Most homeschooling moms are packrats. They save pictures of every craft ever made. They hold on to every notebook page ever written. They save everything. Well, I am not like most homeschooling moms. I let my kids watch television. I do not buy organic food. I let my children read some twaddle. And (yes, I know you are not supposed to start a sentence with 'and' but I need it to continue the flow. Forgive me.) I throw everything out. I mean, everything. I am not a sentimental mom that keeps all drawn pictures or crafts. These items have a refrigerator life of 6 weeks, then they are garbage-ridden. I am not sentimental about many things to the point of keeping them. Except when we are talking about books.
Books are a whole 'nother animal, in my opinion. Books need to be kept, regardless of whether they will ever be read again or not. Throwing out books is equivalent to book burning. Throwing out books is blasphemous in this book-lover's opinion. I have a very hard time getting rid of books.
I should probably take this time to explain what I mean by 'books'. I don't mean fluff books, like those written by John Grisham, David Baldacci, or Jodi Picoult. I have no problems in ditching those kinds of books. I am talking about classics or books that cause you to think. I am even talking about the Great Books. Just the thought of throwing out a Great Book causes my stomach to flip flop. That is just not right.
Books like Plato's The Republic, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, or Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby deserve their rightful place on a bookshelf, rather than a musty box in someone's garage sale. I also think books that cause you to ponder about life should be kept as well. In this category, I am thinking of Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert or Socrates's Cafe by Christopher Philips. These books are not of my worldview but they have stopped me to think about life and my faith. These books are keepers. These books are ones that I will revisit as years travel on.
It is my hope that as my children become older, they will not lament over the fact that mom threw out their water colour of a lupin but, rather, have warm, fuzzy memories over the shelves and shelves of books of all different genres and authors that mom has kept over the years. To my way of thinking, there are no better memories than ones like, "Pinocchio. Yeah, I remember reading that when I was 8, while cuddled up on the couch with Mom." Those memories are worth saving.
Julia lives on the Canadian Prairies, homeschooling her 3 children (9,8,6) and attempting to give them a Classical Education. You can read more at her blog.
Comments
Thanks me!
Good post!
Thanks for making me smile
10:09 PM, Jun. 8, 2009, posted by Anonymous
I had to smile when you said you let your kids watch TV, don't eat organic food, etc...I'm right there with you. I have to just smile and listen at park day when everyone is sharing where to find the cheapest organic/gluten free/vegan food. I order my groceries online!
I am a packrat about kids' art work though. My kids remember every little doodle they've ever done and ask me about them. They let me get rid of books, but not art!
