Do you have houseplants? For the longest time, I only trusted myself with Golden Pothos. I have only killed ONE of those in my life and I blame a move across the state during the hottest month of summer for its demise! I have been given plants in the past. From ferns to snake plants, aloe vera to orchids…and many others that also found their way to the plant cemetery. I was pretty convinced that I just didn’t have a green thumb and that pothos were the only things I could keep alive. Last year, I was strolling through the Home Depot and they had Mass Cane Dracaenas marked down to dirt cheap. I picked up two of them and hoped for the best. I have my Golden Pothos on a schedule and water them once a week. They thrive near windows and away from windows. They thrive hanging and sitting—literally anywhere I want them. I placed my two new dracaenas in beautiful planters and sat them where I thought they would look the most aesthetic. I watered them every time I watered my pothos. Slowly, they started to wither away. Their tips turned yellow. The leaves shriveled up and ultimately, they fell off completely. I moved them to new homes in the same room, away from the draft of our unused fireplace. I placed one near a window and one far from the window in hopes to find a sweet spot. Neither plant was showing much improvement. A little while back, I started to water them more frequently, about 2-3 times per week. I moved one of them to my bedroom, which gets much less traffic and much less natural sunlight. I also bathe one of them in the shower, so its whole cane body and leaves are getting watered. Yall, that one is looking so good! The other one in the main living area that isn’t getting a shower is looking shabby.
Plants are like people: they’re all different and a little bit strange.
John Kehoe
I’m writing this story as a reminder that children, like plants, are all different, too. Sure, I can treat the Mass Cane Dracaenas just like the Golden Pothos, but they won’t thrive. They’ll stay alive, but they will be puny. God created all people differently and with very distinct character, brains and giftings. Stop comparing your children to other children and look at your child while making decisions. When something is not a good fit, try something else. If that stops working, no big deal, change directions. All children WILL thrive in the right environment. Some may thrive in a classroom setting, while others will thrive one-on-one with you. Some may thrive with daily math that progresses quickly, and many may not. (Preaching to myself here!) Some may learn well with workbooks, while others will learn from hands-on/active learning. Some children may be able to self-teach at ten, while others may not be able to. Here, in this space-Sweet Tendrils of Homeschool-I will share what’s working well for us in our homeschool and some of the hang ups that we have had. Just like with any of the homeschooling/parenting resources that you rely on; please feel free to use ideas and get inspired, but don’t get caught up in the game of comparison or the “should dos.” Lean into the Holy Spirit and seek God’s counsel and wisdom and He will freely give it unto you! Let’s call this Intuitive Homeschooling. I’m excited to venture out on this journey with you! Drop a comment below to let me know how you are feeling about your child’s education today!