For her Heart of the Matter podcast, Cynthia L. Simmons and I discussed parent-child personality differences and homeschooling. We also looked back through history at one 1930s mom’s parenting style.

For the Oct 2, 2020 podcast, How to Delight in Your Child as You Homeschool, Cynthia asked me great questions related to the book Delight in Your Child’s Design. We talked about ways to inject more fun into parenting that allow children to learn more organically. In other words, when they’re having fun, they don’t always realize they’re also learning. We also talked about leaving a legacy of playful parenting, and about how in some ways parenting has changed little in a century. In this blog post I share a bit of what we discussed, plus a time capsule tip:

Parenting — Then and Now

We started off by my reading aloud a letter (1929: New Motherhood in Ooty) Gladys wrote about her delight in new motherhood — ninety-one years ago. In later letters, Gladys described playful moments with her toddler, then preschooler.

One of my favorite letters included how she threw a blanket over a table to make a fort for her toddler. Mom helped me make blanket forts as a child, and I did with my own children. Remarkably, this has all been under the same 1930s table.

My toddler grandkids will no doubt make forts under that same table too. And when they do, they’ll be excited to see a faded bunny poster taped to the underside of that 90-year-old table. The poster has been there now for 32 years — since my son was two. One can only see it when lying on the floor underneath the table, a wonderful reminder of playful times with all three of my kids.

Covid-Homeschooling and Online Learning

This year offers special challenges to parents, what with fewer opportunities to help kids burn off energy outside of the house or learn in different environments. Many opportunities for educational field trips have been nixed lately, other than those in nature.

I especially feel for parents whose children are usually in public or private schools but are currently glued to computers all day connected with teachers online. It’s like having all the challenges of homeschooling without the benefits. And if a parent is trying to work too: whew. I confess all I can offer to parents in that situation right now is my compassion.

My own children had a mix of homeschooling and public schools, including an international school in Norway. When homeschooling is controlled by parents, not by a teacher via online learning, there’s more flexibility to tailor lessons and timing to kids’ specific personalities, energy levels, and educational strengths. It also allows more freedom to add elements of play to teaching away from the computer, including teaching history.

Cynthia, in addition to being a podcaster as a parenting and homeschool expert, is a history expert. She’s the author of the outstanding historical fiction novel Pursuing Gold, a fun and fascinating read. But for homeschoolers and other teachers, she also wrote: Pursuing Gold: A Historical & Critical Thinking Curriculum, turning her research behind the historical fiction novel, into a great resource for teachers. You can imagine how much fun it was to talk with her since parenting and history are right up my alley.

The Eloquence of Handwritten Letters

When Gladys wrote her mother, there was, of course, no texting nor emailing. If you think the USPS is slow now, consider that overseas mail in the 1930s traveled via steamship. Mail, including photos, could take three weeks to several months to arrive. Messages could be sent by telegram — but at a high cost per word, so simply stated urgent facts.

We have so much luxury now in getting a picture text of a grandchild within seconds, making long luxurious phone calls, and relishing visits via Skype or FaceTime. When my grandson was born recently I was able to see him the day of his birth on my smartphone and my daughter could see and hear my joy.

But with all this technology, perhaps we have become less eloquent at expressing ourselves on paper. This may become a lost art to our children and grandchildren. Also, words in a cloud or on a drive can vanish or be hard to find later. It’s a marvelous privilege for me to hold letters written nearly a hundred years ago, scribbled in my grandmother’s distinct handwriting.

Create a Time Capsule with your Kids

For a fun homeschool project, your whole family can write letters to their future selves or future grandchildren. Include current events, thoughts, feelings, friendships, and what they are watching on TV or playing. Your kids may think it fun to make predictions about what they think life will be like a hundred years from now. (Could Gladys have imagined Zoom technology, over which I read her 1929 letter?)

Do it on real paper, in cursive writing if possible and save in a special place. Your kids will love reading them when they are older, as will their future descendants.

If you listen to the podcast, I’d love it if you’d jump back over here to this blog post to comment, or send a quick tweet to @LaurieSargent. It does my heart good to connect with my readers and listeners.

Laurie

P.S. During the interview, another book of mine on play was mentioned, which included 5-Minute-Fun activities. It’s out of print, but I do have some leftover original autographed copies still in new condition that can be ordered via this link: The Power of Parent-Child Play.

I was honored to have that hardcover published by Tyndale/Focus on the Family, featured in international broadcasts, including Moody Radio, and reviewed in Publishers Weekly. The book included articles previously published in Parenting and Christian Parenting Today, and other national magazines.

I’m also open to donating some copies to parenting support groups in the US within the next six months. (Contact me here to inquire about eligibility.)

Now grab some paper and pens and hop to it with those letters!