Here’s my almost-nine-year-old’s nature journal drawing from this morning – salvaged from the trash can after being torn out of his nature journal, crumpled up and put in the trash.
I thought it was one of his best paintings.
Unfortunately, jumping in the waves all day, getting too much sun, and staying up late yesterday did not bode well for his attitude today. He didn’t want to draw. All the neighborhood kids are out for summer and hang out outside all day long. Why shouldn’t he? All day?
I made him draw in his nature journal instead. Mean mama!
Not quite the picture of Charlotte Mason perfection – Boy in love with nature. Boy cherishing nature journal. Boy copiously recording all manner of fantastic detail of every new discovery in said journal. Boy rushing with joy to mother sharing journal. No, not the picture in our home today.
I told him to take a nap. When he got up, he went and got his drawing, taped it back together and decided to keep it. I’m glad he did.
Where exactly is that ambiguous line between doing what’s right for a boy and being too hard on him? I find myself searching for it on days like these.
I think we all find ourselves searching for it from time to time. What's reassuring is that we're not alone in that quandary!
It doesn't help that our time is just *different* from Cm's time… Nature study was cutting edge science. New discoveries were being made, and I suspect this made it that much more interesting to the kids. But today, it is only homeschoolers (and a few private school kids) who keep them, and it is hardly the sort of thing we see being done by the modern heroes.
I have only just convinced my son to keep a journal of these things, and at 12 he RARELY wants to write in it!
Oh, I LOVE Ryan's painting! I feel like I'm always finding that balance too, trying to know when to push a little and when to let it go. Tough stuff! Thanks for sharing:)
Oh, I LOVE Ryan's painting! I feel like I'm always finding that balance too, trying to know when to push a little and when to let it go. Tough stuff! Thanks for sharing:)