Typically a word associated with reading Sonlight books, "engrossed" is also my favorite state to be in while editing. And I got to that point for a few minutes today while working on my top-secret-and-totally-awesome project.
Engrossed: captive; giving or marked by complete attention to
The sonic isolation provided by my headphones and the required focus on how a cut makes me feel definitely help keep me glued to my computer as I try to make the video come together. But it's more than that. I'm crafting a story. I'm making a bunch of disjointed pieces come together. I'm building a reality from the bits of media I've gathered.
This kind of engrossing creativity is another reason to homeschool.
Sure, we talk about the great educational opportunities we have because of homeschooling, but the homeschooling lifestyle offers us much, much more. In addition to learning together, we have time to pursue passions and interests. We can use our extra energy to learn new skills and practice old ones. We can invent, produce, create.
Homeschooling gives us more than academics. We are free to become engrossed in another form of education: Practice in creative expression.
Granted, Sonlight didn't guide me in my creativity as I grew up. I learned most of it on my own. But homeschooling with Sonlight not only inspired me with the books we read, but it also gave me the time I needed to pursue my interests outside of the world of formal education.
What kinds of things do you find your children (and even yourself) engrossed in?
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father
Thanks for sharing, Butter! And, yes, sometimes overuse of a word is a tad problematic <laughing>.
~Luke
My one year old gets engrossed in WonderPets and Dora the Explorer. He's a little couch potato. My three year old gets engrossed in painting. My seven year old gets engrossed in building things. My nine year old gets engrossed in reading. I get engrossed in making fun school-ish things for the workboxes.
And now the word engrossed has lost all meaning after typing it so many times.
Tristan, those are all great things; though, I admit, I got a huge kick out of "anything he can drool on" <laughing>.
Rosslyn, <smile>. Fantastic!
Heather, I fondly remember my superhero creation days <smile>. And, yes, technology is not all bad. In fact, we need more good people in it!
~Luke
My 12 yr old is engrossed in creating a world of super heroes. His 8 yr old brother created the main hero and together they have peopled this world with all sorts of characters.
My 8 yr old, when not helping with the above creation, gets engrossed in just about any book he's reading, kinda like his mom : )
The 4 yr old currently only gets engrossed in video games, but we're working on that. And, hey, a future in technology won't be so bad, right? gotta start somewhere....
-TexasHeather on my 2nd log-in
I love the fact that my daughter can become engrossed in just about anything right now. To my delight, one of her biggies is reading. That's why the Sonlight core curriculum is working so well for her: it is "adjustable," but always provides enough challenge to keep her busy little mind interested. Tonight we visited the library and she bumped into things on the way out because she would not close her book. :-)
My 8yo is easily engrossed in God's creations (planets, animals, bugs).
My soon to be 5yo gets thouroughly engrossed in Legos and Star Wars.
My going on 4yo is the dress up diva, always pretending.
My nearly 2 year old is all about motors! Cars, trains, planes, and more.
The baby, at 7 months, is engrossed in anything he can drool on.
What about me? I'm thoroughly engrossed in my sweet children. When they are sleeping, which happens on occasion, I read, read, read. Because - ya know - I don't get enough reading in when we're homeschooling! ;)