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Connections
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I am beginning to fear that shelves full of unused curriculum give me a false sense of security. Perhaps they lull me into complacency.
The thinking goes something like this: The materials are there if anyone wants to use them. We'll get to them "some day." I am covered when inspiration hits. Maybe another sibling will benefit from them.
Those materials are not used, but serve as a safety net of sorts.
Perhaps I would be better off getting rid of curriculum and materials that we do not use.
Thoughts?
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Tracey
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Martha
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that or you could refuse to buy until you have used what you have?
otherwise, yes I certainly see that.
i recently culled out everything that i think there is little to no chance of using within the next 2 years.
what is leeft, I am insisting we use.
it has saved me a ton of time looking at supposedly greener pastures.
and we have made significant progress in our studies too.
I still love my bookd and curriculum planning, it just isn't taking up huge parts of our days.
Yet another benefit to low economy. 
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Martha
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Willa
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Connections wrote:
Those materials are not used, but serve as a safety net of sorts.
Perhaps I would be better off getting rid of curriculum and materials that we do not use.
Thoughts? |
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That was my thinking process last year and it did inspire me to get rid of a large percentage of resources.
Unfortunately it's not a onetime thing for me -- it has to be ongoing. I haven't bought any new curriculum, which is a plus, but we still have more than we need around the house and I've become aware I also have a tendency to cyber-hunt for free resources and that this can clutter my mind even if it doesn't clutter the shelves so much.
I think you make a very good point about the "safety net". I didn't realize how strong this was in me until we moved to an apartment in San Francisco several years ago when my 10 year old was an infant and had to be in the hospital for several months.
We hardly brought anything with us, and it was very freeing to have so little, to have to improvise and make do.
But I found the impulse to buy replacements, to stockpile and "stash" was very strong indeed. And I realized then that "stuff", abundance past what is strictly needed, is sort of like spiritual fat -- just like your body stockpiles extra calories in case of a famine, so your spirit can start stockpiling material things for security.
Even GOOD things -- that's the whole point.
Great topic for this time of year, Tracey!
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Willa
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jenk
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Tracey,
You have put into words the feelings I have been having about curriculum/books for the past several months. My overall thought is that if we had less, we'd use more... my trouble is getting to "less".
I definitely hold on to things as a safety net and the fear of getting rid of something we'll need later. When I really look at God's provision in my life, I KNOW I don't need to hang onto any of it. Things that we need always seem to have a way of showing up when we need them.
Looking forward to following this post.
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Jen
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Dec 30 2009 at 11:21am | IP Logged
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Willa wrote:
...I've become aware I also have a tendency to cyber-hunt for free resources and that this can clutter my mind even if it doesn't clutter the shelves so much.
[snip]
Even GOOD things -- that's the whole point.
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LOVE these points, Willa! These are two things I thought about a lot this Advent as I planned our family celebrations; I think they're valuable to all aspects of our home (and even our spiritual) lives. Thank you for sharing--so much to think about.
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Celeste
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amyable
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My kids do tend to actually USE the things on the shelves where there isn't an overabundance of resources, which has encouraged me to keep it down to a dull roar. They're taking things off the shelves to self-study because they can SEE that we have them instead of getting the open mouthed stare like when walking into a homeschooling mom's "library basement." 
Knowing that I *can* look up almost anything they need/want to know online, has allowed me the freedom to let things go.
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Bookswithtea
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Fwiw, my current thought is that the safety net of sorts works against productivity. We do better with a few books, well used.
And it seems like as soon as I cull, I realize I could have culled deeper. Its an ongoing process, imho.
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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MicheleQ
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The problem for me tends to be "out of sight out of mind". I store things for later use but then forget what I have and either buy something else or do fine just "making do" . So I have been cleaning things out and only storing what I know will be used later (various math levels for example) in ONE place so I know where it is when it's needed.
I also feel like it's a shame for something to be sitting in my closet that someone else could be using and benefiting from.
Of course you have to store SOME things, especially when you have multiple aged children but the longer I home-school the less I find we need anyway.
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amyable
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MicheleQ wrote:
| I also feel like it's a shame for something to be sitting in my closet that someone else could be using and benefiting from. |
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Reading Happy Are You Poor mentioned in the other thread has really helped me maintain this mindset - even through the inevitable ache/grief of giving some things away. Detach, detach!
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stacykay
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This is exactly where I am! I have been hanging onto things, thinking, well, I still have x more children to go and maybe this won't work with that one, etc. until my mind swirls!
Thank you all who have written to share and put my mind at rest about decluttering the shelves. It is definitely where my year needs to go in an effort to bring order into our home (and hoping that peace and joy will follow!) (my motto for this year-order, peace, and joy)
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Willa
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MicheleQ wrote:
| The problem for me tends to be "out of sight out of mind". I store things for later use but then forget what I have and either buy something else or do fine just "making do". |
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I do this too -- and I've realized that I might just as well not have those things, and pray in faith that God will provide when the time comes.
That makes me think again of Tracey's point about the "false sense of security". Hard to put into words, but there's a good energy that comes from having to make up a bit of a gap, and there's a sort of inertia that comes from feeling that you've got all the bases covered and more. I'm not sure I'm putting it the right way, but it compares a little in my mind with how when you are fasting or dieting, you become more receptive somehow -- whereas when you are full you are sluggish and overloaded.
Definitely pondering on this.
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Willa
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Angie Mc
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Tracey and all, I'm going to ponder this and hope to get back to share some thoughts. In case I don't, I just want to *thank you* for your ideas and the *words* "false sense of security." This just rings in my ears more so than other ways of coming to a similar conclusion and action such as, let's see...decluttering...simplifying...streamlining...
Love,
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Sarah M
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Bookswithtea wrote:
| Fwiw, my current thought is that the safety net of sorts works against productivity. We do better with a few books, well used. |
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Yup. Here too. The less "stuff" we use, the better and deeper the learning. So I'm trying to use less, and just really sit with and savor that which we do use.
A few cherished books and a couple favorite workbooks, some board games, and a library card oughtta get us through a good long while. I'm cleaning shelves of my safety net too, Tracey.
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Mackfam
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I think I began to feel this way at a certain point as well, Tracey...though I don't think I articulated it in my mind as you have here. Your wording prompted reflecting for me. At some point I noticed a momentum here in my home...both on my shelves and with my thinking...that left me feeling that I was relying heavily, perhaps too exclusively, on books/curriculum as a crutch, as the solution. If something went wrong, it must be a problem with what I'm using, I thought. The solution is: use something new, something different. Therefore, keep everything in case it is needed.
Your post had me thinking about this shift I've undergone away from this momentum. I can't pinpoint it to any AHA moment. In thinking about it I do recognize something that stands out as assisting my shift in attitude. I began to be more confident in my own shoes, with my own style. I could accept that there were/are a variety of *good* homeschooling philosophies and styles out there represented by other equally *good* moms. I accepted that I had been given a specific family, a specific temperament, specific gifts, and was very comfortable with my own style/philosophy. These were unique and assisted me. Again, it wasn't an AHA moment, but I recognized that I could appreciate other's gifts, the beauty of the expression of these, their suggestions, and be able to walk away in peace saying, "This is lovely, how beautiful for this family. It isn't for ours. I can leave it right here." There is no need to strip anything - any book, idea, curriculum, suggestion - of it's good and worth because they each have value, but in relaxing into my own shoes, I began to be a better steward of my time, my gifts and strengths by discerning what we can use simply and effectively.
MicheleQ wrote:
| the longer I home-school the less I find we need anyway. |
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I find this to be so true as well.
I've learned that it is possible to get more out of something when I don't give up at the first obstacle. I must challenge myself to be creative, to seek solutions that work within the existing materials we have and only seek outside materials after I've exhausted some effort and applied myself consistently. I've learned that to make frugal use of space and my time and have the potential to work creatively and dig deeper, I must seek out the good, the true and the beautiful. That doesn't necessarily translate into spending more $, it does translate into prayerful discernment and stewardship of our gifts.
The only security I have is in rejoicing in the assistance of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Matrimony to grow, detach from false ideas I may have, challenge myself to virtue, rejoice in the beauty of others, cooperate with grace, and teach within His plan.
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Jen Mackintosh
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4Real Forums : Philosophy of Education
Topic: False Sense of Security
