Tag Archives: family

Fun Watching Family Get It

One of the struggles I’ve faced in going green in my life is with my husband and kids. Differing views on what is worth doing can be challenging.

That makes it so nice as things start to click!

My husband recently bought and installed a simple clothesline. His comment was that it was really too warm to be using the dryer. Last year he wasn’t interested in the idea. He’s now hung various loads out to dry and likes how fast it goes on hot days.

He’s getting it in more areas too. He’s as much a fan of using vinegar for cleaning as I am, I think. He used to complain about the smell. I’ve taught him that a couple drops of lavender oil takes care of that.

Kids are more challenging, although at 6 my daughter is really getting the basic ideas of recycling and cleaning up trash she finds when we go for walks. Both kids will ask which can a particular item goes into when it’s time.

Patience, I’d say, is really the key. You may not get them to do what you want right away, but over time you can get family members to see why you want to recycle, use less energy and so forth.

I May End Up a Homeschooling Mom Yet

I’ve never really been into the idea of homeschooling. I don’t doubt that I could do a competent enough job, but it’s not what I’ve wanted to do with my days.

homeschooling

And my daughter so loves going to school.

But I have to admit, life may well be pushing me in that direction. I’ve already decided that if my husband doesn’t get some work soon, and we have to leave this house to move in with my inlaws, I will homeschool my daughter for the rest of kindergarten. Just makes sense to me with only a few months left in the school year. You don’t have to register kids for school until first grade in my area, so no worries about making it formal.

But California schools may well take a big downward turn if the current budget goes through. We’re currently around #46 in terms of state spending per student on education, which is pathetic! And they’re talking about a 10% cut for next year because the state budget is in so much trouble.

I am, of course, keeping an eye on the situation and seeing how things go. In some ways it could be a good thing for me to need to homeschool the last bit of kindergarten, just so that I have a feel for it if I should choose to go for it later. Not that I want to live with my inlaws… the very thought almost makes me run screaming, in fact. But we do what we have to.

Something about living with someone who prefers the term enviro-Nazi to environmentalist to describe people who care for the environment just makes it sound difficult. Although I will admit that having more people in one house can be counted as greener. Maybe I’ll be able to get my father-in-law to understand how deeply offensive it is to use the word “Nazi” as a suffix for just about anything. And that environmentalists really aren’t bad people, aren’t going to take away his preferred lifestyle, etc.

I know my inlaws will have some trouble with the idea of me homeschooling my daughter even for a short time in their home. They really have no faith in it. Maybe it will be another thing where I show them that it’s really not so bad. Did that before with breastfeeding, which they had also been entirely against and now firmly support.

And don’t get me wrong about them. In most ways they really are wonderful people. They’ve invited us to live with them rent-free until my husband gets a job. They do recycle and garden. They are in many ways supportive of my husband, and my daughter has a relationship with her grandfather that is outstanding.

It’s pretty much political and lifestyle choices that make up the challenges.