kiwords

Tonight Max and I had a rare treat, time with just the two of us. He’s learning about ancient Egypt in history, so we went down to the museum to catch an IMAX film and exhibit about Egypt.
I should have guessed how well Max would take to Egypt went he declared his favorite part of the film, “When they showed what’s behind the movie screen and where all the speakers are!” Yeah. The wonders of the pyramids? The glittering treasures of Tutankhamen’s tomb? No match for the pre-film demonstration of the IMAX Theater.
We filed out and headed down to the exhibit, which Max enjoyed for a full seven minutes. Even then he wasn’t observing the actual artifacts, so much as trying to find spaces he could hide in, and noting how big certain shadows were on the wall.
Egypt failed to capture him.
On the email list I’m on there was a recent fire-storm of a discussion about homeschooling. Apparently some people still don’t think it’s a good idea. Huh. *shrug* And one of the big objections is something along the lines of, “I want my kids to spread their wings, not to have so much of their thoughts and life determined by me.”
Well, I don’t know if other homeschoolers are able to DO THAT, to determine their kids’ thoughts and all. If they are, I kind of wish they’d give me some pointers. Because my kids are not all getting on board with that AT ALL.
I’d hoped Max would find the pharaohs as fascinating as I do, that he’d be entranced by the variety and imagination of the culture. He was not. And he didn’t learn all that much, if you define learning simply as the cataloguing of facts and dates. No, what he got tonight was a series of images to add to the mix in his head. And the next time he comes across the subject of the ancient Egyptians, those images will be there, somewhere, to make it seem more familiar.
Some people picture homeschooling like forcing a bitter food down your children’s throats. What I think I do is offer. Taste this knowledge…what do you think of this? It’s much like the process of introducing new foods to a baby. A tiny taste here and there. Some subjects fascinate the boys, and they devour them whole. At other times they turn their heads, only allowing a dribble past their lips.
Tonight, as we left the museum in the dark, Max pranced and jumped beside me. He wore a paper crown with the Egyptian symbol for the god of the underworld, and around his arm coiled a painted snake. He’d learned a bit, perhaps, but what he’d done the most is enjoy some time with just the two of us.
“I’m so HAPPY,” he said, “I just keep hopping.”
Tell me I’m not letting this child spread his wings.