Todd Wilson from Familyman Ministries is a homeschool dad. He is also a guy who captures the daily homeschool life through humor that makes you laugh so hard you spit the red pen out of your mouth. I like to think Todd and I have a professional connection since we both write for Homeschool Mosaics. We don’t. He doesn’t know I exist. I almost met him when he came to my homeschool co-op to speak. We didn’t. Sick child. Todd still doesn’t know I exist. But we are colleagues just the same. In a sense, from a distance, if you stand back 40 yards, cock your head to one side and squint.
At any rate, this little comic was going around Facebook. (Todd and I aren’t even friends on Facebook.). I loved this comic. I loved it because I am baffled by the idea that every gift needs to have educational value stamped on the box. Before you know it there will be a Barbie doll with “meets state standards” on the box. Not every toy needs to teach a lesson from a textbook. You would have thought a memo went out stating that since we are a homeschooling family all gifts must reinforce African geography or need an algebraic equation to operate. Should I be insulted by the overload of educational help or flattered that it must appear we only appreciate gifts that require a logic problem to open?
The concept is prevalent among many homeschoolers as well. A friend read off a list of items she purchased and I couldn’t tell if they were school expenses or gifts. As much as little Johnny may need a new ruler, I don’t think the glow in the dark Star Wars one counts as a gift.
If you must quantify your plastic pink pony purchase, think of it as exploring the Charlotte Mason aspect of masterly inactivity. It is okay, if not encouraged, to allow your child to be a care free spirit with stress free time to explore the world and use her own eyes to discover.
So ditch the flashcards and buy the sparkly plastic pony.