Handiwork

So, I got an iPhone today.

Yes.  I did.

I am very conflicted about this decision.  It is very cool.  But, I don't necessarily want to be "on" all the time.  I like being unreachable at times.  And I am afraid of how much time this will suck out of my life when I could be making real things.  Like, for instance, now...

That said, being on the computer tonight did lead me to this article in the NYTimes. "Kindergarten Shop Class" is a notion that Ted and I have batted around for years and I am so happy to see that other people are thinking the same thing! Rarely these days do I feel part of the zeitgeist. Mostly I feel like I was born 100 years too late. However, this article which talks about the importance of teaching children to work and create with their hands, rang so true for me. It is one of the main reasons we have decided to homeschool. 

Ted has been talking about running a kids class out of his woodshop in Beacon ever since he and Henry made birdhouses together one day last year. Clearly, now is the time. Must plan a class!

If you are interested reading more about the importance of working with our hands, check out Richard Sennett's book, The Craftsman.   And Doug Stowe's blog, Wisdom of Hands, is great too.