What I meant to say…
Feb 9th, 2008 by lapazfarm
Just wanted to clarify a bit about my little tongue in cheek rant about crafts.
I absolutely was only talking about myself and my own homeschool and my own children. I absolutely did not mean to imply that I thought anyone else should not be doing crafts. I love looking at all of the wonderful, cute, adorable crafts that other folks are doing. And if you enjoy doing them with your children then I think that is awesome!!Please don’t feel you have to defend yourself.
I only meant that for me, in the situation I find myself right now, less is definitely more. And certain crafts which, to me, have marginal educational value, are more trouble than they are worth. It’s a cost-benefit ratio thing. An efficiency thing.
Why the push towards efficiency? Well, I am only one woman, alone with 5 children, with my husband 5 thousand miles away. For a year. And I have NO help at all. No friends or relatives close by that can ease my burden. No one to lean my head on at the end of the day. I am solely responsible for all housework, all yardwork, all meals, all errands, all schooling, and last but not least, the education of my children. Etc, etc, etc… You name it, it is all on me. The only thing I do not have to do is earn the paycheck. Thank God!
I am not complaining. I am just telling it like it is. It is a choice dh and I made for our family’s future and we are living with it. But I am struggling. That is why I am trying really hard to cut back on clutter here, of the material and mental kind. Streamlining, trimming the fat, so to speak. And I see crafts as an area that definitely can be cut out (no pun intended).
Now, thankfully my year in the desert is drawing to a close and I can see the promised land ahead. We move this summer to Fairbanks and we can all be together again. My burden will be eased and perhaps I will be able to loosen up and clutter-up again. But until then…I just have to let some things go.
And I don’t mean that my kids will not be allowed to do crafts of their own choosing. I am not that cruel! If my little ones want to go to town with the glitter and cotton balls they are more than welcome. If Superboy wants to make a scale model of a Civil War gunboat out of toothpicks and blu-tack I say “more power to ya!” I’m not squelching anyone’s creative urges here. But I will not be planning, coordinating, making supply lists, or implementing any of these crafts myself. It’s just not something I can put my limited energies into right now. I need to save that. For packing.
And in the meantime I will watch from afar all of the wonderful crafting going on in the homes of all of my amazing online friends. I will craft vicariously through you, ok?
Anyway, that’s what I meant to say.
hey.. good for you! .. I am starting a new “get rid of the clutter” page in my life too! I totally understand that crafting can take away precious time that needs to be spent elsewhere. Good for you on taking control! Great example to us all
It must be really hard to have your hubby gone.. I cant even imagine.. Summer is getting closer everyday! Alaska .. what a dream! wow.
I wanted to tell you (and superboy) that we got two copies of the book he suggested. the kids LOVED it. (and the artist in me loved it too! ).. cant wait to hear what the kids say
thanks for sharing..
LOVE your site (as always! )
ruthie
You are doing what is right for your family, Theresa. It amazes me that you do all that you do while alone with 5 kids.
Hang in there, the glorious end is in sight and you’ll soon be reuinted!
I understand totally what you are saying – I am so not crafty therefore my kids tend to have more free exploration wrt crafts.
Hey, I say if it makes you happy, then go for it. You gotta do what is best for you, especially with the big move coming up. You do not need to have to pack all of that up in boxes. Like I said, I love those little crafts, but feel so bad when it is time for them to go in the bottom of the garbage. I have to admit though, I am still a “craft-a-holic”. There is no cure for me. *giggles*
Cute post, Theresa — I had to go back and look at the original rant : ). My kids aren’t into the craft projects (as opposed to useful handicrafts, like sewing and making wooden swords and decorating them — they do that sort of thing all the time).
I craft vicariously through visiting blogs, too! It’s fun to see someone else do them. But it’s nice not to feel obliged to do it just to win mommy points.
I am with you on the need to reduce and simplify.
I never thought you sounded snarky or rant-ridden. I just thought you were funny. I like funny. Hmmm … maybe *I’m* snarky and ranting and don’t realize it … Hmmm ….
Anyway, the beauty of homeschooling is: “Adapt to the circumstances!” So, adapt away, my dear!
I never thought the original post was to discourage others, only a post about how you felt about doing crafts with your family
. I have four boys and they don’t really gravitate to crafting.
The only thing I really have learned about crafts is that there has to be a purpose. My oldest (now 13) would never just paint a picture as a kid, but he would paint a birdhouse that we would put up in the backyard. My 11 year old would never just pound nails into wood but he would nail together two pieces of wood to make an airplane to fly.
Alaska. Cold. The promised land is -36 degrees? What a woman you are!
And elmer’s glue crafts make me cry. Thankfully the kids like me to be not involved with those.
Oh, I think we all know what you meant. I hope I didn’t contribute to making you feel bad or anything. I’d be grateful to be past the glue crafts stage too, but alas, with my oldest just in K now, and my youngest being 2.5…I’m going to have to tolerate some of it for a while. I guess it’s a good thing I’ve been streamlining other areas of the house, and taking pictures of art crafts instead of saving them till they disintegrate, it will hopefully not get out of control. I’m hoping in the spring time, the glue crafts will be overshadowed by making bird houses and garden crafts (that will be done in the garage, keeping it out of my dining room).
We’ll make sand candles in Ft. L as a compromise, deal? We’ll photograph the heck out of the process, blog it from at least two perspectives, then burn them while sipping Sangria and soaking our toes in the ocean as the moon rises thus avoiding the dreaded bottom of the trashcan burial.
Crafts that burn – now that I can get excited about!