Still reading about Smiling Hill Farm and my least favorite part of all books is the school intro, where they assume your kid is in school and they are filling you in on what school used to be like, or is like in another country.
I also get irked that no one prays for home schoolers while every church has a prayer for teacher... Not that they don't need prayer and support, just that homeschooling is hard enough without any prayer or support.
Regardless let's get back to Ma and their school....I think the biggest reason she didn't do much schooling is that she had too much work already..she made the girls dresses, no not just sewed them, she had to make the linen from flax..Pa prolly did most of the growing but Ma had to beat it, soak it, spin it then weave it (with woolen thread bought from town) then cut sew and such....bit more work than grabbing one of three out of the closet (purchased by gmas and aunts - so I didn't even have to earn the money for them....).
This was all work needing done after her 'house' chores...and I doubt hers were done by 9:30 (mostly) I also doubt making lunch was as simple as slicing some cheese, spreading mustard, and nuking green peas (for one thing she would have to make the cheese, bread, mustard, and shell the peas!)
Not to mention the dishes I spent 2 minutes filling the dishwasher with would take much longer to clean with sand and water (that had to be drawn up from a nearby creek).
No I don't fault her at all for wanting to spend 5$ a 'term' per kid rather than adding reading education to the list of chores..though at the same time..why not sing the alphabet while you hang the wash? Why not count the peas you shell? And why on earth doesn't Pa teach reading while Ma spins...Allen should be able to entertain Ma with his reading while the girls get extra help.....
K so I think all kids should be involved in all parental chores, and I think the involvement should be of learning interest...I might be a pick picky.
Regardless, I am grateful for my microwave, store bought food, and vacuum! (yet another reason why in spite of what the census says we are rich)
On a side note, I missed a meeting last night, I was out at the park, walking with the kids...I had a wonderful time...I do regret missing the meeting, but given the choice..I would have chosen the walk with the kids. I do like em 
So why didn't Ma and Pa teach them?
September 11th, 2007 at 04:39 pm
September 11th, 2007 at 09:30 pm 1189546249
You reminded me of a book (was it a journal?) about the adult life of a woman who was a "pioneer" in Kansas. Eisenminger or Isenminger was the name. It is a superb book, somewhat like the grown up version of the Little House books. It was definitely not for children though. Some of her life was unbelievably hard.
All my friends (men & women) were reading a book called Pioneer Women around 1979-82. I never read it, but there are alternative versions of what you are reading, anyhow.
Books like these remind me that all of humanity is descended from phenomenal people. Through much of history, being ordinary took phenomenal effort....I hope we still have it in us.
September 12th, 2007 at 08:45 pm 1189629949
I found others cheaper but man I was shocked at the price.
September 13th, 2007 at 04:17 pm 1189700223
Maybe you can find someone to borrow it off off....
I think it will be about 3 years before JC needs it.