Self-Soothing a.k.a. Why I Won’t Entertain My Children

Sep29

Many people have told me that my well-behaved children are a credit to me. It would be better said that they are a credit to themselves. One of the many things I learned from using the Robinson Self-Teaching Curriculumfor so many years is NOT to sit over my children and make them do things. This is even more important when what they are doing is being entertained.

Sandy Freaking Ashley

Sandy Freaking Ashley

Some parents may feel the need to entertain their children some or most of the time. That is not my feeling at all. Since most of my childhood was spent entertaining myself, usually with books, and most of our home school time is spent teaching ourselves by reading or watching something educational on the computer or television, it is only natural that during our entertainment time, the children should also be auto-didactic.

Autodidact (from http://www.merriam-webster.com)

au·to·di·dact

noun \ˌȯ-tō-ˈdī-ˌdakt, -dī-ˈ, -də-ˈ\ : a self-taught person

— au·to·di·dac·tic adjective

Origin of AUTODIDACT

Greek autodidaktos self-taught, from aut- + didaktos taught, from didaskeinto teach

First Known Use: 1748

The children often entertain themselves the same way we do: reading books, surfing to favorite websites, playing games, or watching television. Just like me, they also have their own special hobbies.

Not entertaining the children does not mean abandoning them without any direction or resources. If I have old stuff (“junk”), I often offer it to the nearest person. Often I will point them toward an activity they have enjoyed in the past or something new I think they may like to try but just as often they invent creative ways all by themselves to enjoy their own special skills.

Sandy, for instance, loves to draw, organize and decorate. She also loves quotes, sayings and poems. Sandy has turned her whole room into a piece of art by organizing her many creations and  displaying them.

Sandy's Canvas

Sandy's Canvas

My son, Leon, used to do this, too. Once I went into his room and was startled to discover several everyday items attached to his ceiling in a very creative and beautiful way.

Doozy's Dolls

Doozy's Dolls

When my oldest daughter Melissa was just able to sit up, she would take a small string and twirl it into swirls for hours. Nowadays, even though she is nearly thirty, she still makes beautiful swirls but on paper with felt tip markers.

My daughter, Holly, taught herself to sew. Since she had no patterns, she would take an item of clothing and rip it apart at the seams. Then, with fabric from discarded clothing or linens, she created her own unique clothing lines – just for herself.

My youngest daughter has taken after my oldest by creating her own toys with everyday resources. She has always created dolls and toys from twist ties and paper. This is beneficial to me as well since there is no additional cost. A few toilet paper rolls and old cereal boxes can keep her busy for quite a while.

All my children developed creative ways to spend their time and often were very resourceful. AJ created a sculpture from discarded metal. Thomas needed nothing more than something to write with and on. Matt leaned toward music and, like his brothers, taught himself to play drums and a guitar. Sarah develops witty inventions, like her junkyard catapult.

So the next time you feel the need to find your children something to do… Don’t. I promise that they can do it themselves!

Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
(Proverbs 29:17 ESV)

AJ's Bike

AJ's Bike