Apricot Balls

I am loving this menu. Serisouly.

I drew up the menu by hand, adding in suppers and the weekend (Deciding on those 6 extra meals and 4 extra snacks was like pulling teeth – but I got there). When I have made it all pretty and ready to go on my fridge, I’ll post a picture here. More on that later.

And this morning we had banana pancakes for breakfast, mamalega (polenta) with cabbage stew for lunch, apricot balls for afternoon snack, and we’re off for supper with the IL’s. It’s all a bit of a mishmash – starting Sunday I want to try and stick with the plan, at least unti it is second nature to sit down for all meals and snacks. And not just eat the quickest easiest thing (salad, fruit, pita etc).

So, I made a bunch of banana pancakes, with extra frozen. I made a stack of apricot balls, with extra frozen. And they are yummy! I have pics to post, just no USB cord 😦 I suspect DS has hidden it, and I just have not gotten around to buying another one – I keep hoping it will turn up.

Why am I comparing?

Not having many friends who are mothers around me and living far away from my good friends who are mothers, I rely quite heavily on the internet for my support and inspiration. I have learned a phenomenal amount from other mothers on discussion boards and through blogs.

I was reading A Small Tribe, a blog I found through the Waldorf forum on MDC and was really struck by a post written about the reality of a Waldorf Inspired home – behind the scenes so to speak.

I do aspire to have a TV free home, eat orgnanic food, use cloth nappies, rely on lifestyle to support immune systems rather than vaccination to create immunity, have open ended toys made from natural non toxic material, etc etc etc. I work really hard to make this happen for my family.

However, we do have a 3 computers for 2 adults – one lap top each and a large computer that is used as a media centre for late night movies and music. And DS is very attached to a black 4X4 look alike toy that was given as a present some time ago.

But what got me thinking is that perhaps I am not being honest with myself in my portrayal of my life, both online and in my own head. I often wonder how it is that I have managed to cut TV out from our lives and ensure that DS has tasted sugar once, maybe twice in his almost 18 months. And keep the branded, electric, plastic toy fest out of our house.

I read about other mama’s who only eat home made orgaic local food – EVER. And I know that will never be me. We do go out to cafe’s and even order pizza on nights where I am just finished. I like to think that we will only ever have local fresh organic made from scratch meals on our table – but I also know that that will never be possible 100% of the time. If I can get 18 out of 21 meals a week made from scratch I am achieving my 100%. And even that is a strech. In all honesty, I reckon 17 out of 21 meals is more realistic. And this is with DH doing most dinners.

I also read about other mama’s who keep a very strong rhythm in their homes and I cringe inwardly. I have read enough to suspect that rhythm is very important – but I just can’t get the kind of rhythm going that I have read about in Waldorf Homeschooling materials. I might get there one day, but for now it is work in progress.

Pictures that I take invariably show the mess in my house and I rephrane from posting the pics It’s crazy, but I worry about the bag of rubbish hanging from the cuphord handle in the backround or the litter of objects that DS has taken out of the cuphoards or brought in from the yard… This is perhaps the most intimidating thing for me. Other blogs from mama’s who have the richest most vibrant photos – and I feel so bland in comparison.

It is quite intimidating having glimpses into other families lives and wondering what my choices say about me and my life. Although for the most part, I take inspiration from the women I come across on the internet. I feel a little less lonely and isolated.

Currently reading

I am reading Smart Moves, by Carla Hannaford and loving it. I think that there is so much to learn and apply when it comes to how children learn and what we want to teach them.

I am quite sure that Waldorf schools are onto a good thing when they don’t rush reading and generally have a take it slow appraoch with introducing technology and ‘scientific thinking’. I do not see the benefit in rushing children to know their numbers and letters – or generally pushing kids to perform academic skills. I am inclined to believe that it is a misplaced belief of this being for the good of the child. Of course if every child is reading in grade one, it could be hard for my child if he were not. He might be made to feel stupid or inferior in some way. But that is still not enough of a convincing reason to prssure him to be reading and writing and doing math when he is younger than 7-8. I see reading, writing and math as the culmination of years of having developed the foundations – essentally perception. Without an understanding of how objects related to one another and how you relate to objects around you in space – reading and writing are going to be that much more difficult. Behind, in front, left, right, under, over, etc are the foundations for being able to decode written language. And the strongest way to lay the foundation for these perceptions is through movement. Children first learn kinesthetically (through movement) and then through 3 dimentions (ie blocks/toys), and then in 2 dimensions (on paper).

Anyway, many books have been written on this and I am defintily not the first to choose to stay away from ‘acamdic’ material in the first years. It makes sense to me and fits with my values and seems to be more in line with the ideal environment for little children to be growing and learning in.

Stranger

I am starting to think more about our future as a family and the options we have for education. I would love for DS (and any siblings) to attend a Waldorf school, although I am not closed to other options – it is familiar and much more in line with how I see child development than anything I have seen in public schools here in Israel. And having come from an anthroposophical home with a father as a respected teacher and a mother as the respected burser for the school for over 25 years – I am used to be the respected daughter and being welcomed into the fold so to speak. So it came as a shock to me to be treated as a member of the public – with a hesitant, non-welcoming attitude. To be honest I really am not sure what to make of it. Perhaps I need to reasses what my expectations are, but I expected to be welcomed more warmly. It feels weird to be not embraced and accepted. I am certainly not a die hard anthroposophist and I do not plan to study anthroposophy, but I entertain fantasies of bringing my background in OT and Waldorf together…And I think I have a lot to offer in bridging these two worlds…. I just do not know where to start, beyond my fantasies

Anyway, I a still gardening up a storm and want to upload some more photos.