{life with a curious and crazy 12 yr old}
So many activities lately. We are not the type of family that is heavily scheduled. In fact, we cannot fathom that kind of life. The to-ing and fro-ing and the faux relationships that somehow have to be forged to make it happen. We are pretty discerning with our events and the events of our child. That said, many stars aligned this week for her to attend some things she aspired to – theater camp, roller skating, pottery class – things that we did not take part in with her (also a rarity for our family). We can count on one hand how many times we have dropped our child off somewhere and drove away.
But she is getting older now, more independent and engaged with the world outside of us. Organized sports will never be a thing for our family, but she is finding things to open her up a bit. I think, for me, my views are not interested in competition or of single-age engagements for her – I find them both pretty limiting and potentially damaging but co-operative and knowledge building scenarios sound fun, and I want her to learn and have fun (sure, some will argue the co-operative nature of sports, but you won’t sell me, it is its own microcosm of relations that do not interest our family, and to be honest, my child is already competetive by nature and I don’t need to enhance that…).
She had a great time with her theater camp (thank you, Nana!) learning improvisational techniques, group dynamics, and honing her juggling career (ha! there are worse things, I suppose). It was mostly made of kids who were on some sort of school break so I’m sure their social cues were very different from hers but she enjoyed it. We went to a final ‘performance’ to see what they had been up to all week. It was supercute and boosted her general theatrics.
She also has her pottery class at Kennebec Clay Works; this is her third (I think) set of sessions with them and she has been enjoying them. The amazing Goddard gal who runs the joint says that D has been progressing and has good skills at the wheel. She seems to like going so we keep signing her up.
And then the Homeschool Field Trip group organized a roller skating day in Westbrook and our other homeschooling family friends were gracious enough to take D with them (a mini van overrun with littles!) since we had to open the store. She loves roller skating and now has her own skates (and vintage bag we scored at the Swap Shop). We don’t get to go to the rink very often but in the clear weather she skates often at the park (when she was smaller it was always in the house!).
But right now we have loads of snow – powdery, deep, sparkly snow! And more on the way – letting the snow child run free!
Rock Bottom Homestead 