Jen Merrill's Blog, page 12
September 9, 2017
Fall fell
When the world around you is drowning or burning or looking up at the sky waiting for aliens, it’s mighty tough to write something with a touch of snark or any level of complaint. There are far too many others out there drowning or burning or tumbling down the boulevard like a tumbleweed or enduring …
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August 31, 2017
Anxiety and gifted adulting and aw hell get me off this rock
My emotional over-excitabilities are at a forest fire level lately. Kinda like a red-flag warning, EF5 tornado of red-hot flame, tearing across the prairie to Laura and Pa level of out of control. I am supremely proud of the fact that I have not lost my shit 1) online, 2) with my sons, 3) with …
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August 24, 2017
When your 2e kid is a non-traditional learner
Office of Redundancy Department Administration File under: High Priority Tag: DUH! Of course your 2e kid is a non-traditional learner, that’s practically the description of 2e. That’s why they struggle in school, that’s why they struggle with life, that’s why we pulled Andy to homeschool 5 1/2 years ago. When he was a toddler, he was …
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August 8, 2017
Down on my knees
There is a level of gratitude so rare that it is nearly impossible to describe. It is so deep and so profound that it reaches into your soul, digs in its tendrils, and squeezes until you cannot breathe or think and all you can do is fall to your knees. Fall to your knees, curl …
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July 31, 2017
The elder I want to be
I wasn’t originally going to write about today’s topic of gifted elders. I’m not a gifted elder, I didn’t want to write about my parents, and I didn’t think I had anything to contribute to the topic. But a long conversation with several women whose opinions I deeply respect convinced me otherwise. And so here …
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July 17, 2017
Never say never…but this time I mean it
The universe has laughed and smacked me upside the head every time I’ve ever said “never” about something. Don’t believe me? Never leaving Colorado (HAHAHA! 2011) Never homeschooling (HAHAHA 2012) Never moving again (HAHAHA 2015) See? You’d think I’d learn. I say “never,” the universe takes that as a challenge and cracks its knuckles, …
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June 30, 2017
The seesaw of boredom and burnout
There's a fine balance between boredom and burnout, and I'm getting better at finding it. I've discovered that it's a see-saw and I ride that sucker like a bucking bronco. I'm white-knuckling the handles right now; maybe one day I'll have the courage to ride one-handed and swing my hat around as I hoot and holler at the top of my lungs.
In the meantime, it's a helluva ride.
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June 13, 2017
Even grownups need blanket forts
A few weeks ago, on the cusp of final exams, one of my flute students came into her lesson, collapsed onto the chair and wearily declared: “When I’m done with finals I’m building a blanket fort and binge-watching Netflix for 12 hours.” It’s been that kind of spring for all of my students. It’s been …
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May 11, 2017
{Book Review} Micro-Schools: Creating Personalized Learning on a Budget
I’m privileged to have a foot in both the homeschooling and public schooling worlds. I have a 7th grader in public school, a homeschooling high schooler, and I teach flute lessons to all ages, from all educational settings. And what I see is disturbing. The students I have in public high school are so stressed and …
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April 30, 2017
Overthinking causes grey hair
“Turn your brain off.” “Quit thinking so much!” “I can hear you thinking, shush!” “Your brain is trying to derail you, ignore it.” “For the love of all things holy and green, shove a sweaty sock into your brain’s talk-hole to shut it up!” I’ve said these phrases and variations on them to every one …
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