A Question
It was a rough night for me. The 4 year old had a bloody nose and woke us up for help. Then he was scared of his own room so we let him get in our bed, and he couldn't settle down right away, then his nose started up after I was asleep for a while: the night seemed to never end. I'm too old for nights of interrupted sleep, I told myself at 7 this morning. Maybe I'll just sleep in and start school later. Mornings like this I wish they could just march off to the local school and I could go back to bed. But no.
So I got the day rolling, breakfast served and cleaned up, teeth brushed and beds made and school books (and students) at the table on time. I think I may have dozed off a couple of times, but we plugged away. We didn't have quite enough time to start anything else before lunch, as I had hoped, since Latin lessons went longer than usual.
And then it happened. A question from the 8 year old: "Why do we study Latin grammar, and not just the words and how to speak it?" It's the kind of question that I love and assures me that the kids are listening and engaged. So, I sat back down and proceeded to explain to her and her 10 year old brother that they are learning the grammar of all their subjects. That they are in the grammar stage of life and that we call grades 1-5 grammar or elementary school. That this is the time for them to learn how all knowledge works and fits together, breaking it down into basic elements so that they can build on it as they grow older.
It was a conversation that lasted about 20 minutes and certainly left no time for anything else before lunch. But it was, to me, a golden moment. It's the kind of moment that I cherish, being able to guide and direct and explain things to my kids. Reaching into their young lives and open minds and souls, leaving my mark, and thus reaching into the future.
And I realized that I wasn't tired anymore.
So I got the day rolling, breakfast served and cleaned up, teeth brushed and beds made and school books (and students) at the table on time. I think I may have dozed off a couple of times, but we plugged away. We didn't have quite enough time to start anything else before lunch, as I had hoped, since Latin lessons went longer than usual.
And then it happened. A question from the 8 year old: "Why do we study Latin grammar, and not just the words and how to speak it?" It's the kind of question that I love and assures me that the kids are listening and engaged. So, I sat back down and proceeded to explain to her and her 10 year old brother that they are learning the grammar of all their subjects. That they are in the grammar stage of life and that we call grades 1-5 grammar or elementary school. That this is the time for them to learn how all knowledge works and fits together, breaking it down into basic elements so that they can build on it as they grow older.
It was a conversation that lasted about 20 minutes and certainly left no time for anything else before lunch. But it was, to me, a golden moment. It's the kind of moment that I cherish, being able to guide and direct and explain things to my kids. Reaching into their young lives and open minds and souls, leaving my mark, and thus reaching into the future.
And I realized that I wasn't tired anymore.
Comments
Post a Comment