Masterly inactivity...the art of letting a child simply be is one of the blessings of a Charlotte Mason education in our home. The book Home Education from the Original Homeschooling Series by Charlotte Mason states:
"The resourcefulness which will enable a family of children to invent their own games and occupations through the length of a summer's day is worth more in after life than a good deal of knowledge about cubes and hexagons, and this comes, not of continual intervention on the mother's part, but of much masterly inactivity." p. 192
I am fortunate to witness this truth many times a day. The boys have always been able to entertain themselves...now they like to have an occasional audience or wish to tell me of their adventures. But I have never heard the words, "I'm bored" come from their mouths.
Yesterday, while I was supervising Speedy B's math lesson, Smoda came and asked for the dominoes. He then wondered if it would be okay to bring some of his wooden train set downstairs. I began to wonder what type of a mess I would walk into in the foyer. Cowodie had finished up his work and disappeared to help with the construction. Next thing I knew all three boys were involved in a masterpiece that included building blocks, wooden train and dominoes. The premise was that the train would come down from an elevated track, run into the dominoes and begin a chain reaction.
The track....would the plan work?
Proud architects!
The train did accomplish the beginning of a chain reaction, the boys found that their track made too sharp of a turn and so would not complete the tumble down. The joys of childhood!
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