Moving Storybook Workshop at St. Michael

On one hand, it was more of a painting session with a lot of chit chat for two afternoons because that's what we mostly did: paint.

On the other hand, it was wonderful to see all the finished/unfinished products because of all the idea prompts you get. Anyway, a moving storybook is basically a favorite book, verse or made-up one brought to life using moving pictures. And since Waldorf believes in the soul of painting, it was the main medium we used. It's an alternative to having a story table and making puppets and is intended to be used without books (you can cheat and write the verse at the back, in case you forget... but you can also just make up stories). It's goal is to also be part of a bedtime routine, instead of story reading from books (because Waldorf is all about storytelling, not reading). Again, the reason for that is that it is more soulful, less contrived and more open to the use of the imagination.

The first day, I was really unprepared to be creative. I started out hoping to paint a sea scenery then ended up with a river one. The next day, I came more prepared as I had planned on a castle-dragon-knight scene.

And let me tell you... the expression on Yakee's face was priceless when I brought out the first scene and proceeded to tell him a short, impromptu story about an afternoon where he and Yamee are exploring, and he was encouraging Yamee to learn to jump over the river. You could see that he felt loved, that the gift was a very personal one, and that it was really, really appreciated. He was really upset when I couldn't use the storyboard again before bedtime because there were a lot of moths and we couldn't open any lights in the bedroom.

So, yeah, I think when he sees that  I painted a castle scene for him, he might start getting teary from the joy of it.

Yamee... well, he liked mommy's painting too... but he wanted to get the boys on popsickle sticks, and tear the painting in two (just because he saw the slit).

Anyway, here's sharing what my classmates (love using this word 'coz it makes me feel i'm back to school again just because I am learning a lot with such classes) made and some of our pics as we were creatively busy.

though I said chit chat, we didn't really gab and gossip... we were all really busy with our projects

the window will be showing two seasons :)

while this one will be showing the cycle of sunshine, clouds, rain and rainbow

this one is going to be a Narnia cabinet showing nature themes

this one shows trees dying/disappearing, as Mrs. Fajilan's homage to the pine trees cut down in Baguio; and they are also starting a Waldorf school in Tablas, Romblon (yey!)

the wheel will show different things flying in the sky

the Mom in the middle made a storybook about their trip to Bohol and that is such a great prompt: to reinforce memories through storytelling this way

the storyboard that delighted Yakee (he's the one in red shorts, Yamee is in purple)

me with the castle one and our mentor Tita Malou (and her boat); I tried copying the dragon in one of her paintings for this one (looked more like a stunted alligator but wth)

the best thing we learned from this class is that we could do it, and do it with soul... and how such gatherings help the kids, our kids, in Waldorf schools

I missed the doll-making class (amazing that regular people can make such lovely dolls!) and will have to miss the crochet class since it will conflict with my sons' pending swimming lessons. But this was really fun, fun, fun... enough to make me buy watercolor paper, new watercolor tube paints (i'd invest in the Stockmar brands someday, when I have a better handle of painting at home with the kids) and other art stuff to make more storybooks.

I also realized... I like strong colors so much. I want to paint more dreamy scenes and less concrete, detailed ones :)

Now, moving storybooks are more fun right? :) Really versatile too!

Yakee, Mommy and Movement

Yakee is very physical in the sense that his balance is good, he can run fast, climb walls and is hard put to stay still. But it was only recently that I started attempting to teach him guided physical activities.

I realized how hard it is to teach/do basic calisthenics. My arms  tend to give out before his, haha. Recently, I also taught Yakee the eurythmic movements for Hallelujah because that's all I remember now from our class, I have forgotten the alphabet. So, we do the Hallelujah every other day or so. I still cannot get him to do it while tracing a star on the floor though. And I love it that after he's done, he also starts doing jumping jacks (maybe because of the A movements).

Hopefully, I can keep this up. I don't know any formal dances but it would be fun if we're dancing and exercising together way into his teens, with home theater speakers blaring. Maybe I'd even learn eurythmic sword fighting to teach the boys someday, it would be fun to see them doing that!

Yakee on Ants, Death and Being an Older Brother

There was a dead cockroach outside our home yesterday, and my toddler bounced outside directly onto the path of the scavenging ants. I heard Yakee start scolding him, and I was also called to intervene. Yakee reminded me that his younger brother was shoeless and could be bitten. Cute, right?

But I did say he was scolding his younger brother right? He basically scolded Yamee for killing some ants, and went on to say the younger one better go inside while he looks for the ant cemetery.

Yakee kept repeating the words 'ant cemetery' and I was really amazed at how he just assumed there was one. I was also thinking of how ironic it is that he assumed there is one, when ants usually scavenge off any dead animal's corpse. Remember that question about whether ants also get scavenged by ants when they die?

I posted that on Facebook and a friend told me that ants actually gather the bodies of their dead ones and put them in the center of their ant colony. This, he knew, from having ant farms as a child. What do you know, my son's instinct was spot on! And I'm actually thinking that this is another nudge for me to get an art farm for the boys someday.

And then I think about all the other conversations I have had with my eldest on death. His everyday questions of whether I'd die has ceased. Now, if he ever mentions death, it's usually him pretending to die. And how my heart twinges a little for that someday where death conversations would be serious, real... and maybe even close.

We may never ever go to casket sales (unless it's our business) but I sure do wish we could raise the boys with a working relationship with their parents' mortality. Who knows, we may even consult them for some funeral advice, just so we can get their inputs on what will make things a little more convenient for them. I have started on a living will of sorts, details about the funeral that I want... but I think I have lost that file. And well, embracing Waldorf has made me reconsider cremation.

I know that's still far into the future. But everytime I realize how much my boys have grown, I also seem to get a taste of graduations, teenage years, marriage and a time when we don't see each other all the time anymore.

Ouch.

But as they say, parenting is a slow process of letting go. But for now, yes, I will consider the ant farm (preferably when Yamee is around five years old already and more likely to respect the creatures).

The Best Cooker

My cousin helper/part-time babysitter is still vacationing so I had to fend for my sons for  a few days... meaning I had to cook.

Yesterday, I cooked tinola and they loved that.

Today, I made Yakee fried rice which he loved. For dinner, I cooked tuna pasta because I was itching to use the Parmesan Cheese we got from my parents. It was a hit... especially since I had Yakee crumble bacon on top of it and put cheese himself. When hubby got home, he 'taught' his father how to 'make' the pasta and had second helpings. Then he told me, "Mommy, you are the best cooker!"

We have always tried correcting him that he means 'cook' or 'chef' but 'cooker' has stuck and it's still a great compliment. It's also a reminder to me to cook more for the family... not just because I'd at least know what goes into what they eat, but also because it could be a bonding activity for me and my sons.

I'm just a little sad though because I do pay a high price for cooking... literally and figuratively. The eczema on my hands are aggravated everytime I get my hands wet, chop up stuff like ginger or onions, or experience heat. I could use disposable food preparation gloves, I guess, but that feels awkward.

But I really should go back to having my sons involved in the cooking process. Yakee was a little miffed that he did not break the spaghetti noodles  before they went into the pot but I reminded him he was playing slide with his brother on our sofa bed.

Thanks to Mom Communities

One of the things that was brought up in the J&J event I attended was how new generation Moms are tech-savvy moms. We use gadgets and technology to make things easier for us as well as enrich our everyday lives. Part of this is getting connected to other mothers/parents through e-groups (I thank N@W for this), mom forums (I relied and shared heavily on Pinoyexchange and Gtalk) and mom blogs. Usually, you gravitate towards parents who share the same points of view and ideals, but sometimes, you're also intrigued by how passionate others can be in the choices they have made. Sometimes, you are drawn by celebrities, sometimes, by a voice that invokes a sense of authority.

Yes, sometimes, these moms get you shopping for things you don't really need... but they also remind you to take care of yourself.

Yes, sometimes, these moms get you questioning your parenting beliefs and styles... but they also remind you that the love, in however way it is expressed, is the same.

Yes, sometimes, these moms get you feeling guilty about your setup or choices you have made... but they also challenge you to imagine new possibilities and ways of life.

Sure, these moms sometimes just get you feeling envious of what they have or whatever is going on in their lives. Travels particularly get to me because I want to do more of that but I am limited by money (mostly). Still, these are the same moms who will also remind you how to save better, or where to get good deals.

Some of these moms make you feel ashamed for struggling every day in parenting, but they're also the first to remind you to aim at just being a good enough Mom. And you share your woes and battles and even scars... and learn from those with older ones.

What's funny is that these moms also get you wanting to have more babies when they have new ones, because that reminds you of how wonderful a gift it truly is to have a newborn. And you anticipate with them so you also sort of end up getting pregnant many times over, and giving birth a hundred times, and going through breastfeeding in the first weeks every month.

And yes, your heart also breaks each time there is a miscarriage... or a child lost. And the first thing you do is go to your child (who may or may not have annoyed you like crazy just a few minutes earlier) and hug that child, or tell that child he is loved.

Back in the day, it's a circle of female family members that served this purpose for a new mother... and it would only be great if all the ones in that circle are there out of nothing but love and a sense of duty. Unfortunately, there were enough meddling matriarchs back then that helped disempower a new mom. But not so much today... and new gen Moms like myself enjoy the choice of who to bond with, learn from, share with and grow with. The fact that we may never even meet in person does not deny us lasting friendships, and therein lies the magic.

Farming in the City

Nope, I'm not talking about Farmville.

While uploading our many pictures of our Iloilo-Bacolod trip, I noticed this shot at Garin Farm.



In case you can't read the sign, it basically says that space and location is not an issue, you can still grow your own food (and not just plants too) even in small spaces. Look at this, you don't need land and would never need to go over reel mower reviews because you can just plant basic crops using scrap materials (in this case, cutout tires for radish, tomatoes, kangkong and sweet potato) and hang them on a wall. Basic ingredients for Filipino staple dishes like sinigang.

I was really excited by this and thought it would be something wonderful that I can do with my sons... I am sure harvesting the produce and eating those will prove more meaningful for them.

More Heaven Around Them

I have been meaning to blog about this but I keep forgetting.

At the basic eurythmy class I attended, our mentor said something about children having more heaven around them. In Waldorf-speak, it has more to do with a child's spirit still incarnating, making the child more sensitive to the spirits. It also means that children are cared for more by these spirits. Once a person reaches the age of 21, he has more or less fully incarnated already and is on his own. He does not depend on the spirits for guidance because he has enough life experience already to really make his own choices and be master of his destiny.

Children have more heaven around them. That's why even infants falling off beds are usually unharmed... or they're none the worse for wear after a tumble... or how hanging address signs do not result in serious injuries for a toddler... even how they recover fast from trauma or tragedy, or beat a disease.

I know... kids get hurt and sick, but haven't you marvelled at how a child should have been worse after an incident but wasn't? Heck, my 17-month old can be on top of the stairs and jumping about as he throws balls towards his older brother at the bottom of the stairs.... but not fall off the stairs (this happened under my father's watch, suffice it to say, I was aghast to find them like that). My eldest can balance himself on top of backrests and beams and fences and even balls and only seldom fall down.

They have more heaven around them. It's just as simple as that.

But there's another thing. In Waldorf education, we were taught that teachers/nurturers/parents throw an invisible cloak around their charges. A teacher uses this cloak to protect her students from being disrupted, excited or scared of visitors. Parents use this cloak to have an ever fixed 'eye' on the kids as they go about their tasks.

I like to think that cloak we parents throw over our children is also 'more heaven around them' :) And yes, it usually means less concern for our well-being sometimes but that love (and the prayers) protect our kids from everyday harm.

I think of attachment parenting and think that children who felt self-assured to explore the world and grow up trying new things are people who felt this cloak as almost tangible... palpable... because the attachment was strong, so was the heaven around them.

And I am slowly realizing that when I am out-of-sorts and feeling disconnected with my mothering, more harm happens to my kids. They fall down more and squabble more. There is less heaven around them.

Now, isn't it sorta neat that I am the heaven around my child? :) (such a big responsibility too).