Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Breaking the Rules (08/16/04)
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TITLE: Breaking the Rules of Social Convention By Colleen Smith 08/23/04 |
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I like to break rules that say I must vaccinate my children with potentially harmful substances. Oh, sure I don't want my children to come down with polio or diphtheria or whooping cough. There are some vaccinations that are helpful. But a vaccination for chicken pox? Chicken pox is one of those milestones each child goes through. It marks a passage in life, and sometimes leaves a mark behind to let you know you weathered that storm.
I like to break rules that say you should wean your babies by one year. Who says? I believe in extended breastfeeding. I believe that "momma's milk" is the best food for your children well beyond that first year. What comforts a cranky child more? What heals all hurts, calms all fears, fills little tummies, and has been proven to increase brainpower? Momma's milk makes smarter babies. Just ask my 19 year old super genius.
I like to break the rules that say you shouldn't let your babies sleep in your bed. The family bed is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable experiences a child can have. Being able to wake up next to mom or dad and know that fear will be erased immediately, not when some sleepy dad can manage to find his way down the hallway to the baby's nursery. To be able to be instantly comforted without depriving mom of sleep. And no matter how many times your mother-in-law says that your child will be in your bed until they are 21, it simply isn't true. Each of my children grew out of the family bed by age 5. In the big scheme of things, if a child lives to be 80 years old (at least) then spending six percent of their life in your bed is not that bad.
I like to break the rules that say children should be in bed by 8:00pm. What and have them wake you up at 6:00am? I believe in natural sleep. Fall asleep when you are tired, and wake up when you are done sleeping. If this means the children stay up later than the parents...fine as long as someone remembers to turn out the light before going to bed!
I like to break the rules that say you must send your children off to school at age five. What is so special about five years of age? And who says I have to send my child to school? I just spent the first five years of their life watching them learn how to walk, talk, dress themselves, feed themselves, and discover the joys of this beautiful world. Why would I want them to stop teaching themselves and put their learning into the hands of a stranger?
I like to break rules that say I can't enjoy spending time with my children and that I should send them off to school for six hours per day. Sorry, I enjoy my children and want to be there when they discover that we can go to the stars and that a man has walked on the moon. I want to be there when my child has that "aha" moment and meaningless scribbles on a page become words and he is reading!
I like to break the rules that say my child must learn a certain subject or concept before he can go onto the next one. If he wants to learn how to do quadratic equations before learning his multiplication tables...then why not? I believe in encouraging my children to learn what interest them, not what some curriculum developer arbitrarily decides what a child must know when.
I like to break rules that say I can't teach creation to my children. The more I study creation versus evolution theory, the more I'm amazed at the lies that were told me in schools. My trust in the 'system' just isn’t there.
I like to break rules that say children mustn't pray in school. I'm sorry, but my God is bigger than that.
I'm a rule breaker and I'm proud of it. I'm a homeschooling, attachment parenting, extended breastfeeding, live life as it happens, unschooling, radical Christian. And no rule is going to change that!