Bug Vacuum?

by Richard Reeve on November 19, 2008

in Sand Box

Insect anatomy scheme

The Sand Box

So the school hosted a book fair this week and my son came home with a bug vacuum.  At first I was conflicted and the same held true for my wife.  But it provided a moment for us to let go of the control so that even at six and a half years old, he can learn to make choices. As for Scholastic, their marketing to the age group and their access to the schools is all a bit over the top, no?  Should a child come away from a book fair thinking he missed out on the really cool stuff?  Note, my son said all the boys in his class wanted the bug vacuum, but he was the only one to get it.   Oh how young we implant the dis-ease of consumerism, and right in the school no less.

But then back to our son and his choice.  We approved the purchase from a list of items he made.  He has plenty of books in his life; bookshelves full.  For three years now he has been developing a science corner.  He has fossils and shells, feathers and bones, star charts and rocks.  A microscope…and now a bug vacuum.  To his credit, I see how it fits.  (And it’s pretty cool.)

The parenting question we wrestle with is this:  How much push into his interests is appropriate?  It’s a question with some topicality given the release of Gladwell’s Outliers and the premise that it takes 10,000 hours to achieve mastery.  Give something a decade of commitment, and as Charles Olson would say, “you’re in.”   Where do you draw the line?

(image cc via Wikipedia)


Blog Widget by LinkWithin

  • Would be interesting to compare parenting in the States with our experiences here in the UK. But we have scholastic book fairs too. Neither of my boys are great readers in the story sense but a good science book will keep at least my eldest engrossed.

    I like the words that Jeb uses 'guiding and path' -here education in the UK is very formulaic and set, and often tied in to getting a child through tests ( which are used to grade the school ) rather than encourage discovery and wonder. Its not as bad as that sounds, clearly children do get enthused about a subject, but there is little time to open that enthusiasm up further and just see where it leads. I think as parents that is partly our job. To enable our children to explore with that child-like wonder they have, to head off up a track just to see where it leads. It may well be a dead end but equally so it may sow a seed that perhaps they don't come back to til later or it may well lead to real life long passion.

    Whilst I can see what Jeb means about parents guiding children to their life's purpose and encouraging focus, I think we confuse adult purpose with the needs of a child to explore the world without purpose for a while. It would be wrong to stiffle a passion because it didn't fit in with our vision (unless it was clearly harmful of course) I suppose that actually depends on the child's age and certainly purpose and effort and hard work become more important as they get older and in to their teens. But we can learn much from them as they look at the world with fresh uncynical eyes - let us let them have that time first

    Julie
    x
  • jeb
    Two critical topics, Richard, both of which I struggle with. First, how do we, as parents, deal with the overly consumerized institution that is public education (and the MANY consequences that manifest as a result)? I don't want to call it 'panic', but I must say I do feel a growing sense of dis-ease about not just 'what' they are being taught, but 'how' they are being taught, and how the methods and priorities of said institution are affecting our children's values, self-worth and, honestly, potential.

    This ties in, of course, with the role we, as parents, play in guiding them down the path. It seems to me the further we travel, the more important our role becomes. So many influences these days, pulling them further and further from their center...I think we must play a more active role in guiding their decisions and helping them to focus on their purpose. For me, this is our generation's chief imperative. Not to over dramatize it, but I believe if we fail in this, those that follow will point to this time in the history books and say, "There, right there at that time, that is when it was lost."

    Keep talking about it Richard, these are the important discussions.

    Jeb
blog comments powered by Disqus