after us to see a clear path to a world that includes self-determination, understanding, and sustainability.

Again, my mind wandered back to the power of a detailed account of personal experience.  I am reminded of the power of "bloggers" who do just that.  I wonder if I were to start doing it in a way that covers the situations of parenting in similar scope and honesty with self that duPicq demands what I and my posterity could learn?

I am intrigued.

Mother vs. Military Leader
DuPicq insists that this approach to military leadership and preparation is paramount to this field alone:

No calling other than the true military profession is so fitted to excite brain activity.  It is preeminently the calling of action, at the same time diverse in its combinations and changing according to the time and locality wherein it is put to practice.  No other profession is more complex nor more difficult, since it has for its aim and reason the instruction of men to overcome by training and endurance the fatigue and perils against which the voice of self-preservation is raised in fear; in other words, to draw from nature what is most opposed and most antipathetic to this nature.

As I read through this, several arguments came to mind:
-Is not the nature of man to revile and contend against each other?  True, war takes this to a degree that is unparalleled in demanding that lives be taken simply upon an order, but is not the role of a mother to shape the spirit and home to create a place where the natural tendencies of selfishness and pride do not hold sway?  Is not a mother's desire for a peace-filled and work/learning centered home the very definition of "to draw from nature what is most opposed and most antipathetic to [its] nature"?  Ever tried to get kids excited about being responsible, kind and motivate self-learners?   A general prepares for a battle.  A mother prepares for every day "warfare."
-As to the " diverse combinations" and "changing according to the time and locality wherein it is put to practice" you only have to look at the many household around the world to see the complexity and changeable nature of environments that the profession of motherhood must rise up to perform in, let alone the diversity experienced as a family morphs through different stages.

My purpose is not to negate duPicq's argument. I agree that a military leader does have this range and scope of circumstances to confront and to do it effectively does take much skill and "excited brain activity." My point is that perhaps motherhood--in being perhaps more in need of the "excited brain activity--could also benefit from learning from accurate, minute detail from those who have experienced it or who are experiencing it.

To Detail or Not To Detail
In the past, I have faced the dilemma: do I want to spend so much time recording my life that I spend not enough time living my life.  That, too, is a challenge. I also abhor public acknowledgement of anything that sets me above others, as it violates my core belief that all are truly equal in the sight of God.  Also, too often public veneration takes away from everyday nature of a person's life that has it's own beauty...partially because it is their everyday.

However, this blog may be the perfect place to do it.  It is connected enough to my other blogs that should someone really want to read it, they will be able to find it.  Perhaps some of my children will feel this way.  I do not seek to make this record as something to hold up as an ideal but rather something to learn from--from the good and the bad--to be read with optimal objectivity and minimal sentimentality.

As I am by nature somewhat sentimental, I have no doubt that emotions will be conveyed.  Yet, I hope that they may lend to the authenticity of the experience as no parenting experience should be devoid of emotion.

Let's see if this venture lasts more than today's "piqued" interest ;).  (Catch the connection?  duPicq? Hahaha.)

I think that I will just sit down and record what I remember of that day after the fashion as if I were answering the motherhood equivalent of Picq's military questions.  Sometimes my time will be limited but I will seek accuracy and candidness in my account.

Choosing the Best Patterns of Education for your Family

After devotional this morning, Pipalicious (10) asked the question: what is the difference between doodling and drawing?  We came to the conclusion that the biggest difference between them is that with drawing, you start out with a goal in mind, while with doodling, whether with a pattern or method or abstract, doesn't begin with an end in mind.

After another song of reflection, Hava (8) piped up and said, "I think that doodling is like us in our life. Sometimes we are wandering around and don't know where we are.  And then when God comes in it is like He helps you to draw your life and it helps you."

Profound.

I have felt so blessed as I have just sought to follow the Spirit in our homeschooling curriculum. I am still very imperfect at trusting my promptings and sometimes default to "overplan"/"overschedule" mode, but I have become better at recognizing what that feels like (blegh!) and so try to stop what I am doing when I feel that way and re-evaluate and seek inspiration once again.

After talking with my missionary Lek, I have also been considering on the value of an inspired schedule and the blessing that come with being obedient to it.  If it is truly inspired, I need to have faith that it is important.


Some "patterns" that are helpful and inspiring for our family, some patterned after D&C 88:
-meals together
-basics/jobs done by 9 am
-exercise
-worship at church and at home
-four lenses (one week a month loosely dedicated to each one)
-temple attendance (whatever regularity God tells us to do)
-family history daily
-monthly themes to help us revisit important fundamental questions about ourselves and the world around us. (I use these to guide the topics of my devotionals and family reading...among other things.)

One of the biggest, constant components of our regular, inspired schedule is devotional which, some mornings like this morning, last over an hour.  But to have the results of the above conversation?...priceless.

Earlier in the devotional, we talked about patterns we can follow (following up on our FHE last night on "A Pattern In All Things" talk from 1990:https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1990/10/a-pattern-in-all-things?lang=eng).  Good patterns.  Bad patterns.  I read from two sweet kids books that Hava "happened" to give me, saying, "why don't we read these?"  The books fit perfectly into the idea of patterns. ("If You Plant a Seed" and "Cinderella CTR.")  We talked about patterns of God, like being honest.  Choosing the right.  We talked about consequences.  We drew pictures of flowers and talked about how everyone's daily pattern, like those flowers, will look different.  And each is beautiful.  And then we had the awesome discussion sparked by my girls at the end of reflection time, another part of our inspired plan for us.

I have been just trying to follow the Spirit with my homeschooling.  I have a loose focus on a different lens every week. If it is the Geo-conquest week, I will cover geography from wherever we are reading in history or in our read-aloud book.  Eureka week, we will play more math games or pick up my "In the Beginning" science book and have a few days of fun immersion in science.  Imaginative Arts week, we will bring out the paints, art, whatever.   Every week is Leadership week in my home :).  That is my main focus. Sometimes I use those in between weeks for "getting back to basics."  You could definitely term them "leadership academy

However, I am not limited to this pattern.  The biggest "pattern" is this: pray, offer my loaves and fishes to God, read my scriptures, go to the temple as often as I feel I can and then move forward with what God tells me to do. If He has no new inspiration, I can settle comfortably into my sub-patterns.  I seek to engage in spiritual experiences as often as I can and then when God tells me to be still and move on, I will.  The Bread and Water of life which is our Savior and His enabling Atonement are truly life-giving and sustaining.

Look at Joseph Smith!  He learned so much in the middle of an insane life full of tribulation and sheer busy-ness.  We, too, can, when our focus is on God.

Patterns.  We are each trying to take a look at the patterns, good and bad, that have in our life.  Each of us in our family. It is neat to hear the unique tweaking God has for each of us.

One thing I felt inspired to do was to prepare the play, "Antigone."  We found a translation online and we are memorizing most of it, with only major parts edited out for our little Pipalicious, who is the chorus with many lines.  As we have reviewed and rehearsed it, it is amazing all that we are learning in the process: political questions, moral questions, elocution, memorization, presentation, clarity, emotions.  As in any good play, the writer has captured many extremes of human emotion and by acting them out, we can see their reflection in ourselves.  Ahhhh....the beauty of the arts.

I put this inspiration off for a few months.  I mean, what kind of crazy person puts on an ancient Greek play with 6 people ranging from a mom to an 8 year old??  But here we are.  And I am learning through the lens of God's pattern for my family.  I love to sit back and watch the Spirit through books, media and other arts work the miracle of education in our home!

Just need to remember this moment of happiness and trust more when it seems there is so much more my children could be learning when they are all giggling together with the baby in the front room like they are now :D.

I have been hesitant to post anything here for a little while.  Like when we spent two weeks after learning about the 7 Wonders having the kids do prezi "7 Wonder" presentations of their own...finding whatever they thought was wonderous about the world.  We learned about animals, the Outback, extreme sports and the Restoration...all examples of wonders that were covered.  It was meaningful, self-education and teaching that taught so much!  And it all came after learning briefly about the Ancient Wonders and thinking, "What would I consider the 7 most wondrous things ever?" I had each kid assigned a day to present on and we did it!  Super cool.

But to blog about that, I can just see someone saying, "Oh!  I want to do that idea!" Well, it will be an awesome idea if it feels right and not just that you are trying to duplicate someone else's awesomeness because you don't have faith in your own.

Revisit Oliver DeMille's "Eighth Key" speech so many years ago, wherein he spoke about how all mentors need to have a firm conviction of the genius of everyone.  Including themselves.  It is hard for children to believe they have genius and awesomeness when they are daily confronted with an adult who does not see the genius and awesomeness of themselves. And says so. God can work with all of our geniuses.  Begin to trust.  Begin to experiment with God-inspired schedules and patterns that are unique to your family.  It is incredible. It is freeing.  It is true, individually-tailored leadership education.  It is a pattern for peace as you rest each night knowing that you did exactly what God told you to do and having confidence that what He has to say is enough.

(Link to DeMille's speech: $5.99...might be worth it.  If you feel prompted to :D.)

Personal Math Classic: "The Man Who Knew Infinity"

This is an incredible movie for very personal reasons...and just because it is a pure, passionate and truth-filled film.

Several things stuck out to me in this film but I feel I must record some feelings.  I can completely relate to his experience. He received inspiration of truth.  He knew it was true, but he was required to prove it by his mentor. I am not sure this requirement was good.  It did give the rest of the world a pathway into the validity of his theories.  It gave him credibility in his lifetime.  But how many of his theories were lost in the need to prove just one or two of his theories out of the many he had?  How much time was wasted in the mentor-driven routine when there was untapped genius that ended up not having time to be shared?

When I started on my quest to homeschool my youth, I was very idealistic.  I wanted a program, a system that would allow for maximum agency yet allow for enough structure that there was a format that would bring minds together on similar issues so they had common ground to discuss and share and learn and grow together.

I wanted a way to take all the amazing subjects, topics, everything that was possible to learn and wanted to organize it so I could capture everything.  Everything.  All truth brought together in a system that made sense.  Connections.  Application.  Context.  I know that the more context and connection a student can experience with a subject the greater their chance to truly learn.  Connections can be made not only with other knowledge and in context but with the many different ways that we can interact with a subject (the Multiple Intelligence theory).

I started feeling a way to educate, discovering patterns and truths in ways that I saw Ramajudan discover mathematical theories and connections.  I too am finding mathematical patterns and truth in the field of education: I just use words, visuals and ideas to demonstrate the patterns.

The other day, I was playing with my visual of the seven monthly themes and seeking more truths in connections.  Do you see the power of this? We have so much information contained and associated with each of these themes.  To be able to further our understanding between the different themes will help us align our understanding about how all those principles and information can be interchanged and applied.

I understand the young man's frustration in needing to explain and clarify.  When I first did Vanguard, I just did what felt right.  When people would ask why I would do it, I couldn't really explain.  I would just say it felt right.  Over time, through the help of many others, we have discovered ways to communicate the "proofs" behind the theory, but like with Ramajudan, I feel like the truths exist in the forms that I felt inspired about and to find the proofs and explanation have not been easy. In truth, at times I have felt very broken.

But this movie resonates with me on a deep level, helping me understand the importance of the proofs but also the danger of not taking enough time to record all of the vision and the overall truths.  I could feel his frustration and the sacrifice that was made on his part to try and make sure these ideals were not lost with him.

Sigh.  The work is great but the truths are too beautiful to be lost. I feel like Ramadan, with all those beautiful truths in my head and the overwhelming compulsion to record them, to discover them, to teach them and share them.

Incredible movie.  Words cannot capture it.