Idea for a Kids' Book:

Some people think that having a family is nothing special, because we all have
one. But I have met a lot of people, and now I know that not everybody does. Some old
people are all alone. And some kids only have one parent, and sometimes that one parent
doesn't even seem to be around very much. So when I look at my own family, I see that
every relationship between every one of us is very, very important.
Sometimes it is hard to get along with everybody all at once, because we are each
living our own different lives, and following our own dreams. But I have also noticed
that if I try the littlest bit to resolve some problem, we love each other so much that we
always work it out Sometimes it takes a long time, and sometimes it takes a lot of self
control to not yell too much.
I think that the more people that are in a person's family, the more chance that
person has to find someone to share something with. Old people have a lot of time,
because they are retired from working all their lives, and especially enjoy sitting in a nice
place to have a good conversation. Other kids my age seem to be interested in the same
things I am interested in. And their parents always have some kind of answer for most of
my questions. Sometimes I see our neighbors outside working in their yard all alone, and
then if I offer to help, they always say they could use a hand. Sometimes we work so hard
that we even get to take a break for a refreshing drink of lemonade! So I think that all of
these people end up being in my family, since the more time we share doing things
together, the more we care about each other. And the more we care about each other, the
more chance I have of finding someone who wants to share something with me again next
time!

September3, 2007

hey (anonymous)!

I haven't been out and about too much recently... somehow missed all the great stuff last month. But that's okay... we're all still here, right? I was hoping that you and I could work together to get some kids' stuff going in town, probably in cahoots with the freeschool.

I have a ton of ideas that I really want to work on with others in the community. I thought that I emailed a letter detailing my ideas to the editor at PDXFreeschool.org, but it looks like that letter never got sent... hmmmm....

well, all of my drive is about the little kids, of course. I really want to get some families together to do the stuff that the squares do at the PDX parks&rec, but without being square, violent, etc. Pus we'd be building community, of course.

Some of my ideas include :
classes for storytellers, where we hone our skills and then perform for one another;
bike games/obstacle courses etc for tots;
kids deconstruct a bike;
secret cafe where the kids plan the meals, cook the meals with help, and serve;
stitch-n-bitch/knitting clubs for kids;
puppet making etc., where the kids write a play, make the puppets, and perform for the community;
primitive skills for kids;
a non-competitive little-league or something.... mostly I'd like to learn soccer techniques and help my daughter to acquire those without having to join the squares' clubs;
accoustic music and dance that starts and ends early (done by 7:30pm for kids' bedtime)

there are other ideas that I can't remember right now.

I had thought to post this stuff on the ideas-for-classes site on the pdxfreeschool, but there are so many ideas, all in the same vein, that I thought perhaps I should present them to you and others in the freeschool first and see what you think. See, the village freeschool is for older kids (Justice is three) and it only runs in the "school" season. I'm totally outside of that - I don't have a "job" and hate "school". These ideas, outlined above, would evolve for me as my daughter got older, to the point where I was motivating to get her mentors and apprenticeships. We are doing the unschooling thing all the way, I think.

I would like to do an event almost every day of the week. kids thrive on consistancy. For any skill, repetition is key, also. So if you know people who are really gung ho and could plan some things that they'd really be here for, let's get together and brainstorm. I'd like to get a bunch of people involved as facilitators, so that the events really do happen, even if one or more of the "coaches" can't show-up that day. (I'm planning some trips out of town, myself)

So............. what do you think? I really am interested in getting active with other big and little kids, not so much having boring ol' meetings and chit-chat.

oh yeah, and how are you? We are great. But very very bored.

thanks for finding us again

love
heather and justice