The weekly “little of this, little of that” feature here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
Babka prep time! (I'm hoping to jump on this bandwagon, and if I can ever post again, will try to fill in the details!).
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One reason for this blog is to offer perspective for the education of children — what perspective I have, that is! What I most want to say is that living family life means so much more for your children's ultimate development — including intellectual development — than any particular curriculum. A good dinner-time discussion with mom and dad is worth a thousand “reading comprehension” exercises.
I stumbled across an essay that I think I must have read long ago, because the idea of having a family “collective memory” of literature is there in the furniture of my mind. If you think about it, this idea is what is behind the Great Books movement — to have a common vocabulary, so to speak, that stretches back through the ages; and also John Senior's Good Books prerequisite, which is what our Library Project seeks to encourage. I do wish I had persevered a bit more as to the substance — poetry — the way the author did with her children.
- In any case, the essay is in an otherwise light-hearted (and light-weight, frankly) book that is now out of print, called Penny Candy, by Jean Kerr.
The gist of this moving vignette is reproduced in this blog post, so you can absorb its message.EDIT: That link is now gone. Go here to “borrow” the book online and look for the chapter called The Poet and the Peasants. Here is a summary of her chapter. Here is another post about it, with the practical recommendation that you get the book out of the library! (Or find an old copy of course.) Basically, don't be afraid to circle the wagons and do what you love to do, together. I promise you that you will be rewarded a million times over. (And no excuses about boys! Kerr had “culture hour” with her five “barbarians”!)
- We hear the term “legalism” bandied about. What does it really mean? Is the law — God's law — actually harmful? Or is it good and, as St. Paul instructs, perfected by Jesus Christ? This essay offers clarification about the necessity of goodness — virtue — for the flourishing of life.
- We are still a little post-trauma, winter-wise, here, so this video on yoga, Yankee-style, tickles our funny bone.
- Sometimes these questions come up. For instance, are the past and the future real? And philosophy is the only way to answer…
~We’d like to be clear that, when we direct you to a site via one of our links, we’re not necessarily endorsing the whole site, but rather just referring you to the individual post in question (unless we state otherwise).~
Marta says
Can’t believe you bake babka for Easter, too! We always make an apricot one at least, and usually 2 or three others. I’ve been loving the David Lebovitz chocolate babka recipe.
Donna L. says
I laughed and teared-up through the “Poetry with your little Peasants”–we have dipped into poetry, and reciting, yet we gave up too soon! We have done similarly with “Who has the best table manners” night–with some hilarious results. My Sweet husband thought it a good idea since some manners were akin to the mob at breakfast from “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”–we are steadily improving!
The babka looks delightful–I gave up bread and coffee for Lent—This has been a LOOOOOOOONG Lent for me!
God bless you all during this Holy Week!
Lori says
The poetry blog post was written by my friend, and it is some of her best writing. She encouraged me not to give up on our youngest son, who thought poetry was “stupid”. A few weeks ago he made some remarks before the Lord’s supper during worship and spoke movingly of the words in a hymn that describe what was accomplished by Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. I listened to that 22 year-old with a divided mind. As soon as communion was over, I jotted a note to my husband: “He analyzed poetry.” My husband nearly shook himself off the pew trying to hold in his laughter.
Margo, Thrift at Home says
Penny Candy is in my public library!! Just reserved it so I can read the book.