Look What I Made!

As you can see, Virginia is very proud of her latest creation. The idea began when she saw in her coloring book several pictures of items used in everyday life. Food, clothes, musical instruments, jewelry- it was too much. She had to cut them out. But then she needed people to use them. She sat and thought a minute and then the proverbial light bulb appeared. The gingerbread cookie cutter would make the perfect stencil! She fished it out of the kitchen drawer and quickly traced and cut out a boy and girl. Then she glued a necklace and skirt onto the girl, and a guitar onto the boy. But where were they to live? A gingerbread house of course! She cut and glued, but began to get a little frustrated when the roof kept popping off, so I helped reinforce it a bit with some packaging tape. Then she needed something for the candy, because all gingerbread houses must have candy! What better use for that box of random beads and lite brite pegs? Voila!

I think this was the first three dimensional thing Virginia has made with paper. The thought process, the problems to be solved, and the sheer thrill of the whole project were fascinating to behold. A milestone had been crossed in her mental development, and I am so glad I was there to see it.

The drive to create is, I think, one of the most basic human impulses. It makes us imitators of our Creator, and is a gift he has given us to be used for his and our mutual pleasure. It is what fuels our quest for knowledge, not the other way around. This, I think, is the most important principle in Luke's and my approach to homeschooling, or rather unschooling. We are simply here to aid our children's own journey, assist them to pursue their own individual gifts and callings. We are not here to force or shape them into any kind of mold by any institution of society, but to protect them from this kind of manipulation as best as we are able. And to show them by example and gentle instruction, and even our mistakes, the ways of Jesus as we go through the rhythms and changes of life.