educational potential

We were browsing one day in a museum gift shop.  As we admired the items for sale, the kids came upon a calligraphy set.  It was lovely, with different nibs and tiny glass bottles of ink.  All three kids admired it for quite a while.  I agreed that it was beautiful, as were many of the items in the shop.  And then one of the children said, "But Mom.  We would use it for school.  It could be for our Afternoon Studies."

And then, the calligraphy set was no longer just an item for sale.  It held educational potential. We could study calligraphy, and fonts, and the history of ink, and natural sources for pigment, and Chinese history, and the story of parchment.....

I bought it.

My children saw that the words "It's for our Afternoon Studies" had power.  And they have often given the phrase a try!  Tickets to the Nutcracker?  It's for Afternoon Studies!  Playmobil sets of Confederate and Union soldiers? For Afternoon Studies!  Magnets?  A big bag of popsicle sticks?  A CD of African lullabies?  But of course, it would be perfect for our Afternoon Studies!  

I've even used the phrase myself, I admit, to persuade my husband.

We were planning a lengthy Afternoon Studies unit on The Netherlands, since I felt it important to learn more about the country of my parents' birth and the home of my husband's family.  I started gathering books about wooden shoes and canals and dikes.  I found websites where we could learn Dutch phrases and Dutch history.  I printed maps.  I timed our studies to correspond with the Dutch celebration of Christmas - Sinterklaas.  I had quite a few resources, but there was something missing.  Something a little more personal.....

"My dear."  I said.  "It's for Afternoon Studies.  We need to go visit my family."

And we drove up to southern Ontario to celebrate Sinterklaas with people who know how to celebrate Sinterklaas!  My parents are so wonderful! 

We played Sjoelbak, or Shuffleboard.

(I really love it that when an adorable toddler does anything,
everyone gathers 'round to watch.  So cute!)

We ate Dutch treats!  (Calories don't count when it's educational.)

We sang "Sinterklaas Kapoentje" and Mom threw pepernoten.  The kids scrambled with joy and collected big handfuls!  (I bet my parents are still finding some of those cookies under couch cushions.)

We were all given a chocolate letter!

It was so GEZELLIG!!!!!!

(That's a Dutch word meaning a cozy time, a nice atmosphere, a sense of belonging.)  Thanks to my awesome family for helping us celebrate Sinterklaas - for the sake of the children's education.  Twas noble of you.

I especially treasure our visit with my grandfather.  I absolutely love that we were able to sit at Opa's feet and hear some stories.  Stories of the tulip farm he grew up on, and stories of the Flood of '53, and of immigration to Canada and his years as a pastor in the Netherlands and in southern Ontario.. 


 


What a treasure.  This man is wonderful!  And we miss Oma so much.  We come from a rich, rich history and it's been a joy to have the opportunity to share this with the children. 

It's their education.