Meagan Rose Wilson Gr

Meagan Rose Wilson Gr

Meagan Rose Wilson Gr

Striving to create a family life that nourishes body, mind and spirit and honours our infinite interconnectedness.

Journal

Caregiver’s Balancing Head, Heart and Hands

In Waldorf Schools you will hear the expression “head, heart and hands” used to explain the faculties of ...

Simple Preparations for Hanukkah

I am passionate about renewing the festivals that are important to us so that we celebrate them in ...

Simple Preparations for Meaningful Gift Giving

In our home we try to keep gifts simple, small, meaningful, purposeful, and quite often handmade, as well ...

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In the shower this morning I found myself deep in self-berating thought, “I never stick with my commitments”, “I agree to things and then change my mind”, “People in my life probably label me as ‘unreliable’ and ‘non-committal’”.

I am quite variable, I move through projects quickly, I see them through or I pass the job on to someone else willing and able. I just cannot stay committed to something simply because I said I would.

If no matter how much energy I put into it, it’s not also serving me; if the commitment was too much for a number of varying reasons; if I know that my stepping down isn’t going to directly or negatively impact someone vulnerable: I resign, I pass the torch and I move on.

So as this mental negativity became more conscious in me this morning an opposing thought pushed back: “No, Meagan, you are not non-committal. You are deeply committed to yourself and to your children and family. So much so, that no matter what happens, you’re willing to change direction in order to ensure that everyone’s needs are being met. You are so connected to the present moment that you are willing to let go of plans and how something was ‘supposed to go’ and to instead veer off-course when the call is there.”

I am steadfastly committed to myself, to my family and my community, in that order.

Does that make me less reliable?
Maybe, sometimes.

Does that make me non-commital?
Hell, no.

I am seeing my way through the biggest task we are given on earth: to raise myself and my children, one day at a time.

And so are you. 💗

📷: @lightinthehollow

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From our Quality of Numbers block.

“One for the golden sun
Two for the night and day
Three for me for here I stand: strong limbs, dear heart, and a clear true mind
Four for the seasons slowly turning
Five for the stars so brightly burning
Six for the honey comb on the beehive, which brings that sweet, sweet honey to me
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Seven for the wonders of the sun”

- adapted children’s song shared through oral tradition, original source from Peter Oram ☀️

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2020 will be one to remember for many, many reasons... but I might just choose to remember it as the year we planted 4 packets of giant pumpkin seeds, and they all turned out to be crookneck squash. 😆

Looks like I’ve got my Autumn decor covered! 🍁 ✔️

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED !!! The winner is @quietlittlemoments - please DM me with you address details!!!
🌈 We are loving our hundred frame and multiplication geoboard and lucky for one of YOU- @treasuresfromjennifer sent us an extra set of them accidentally!! After messaging her about the mix up she kindly suggested I offer a giveaway here and I gladly accepted.

To enter simply make sure you’re following me @meaganrosewilson and @treasuresfromjennifer, like this post and comment below tagging a friend. Up to three entries welcome!

Entries only from 🇺🇸 and 🇨🇦 please. A random name will be drawn on Friday, October 2nd at 8pm EST. Good luck!! Giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or Facebook Inc.

If you want to see how we are using the boards head to my highlights under “SK/1st Grade”

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These Apple Cinnamon doughnuts (they’re really just muffins baked in a doughnut tin) are such a treat around here. We use @pamelasproducts GF pancake mix mixed with apple sauce, cinnamon, maple syrup, eggs and butter. I eyeball it so I can’t share my recipe but I am sure you can do a web search for ‘apple sauce muffin’- they’re pretty foolproof. The secret ingredient that makes them special is the cinnamon sugar topping. Once cooked, we dip the doughnuts in melted butter and then swirl them in a 1:1 mixture of cinnamon and cane sugar. We’ll be apple picking later this week and I’d love to hear some of your favourite recipes. 🍎 🍏

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We’re almost through our third week homeschooling. We’re falling into a good rhythm and learning a lot -especially ME!

A few lessons I’ve learned over the past few weeks:

1) less is more
2) getting 3/4 of the planned work finished will be considered a total success
3) the beauty of homeschooling is the freedom to abandon all plans because someone is deeply focused on developing a skill that was not on the to do list (like practising building a fire with flint and stone for 2 hours straight one morning!)
4) I will feel no guilt or shame in offering educational iPad apps to my younger children for short intervals of time in order to gain quiet and focused time with my older children

That’s right folks, full disclosure: we don’t own a TV and I am a certified Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher AND we also allow small amounts of screen-time for our 5 & 7 year olds (approx. 30 minutes a day a few days a week). Oftentimes when we’re not formally working they will go out and ride their bikes, visit the animals, swing on the swings or listen to an audiobook but sometimes everyone just needs a quiet focused few minutes and a little reading or math app is the perfect solution.

I learned many years ago to let go of purist ideals, as tempting as they are, and to embrace moderation. Homeschooling is a huge task for all of us and I hope to approach it with equanimity, balance and levity. ✨ ✨ If you’ve been homeschooling this week, what are some of the lessons you’ve been learning?

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A little wheel to help my younger children keep track of what they’ve worked on that day and what we still have to do. Not all pie slices necessarily have a peg on them each day but when the task we’re working on is complete the girls take it off and put it into a little silver bucket. The pie slice images represent the following (in case you can’t read my symbols!): writing, reading, math, form drawing, handwork, music, French, and art. I work the Main Lesson into this system- so if we are working on an Alphabet Main Lesson this will count likely as our “Art”, “writing”, and possibly “reading” pegs all accomplished in one lesson. Let know if you have any questions! My older children have proper “homework books” that lay out their schedule for the day. 🌻Idea adapted from Heidi @twigandberry_homeschool and maybe some others along the way... hard to keep track of inspiration sometimes! ✨

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Living life wild and free at the moment in so much gratitude for the opportunities that homeschool is providing our little family. This week was hard-work, it required infinite patience, focus and consistency from me but it was also joyous, freeing and nourishing in so many ways. Next week I’ll share about the first part of our homeschool day: our “Morning Collective” - my take on the #charlottemason concept “The Morning Basket”. Wishing a beautiful and bountiful weekend to all of you wherever you are. 📷: @lightinthehollow

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Despite the obvious challenges the world is facing, our summer has been silver-lined with lakeside swimming, garden harvesting, canning and a whole lot of homeschool preparations.

Our children have attended the closest Waldorf school to our home, about an hours drive away. It is a blessing to have the support of a community of caring teachers and to be nourished by an educational philosophy that meets the child holistically at their developmental stage. That said, considering the number of hours we spend in the car each day and the current restrictions that all schools face, our family decided it would be easier on all of our nervous systems if we took some time off from physical school in the Fall and instead, embark on a homeschooling rhythm until we feel we are ready to commit to that big drive again.

Our children will also attend weekly Forest School- an entirely outdoor program that I hope will allow them a big social out-breath once a week. They’ll also continue to have some social distanced outdoor playdates in order to connect with school friends.

This was not a decision made lightly and I am fully aware of what a privilege it is to have the time, resources & support to dedicate to home education. Once we were clear in our choice (we waffled all Summer!) the task at hand felt joyful and full of opportunity. 💫

I’m going to try to share many of the resources we are using for SK, grades 1, 4 and 7 this year. My hope is that they inspire but don’t put unneeded pressure on those of you who are also beginning the homeschooling journey.

I won’t be sharing personal details about our learners but will offer my plans, my preparations and some of their work by grade.

To start, I’d love to highlight a few of the curriculum resources from which we are building the foundation for our year: @oakmeadowschool, @waldorfish, Jamie York Math Academy, @livingmusic11 @waldorffamily and @megchittenden

Are you also new to homeschooling this year? How are you feeling about it? I wish you and your children, on whatever educational path you are walking, a school year brimming with COURAGE.

Something I think we all need more than ever.

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It took me over 3 years to finally understand the art of sourdough making. The process is really analogous to how I attempt, fail and then try again with most things in my life. Perseverance over perfection is what moves me to wake up early and meditate even though I haven’t in a week. Perseverance over perfection is what pushes me to keep planting pumpkin seeds every year even though we’ve only had a handful of successes despite years of attempted growing. Perseverance (and privilege) over perfection is what drives me to be more conscious of our clothing choices yet to still top up at GAP if we need to. Perseverance over perfection is what has slowly manifested over ten years, our mostly homemade, natural cleaning supplies while simultaneously always keeping a bottle of bleach in the back of the cleaning cupboard. Perseverance over perfection is what I ask of my five-year-old when I insist she have just one try bite of salad because in my experience it takes at least 10 (more like 25!) different “trys” of a food for a little one’s tastebuds to adapt to it. Perseverance over perfection is a mantra that keeps me accountable and is all-forgiving at the same time. If you’re struggling to keep a habit or meet a goal, just remind yourself that you’re on a long journey and today you can still move forward, if only you take but one little step. 🌼

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Dear Waldorf-Inspired White Parents and Followers:

Below are some questions I am currently holding and working through at the moment, specific to parenting and my participation in #waldorfeducation. I implore each one of you to do the same.

My dear friend, Ashley @mayashleyj very patiently reminded us today, that our anti-racist work is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
With babes on our hips, dinner to be made, budgets to be kept, homeschooling lessons to prepare…we must not forget what should be the most important part of #ourdailyrhythm: setting aside time each and every day to engage in active anti-racist work- dismantling the systems of oppression within ourselves, our homes and communities.
Today, I remind myself and you, that this work is so much more important than the laundry, the dinner prep, the craft-of-the-day, our morning meditation and cleaning up the toys. This is the daily work that I am ashamed to say, we have all neglected for too long. This is the work the world’s children need above anything else. Everything else is a privilege.

Here are some questions I am actively engaged with right now. ◼️ Am I actively, authentically and consistently in community with people of colour in my community- at my children’s school, in my neighborhood, in my city, within my religious or spiritual sphere?
◼️ How am I holding my local government, police force, community centre and local businesses accountable? If I’m not, what do I need to do to be more actively involved in dismantling systemic racism within these social structures?
◼️ How am I actively dismantling systems of oppression, harmful Eurocentric concepts and toxic white culture within the #waldorfeducation movement?
◼️ Am I consistently engaged in daily anti-racist, anti-bias work and always compensating Black Educators, POC and Indigenous folk for their resources, their time and their contributions?
◼️ How might I be negatively fueling and supporting out-dated, divisive and/or colourblind Waldorf “ideals”, rituals, festivals and practices?
◼️ What can I do daily to further this much needed anti-racist work within the Waldorf movement?
(Continued in the comments)

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Charlotte’s Web is the most perfect Spring chapter book for the early grades- easy enough for stronger readers to read independently and a simple enough plot for kindergarten and grade one/two children to listen along to. You can find many free online resources to help if you’d like to deepen your novel study. We didn’t use them this time, but @myhearthmagic has beautiful Learning Guides for a number of novels, including Charlotte’s Web. I intend on sampling some of her resources in the near future. I have compiled a Summer Reading list for each of my children. I’ll share them by grade in the coming days. What chapter books are you planning to read with or to your little ones this Summer? 🌻

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I haven’t shared much about homeschooling the older grades, it’s all fairly new to me although our strong rhythm seems to carry even the oldest in the family. Our children’s school has provided assignments and guidelines but for the most part it’s up to parents to choose how much school work their children do during this time (there is already so much pressure on parents without the added pressure of being a teacher!). Grade Six curriculum involves a #mainlessonblock on Central + South American Geography. Pictured is my son drawing (freehand!), labelling and colouring both political and geographical maps of Central + South America. Next he’ll choose a country to research more deeply and engage in some creative assignments to help demonstrate his understanding of the research. We had a subscription to @letters.from.afar last year. I saved all of the letters in a folder which is now coming in handy as he sifts through some of the ones that came from South America. What grades are you homeschooling right now? If your children are normally in an institutional education setting, how involved are you in their sudden homeschooling? Are you feeling the pressures of balancing work and parenting? How much time are they spending online? Do you feel comfortable with that amount of time? Or perhaps you feel a bitter sweetness- both gratitude for the opportunity for them to connect with teachers and concern for the amount of sitting and screens they are exposed to daily? #waldorfeducation #waldorfhomeschool

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I have been wanting to make a #windowtransparency since my eldest was a toddler over ten years ago. But my to do list, and mothering, and fatigue and schedules and, and, and... meant I never quite got around to it. I finally sat down while my older two were doing some desk work the other day and spent the better half of the morning carefully planning and cutting this little snowdrop child out. It’s the smallest things that I find myself the most grateful for during this time of fear and uncertainty and this little creation is no exception. 💫☀️ #waldorfhomeschool #waldorfeducation

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We named the sweet little girl Honey, because she’s as sweet as. And we named the other little one, Hope, because we all need to feel just that right now. 💫 Thanks for the name ideas Nessa @v.campion

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“Crocus, crocus, waken up! Catch a sunbeam in your cup!” ☀️ simple Springtime verse 🌱~ author unknown, artwork inspired by a wet-on-wet painting from pinterest 🌈 #wildandfreechildren #waldorfhomeschool #waldorfeducation

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“H O P E, so vulnerable in her soft downy coat. Unfolding from the depths of Winter’s icy grip. Stop, look and take hold, she is all around us.” ~ a verse that emerged from my meditation this morning

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This weekend we enjoyed all the therapy a big dump of snow has to offer especially at a time when many of us feel less than grounded in this unpredictable world. On Saturday, I resolutely pulled all my snow gear on and headed outdoors with the children excitedly following behind. First, we sled over and over down the biggest hill on our property enjoying the thrill of the race. Next, I felt inspired to clear a big space to build an open fire. With a rickety wooden sled we hauled some kindling and firewood to our chosen spot, cleared the ice and snow from a small patch of ground and then worked together to find dried grass and sticks to help feed the fire. It burned for quite a while as we enjoyed its warmth and when it began to fizzle we smothered it with snow, a small experiential lesson in chemistry. Finally, we played a game I recently learned @guelphoutdoorschool - similar to hide-and-seek. I’ll share it here because it was such a thrill for all four of my children ranging from 5 to almost 12.⁣
OWL GAME ⁣
🦉 One person is an owl who cannot not walk around but only pivot in my one spot using their peripheral vision to see and capture prey. ⁣⁣
🦉 The owl closes its eyes and all other players are prey who hide within eyeshot of the owl (the prey must be able to see their predator at all times). ⁣⁣
🦉 If the owl spots them they are called out and they became pellets observing the rest of the game at the owls’ feet. ⁣⁣
🦉 If the owl can’t find anyone it closes its eyes again and allows 15-20 seconds for the prey to find a new spot to hide. ⁣⁣
🦉 The winner is the one who is not found and is closest to the owl. We played this game for over an hour, the five of us. It really was so much fun. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
A moment I will treasure forever- thank you Arlene and a Chris @guelphoutdoorschool 🤎🤎.

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If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not "washing the dishes to wash the dishes." What's more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes. In fact we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink. If we can't wash the dishes, the chances are we won't be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future -and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life. Quote from #thichnhathanh in “The Miracle of Mindfulness” #notetoself #buddhismformothers

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