Reflections on War and Peace

 In a few days is Memorial Day and for many families,  it is a time to remember their loved ones who died in War. No one wins in war, too many parents have lost their children, too many humans have killed each other without getting to know one  another.  As a mom of a boy , I been teaching Peace not through War but through reconciliation, through dialogue, through sharing the planet and trying at least trying to get to know our neighbors.

Memorial Day, a time to reconsider if joining the military has the objective of protecting and preserving life? The objective of giving all humans in the world their birth right to basic necessities; rather than benefiting only those in the armament industry.

Why do people really go to War? I have found some of my answers in the words of those who have written about the devastating damages of war.

In “Peace with Honor”, written by A.A. Milne in 1935. The author invites the leaders of the World to consider its citizens when making decisions of war. In it, Milne questions if two lives were a motive enough to loose 10,000,000 more plus a total of 37 million with casualties.  

In its book Milne opposes to War although he was mandated to join. He speaks to Europe and Great Britain about the possibilities of not engaging in further wars. Milne discusses the various reasons a country might go to war, which have little to do with considering the regular citizens of a country such, the artist, musicians, bread makers, shoe makers, the doctors, etc but rather more to do with the businesses that benefit from selling war.

No aggression and No Defense, is something that Milne suggest countries to do instead of war. When I think of it, I feel like in the daily basis, in our relationships at home and within the world; it makes sense to not be violent and to not react but to be open to dialogue.

I wonder often if the voices of the people who work for the country, who make a country such, are ever contempleted at all. Considering all the wars that at present are being fought in different regions.

Although many have protested against War World War I and II, Vietnam War and  Iraq war, still in America 54% of our taxed money goes to military while 6% goes towards education.

U.S. military is the most expensive lethal force in the world. The defense budget in 2015 totaled $598.5 billions and accounted for 54% of all federal spending. It is larger than the combined military spending of China, Russia, Germany, UK, Japan, France, Saudi Arabia, India, Germany, Italy and Brazil. 800 military bases around the world at an annual cost of 156 billions paid by taxpayers.

How do we expect to make educated decisions or Peaceful decisions if we invest more in a violent approach than in Education?

In war, we destroy the lives of people that we considered “collateral damage”. We destroy homes, farming, the economy and way of living that others have preserved as part of their own culture.

If we slow down enough, we will be able to hear from intellectuals like Giroux and his book “America at War with itself”.

From his book, we will learn about the growing acts of violent towards African people and towards the poor sides of the American society, we will learn what is the real purpose behind many decisions made for us without considering our opinions as citizens of a country.

As Giroux mentions, “Totalitarianism destroys everything that makes democracy, civil rights and openness possible. We have heard these narratives of authoritarianism existing elsewhere. We associate it with dictatorships in Latin America in the 70’s or Hitler’s Nazi Germany or Mussolini’s Fascist Italy”. But consider, aren’t we mimicking the very societies that we have condemned? “They glorified war soldiers, nationalism, militarism fallen warriors, racial cleansing, and a dogmatic allegiance to the homeland, and so we do in America.

It seems surreal and unacceptable that, the 16,000 richest families in America overpower 256,000,000 people when it comes to where to invest the money the government collect from taxes imposed on it citizens, don’t you agree? Who made them rich and powerful without our consent? Don’t we have a say in the most important decisions a country makes in the name of its citizens?

I strongly suggest the reading of the book “America at War with itself” and “Peace with Honour” among so many written about the necessity as a one world to stop fighting each other. 
These books will give us a deeper understanding of the consequences that War and violence are having in the world and in America.

Totalitarianism has never been the path to Peace, as we have seen through History. If we keep at this pace, “War will always generate a more violent and emotionally detached society”.

As a society we got to reconsider this wave of lacking of empathy for the suffering of others in the World who were invaded, destabilized and made refugees.

As Giroux explained, Bush and Blair’s invasion o f Iraq in 2003 led to the deaths of some 700,000 people in a country that had NO history of Jihadist. If a Nation continually bombs others, invades and occupies their land, appropriates their resources, harms their children, imprisons and humiliates their families and tears apart the fabric of the social order. It actually produces the very conditions in which violence continues to thrive. (6,000 American lives were lost in Iraq-Iran War plus 3 trillions from US treasure, killed thousands of civilians) 

It depends on us to be a Nation of humanitarians or authoritarians and I believe that the 99% of the population whom we have seen marching and protesting are in favor of a real democracy not a totalitarian government. 

If we, the taxpayers are mandated to support violent acts in which we do not believe, are we living a real democracy?

 Many of the decisions made by governments are not the unanimous decision of the Nation. We, the people should have louder voices and be considered for decisions made in our favor or against our will. We should deeply ponder about the effects of every wrong doing in other Nations in the world and the side effects those violent decisions and acts will produce.

How do we brake the cycle of violence? Giroux asks:

Eradicating the conditions that have created it. Producing a political settlement in Syria and stabilizing the Middle East, ending the Western support for the anti-democratic and dictatorial regimes through tough the Middle East and around the world. Stopping the funding and arming of ruthless dictators, make the countries from where refugees are fleeing free of violence.

As a mom and human being who cares about the world, I want to take this moment to re-consider the violent acts that human have been committing in the name of hate.

 In Orange County, I read last month  a mom lost his joyful, bright, dedicated 19 year old who was stubbed to death by an ex-classmate. The crime could have been an act of hate due to the boy being Jew and gay I read. The killer, a Christian boy. There is something really deep rooted wrong in our society and we must address it.

I keep hearing about shootings in schools, at governmental offices, in events, mass shootings against each other at home, in our neighborhoods, in school, an ultimately against other countries.

All this acts of aggression not in the name of Peace, but rather in the name of control and oppression.  Violence, hate, anger, retaliation, pride, power as we have seen through history will never be the path to Peace.

It is time to reconsider our righteousness and think in the children, of the world, the youth, our kids. 

I heard that there would be no safe havens anywhere in the world until the militaristic, impoverished and violent conditions that humiliate and oppress young people are addressed; so I want to address it.

                                                     ©KarlaGMundo2018

For my son on his birthday

Happy 15^thBirthday to Giancarlo, 

Our miracle baby, our son, friend, hero,  leader, inspiration, our guidance in parenting, our companion in this planet. 

    Giancarlo the beach lover, my walking        pal, my deep conversationalist contra        part, my Yogi and explorer of outdoors. 

   GC the avid book reader and constant       learner….my amazing gardener.  

      Congratulations to the child who                loves playing and meeting kids.

    To our challenger and risk taker,               our  “everything is awesome” attitude        little guy. 

To our little Mozart, passionate singer, our scientist, coder, magician, chess lover, our artist and  Origami Master.

Giancarlo who has visited and enjoyed more parks that I can count, I wish you never outgrow your likes for playgrounds, outdoors, National Parks, wetlands, etc. 

Happy Birthday to our Pacifist, activist, organizer and outspoken citizen; you have been an example to many of  us. 

Giancarlo, watching you grow inch by inch, day by day, month by month, year by year has been a privilege, a gift. It has been a real opportunity to see you shining bright like a star.  Year after year, you have taught us how to enjoy every minute, every moment, every opportunity from life. You are my inspiration and certainly my life is a better life because of you.

The way you enter a room with such certainty that there is space for you. The joy in your laughter, pure and clear, fresh like the breeze in our face.  The way you embrace others regardless of race, color of skin, nationality, etc… I love it!!

I thank you for having chosen me as your mother. I miss so,so,so much my little baby but I embrace the ingenious tweet in you. 

Giancarlo, I love you immensely, immeasurable to eternity and back. You are my rock and engine. 

I honor your Love for others, your caring ways towards those who you remember. I honor the letters you write and mail reaching people in the distance; some to friends, some to family and you always sharing  thoughts, books and everything you have from your heart. 

Our precious boy,  Today, I thank the Universe for our friends and family who love you much💕❤️ and intend that new friends embrace you always the way you embrace  them, with sincere care and   kindness.

 I intend that their hearts always embrace you with tender and pure love. The same love we planted in you when you were a tiny seed.

                          

 I intend that you continue embracing the people of this world, that you never forget to share with those in need, what gratitude is, how to say sorry when needed. I intend that you dance and sing your heart song always. 

GC never forget to share with the world all the Love you have been saving in your heart for every one of those kisses that you grabbed from your cheek as a baby and saved in your heart, for everyone of those, there will be a soul that will feel less burden because of your kind interest in them.  Te amo….
               
                                                                          ©KarlaGMundo2018

ORIGAMI, The Art of Creating Plentiful Possibilities with paper folding

It has been a few years since the Origami adventure started but still loving it. I wrote a similar article  for the Homeschool magazine a few years ago (http://homeschoolmagazines.com/the-art-of-ancient-origami-the-8-year-old-californian-homeschooled-boy-creating-infinite-paper-folding-possibilities-giancarlo) intending to promote the innate skills our children learn to develop when we offer an independent and self-directed  education.

For young artist Giancarlo, Origami was a discovery he made when he was 7 years old. A shape of paper folding that he had seen somewhere fascinated him to the point of wanting to learn how to create that shape. It was the kind of fold that when blown on it becomes a “water balloon”. It was a real challenge for GC to figure out one last fold before seeing the magic of his paper fold becoming a round shape. For Giancarlo who as an independent student learned to play chess at 4 years old, nothing was going to discourage him from learning one step. Once he figure it out; many “water balloon” followed and the door was open for him to discover how to create hundreds other possibilities of paper folds that became alive with color and shape.

There were no Japanese parents or teachers who guided Giancarlo into the ancient Art of making Origami. Was only his interest and dedication that took him into the journey of studying Origami basic folds. Giancarlo, diligently practiced hours and hours a day making shapes over and over till he mastered how to create his first crane, flower, fox, dog, cat, and many more. Within a few months, he realized that he had achieved a new skill as he has been doing for the past few years.  As a very avid, independent student since before preschool, Giancarlo saw Origami as a fun skill to learn and although challenging did not notice it till he could not make a shape but by then he figured that libraries Origami books will help him to figure out what he could not on his own. Giancarlo checked books at many different libraries and watched videos online and his Love for origami was born. 

Giancarlo who is now a 10 year old homeschooler; has been a student who has been not only learning academics but learning to do everything he gets interested in such; creating electric circuits, coding, playing chess, doing magic tricks, playing keyboard, guitar, singing, basketball, tennis, and swimming. The learning possibilities for Giancarlo are endless as long as his interest for a new skill is vibrant. 

One of Giancarlo’s favorite shapes on this display has been dedicated to one of his favorite animals, foxes (kisune in Japanese) which in Japanese culture are very spiritual creatures related to the God of rice Inari. 

It is said the fox was a messenger or servant who carried rice to the communities. If you visit a Kami (shrine) in Japan, you might see a fox statue, which is honored, as a symbol of creativity, intelligence and strategy.

Although Origami is very elaborated and requires a lot of patience, there are many benefits to it such: 

Helping with Math concepts in geometry, proportions, fractions, symmetry, problem solving and more. It also helps with visual motor skills, reasoning, attention skills, concentration, sequencing, creativity, independent studies and has also been used for its health benefits as a relaxation technique to ease tension, reduce anxiety and to help with ADHD.

Giancarlo’s Origami display rotated from different libraries in Orange County. The display was at Dana Point, Aliso Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, Mission Viejo, San Clemente, Irvine, Newport Beach and Laguna Niguel. It was a great joy seeing the interest and fascination  many kids showed for Origami.  

GC’s Origami is meant to inspire other kids to create something unique using their hands, creativity and imagination. Our intention is that more kids will choose Origami vs using electronic devisers for entertaining themselves. Folding instead of texting.

Thanking all who have inspired us and Intending that you have found inspiration to start creating something that you can share with the World!! 

                                                      ©KarlaGMundo2018             

                                     
                                                 

Creativity, Art and Imagination in the life of a child outside of the school system.

When I think of children expressing their Art abilities, I cannot think of better words than Einstein’s. “Imagination is more important that knowledge”. 

Interesting enough, since I was in Kindergarten 35 years ago, our public system has been focusing on lineal education and knowledge or better said; in testing our knowledge instead of focusing in our very wondrous, unique, creative minds. 

Recently I heard Sir. Ken Robins talk about schools killing creativity and then I read a quote by Maya Angelou that said, “You cannot use up creativity, the more you use it; the more you have.  I must say that for Giancarlo and many kids both things have applied. 

The few months of GC in public Kindergarten were slowly killing Giancarlo’s innate creativity. I remember one particular project he was given at his classroom. The teacher gave all the students the same color of background paper, with the same color of a tree cut and exact instructions in how to glue the tree.  When Giancarlo finished his project, he looked around and saw everybody having the same tree so he decided to ad some “details”. When I picked him up from school that day, I could not helped but noticed all the trees that seemed to have been made by the same student.  “Is odd” I thought to myself. 

At that moment I recalled a story told by a writer and educator, Leo Buscaglia about how a teacher asked the students to draw a tree when in reality she wanted them to draw the tree that she believed was a tree and nothing else.  

Giancarlo came out of the classroom and said to me that he had spent some time on the “thinking chair”.  Wow, the thinking chair? I though naively, it must be a space dedicated for imagination, creativity and ideas. Well, not exactly. The thinking chair was the place GC was send for adding details to his project and for using his creativity and imagination, for not wanting to create the same boring tree.

When Giancarlo was younger and started to grab crayons to color or draw, I remember how happy and confident he was at coloring. I try to not interfere with his project by saying  “stay within the lines or that is not the way we color”. I noticed that if I did, that discouraged him from coloring and that was the last thing I wanted.

When GC was 2 years old and started to use real paint and easel, I caught myself trying to find a shape that talked to me about what he was painting. I remember him using purple paint and me thinking I knew what was he painting. Trying to encourage him with my “ cheering mom voice, I told him that his painting was a “grape”. 

Giancarlo looking at me ensured me seriously that it was not a grape, he told me in a very confident, joyful voice “it is purple don’t you see”. I laughed, but I knew that he was right. 

Why did it have to be what I could see? When for him it was a color. I realized then what I have known before. Art; does not come from the Artist imagination in a specific, common shape or idea. It comes more like in a very unique, inspiring fashion way. It comes as a form of expression of feelings, emotions and never will be communicated in the same way by different artists.

As Giancarlo grew older, we never stopped doing Art or appreciating Art. 

He has participated at libraries and Museums art events; we have studied at home from Cave paintings to Matisse, Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Picasso, Frida Kahlo, etc.  During 1^stgrade GC took a semester of Home school Art class.

For the longest time, GC used to tell me that he was going to be an Artist and was always interested in participating in all writing, drawing, painting contests.

 Interesting enough, while in his Kindergarten class, all of his security and interest starting fading away. He second gussed himself, he wanted to be perfect, he got easily frustrated and started having these attitudes that never had before school.

At home, he is always doodling, or thinking of an idea. He has created his own booklets, story lines. When was about music he made his own arrangements to songs, when was about spelling he will spell-sing the words, when has been about math or science always the creative mind will come up with ideas. When we were exploring Egypt and the pyramids, the Ziggurats and every history period or religion we have use imagination and creativity to complete our projects. For his writing journals, always you will see a unique symbol or detail created by GC.

As a mom educator, I always encourage his creativity no matter what. It took time for GC to gain his confidence again but till this days GC creativity and imagination has been expanding. 

He goes from painting to drawing to sketching, to video making, to narrating to creating beautiful origami piece.  

 As someone said “The Artist is not a special kind of person; rather each person is a special kind of Artist."

                            

                                                        ©KarlaGMundo2018                                        

Music and Education

Music… A Family Affair, the food to our soul, a constant reminder of our awakening joy….

Giancarlo has been blessed with a musical ear since early age. I always noticed his appreciation for classical music, and how it soothed him and made him happy. He loved his lullabies, and learned to complete songs that where motivational, that inspired me, that I sang to him while jogging with him when he was a little younger than a year old. 

Certainly Manuel and I have no music degrees but we both share a passion for songs.  Manuel did get some training into music during his college years singing in a choir.  In our first years of marriage, Manuel learned some mariachi and other Spanish songs to bring some memories of Mexico, when I was a nostalgic or home sick.

Manuel’s love for music can be heard on his voice. I used to cry with his unique interpretations of an opera, a classic choir song, or a passionate mariachi song. I really think Manuel missed following his call as a musician, but still like the idea that he did not give it all up. For the past 15 years we have shared together besides being a Chiropractor and a tutor He always has had a song or two to play when he comes home from a busy office day and I love that!.

Manuel beautiful voice and his ability to play keyboard have been gifts that Giancarlo has embraced since he was in my belly. When I was pregnant with GC, I used to go to Manuel’s once a week rehearsal with a choir he joined at that moment. 

I remember GC kicking and almost dancing in my womb, I knew he was happy to hear the music. For me, the choir members interpretations touched always deep into my heart.  

Gc and I bonded with many special lullabies songs and as Gc was growing, we went from Jose Luis Orozco and Raffi to popular Taylor Swift, Kelly Perry, John Legend, etc.

Although I never got music training as a child, I am passionate about songs. The lyrics speak to my soul, and I believe in the power of music.  I just cannot imagine a world without music!! 

I am aware that I was not born with the amazing musical talent of Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey or Shakira but no one could take from me the love for singing, singing, and singing. 

During my college years every opportunity I had to do Karaoke I took it and believe me, it takes strength to sing when you know you are out of tune, not reaching the notes, or insecure about not having had formal singing training. Regardless, I sang my heart out during Karaoke nights in Ensenada and lately, I have been thinking how much I miss singing like I used to do in Mexico. 

I feel that if you do not take your rhythms, your music with you to whatever you go, slowly your soul starts dying. Specially, if you live in neighborhoods or cities where no one seems to listen to the radio anymore.

 It is hard to believe but in my neighborhood, I have never heard a radio or anyone singing other than Manuel or Me and there are more than 400 people here! 

In a busy country like the USA, music can be lost if you don’t keep singing. 

 At times, it feels as if singing can distract you from working or can make you too joyful so music seems to be forbidden from daily activities.

Lately, I have noticed teens lost on computer, video games and cell phones. I do not see many teens singing like I used to do in Mexico; out loud, in the car, at all times, etc. That really worries me!! A world without interest in music, is a world without expression of emotions, feelings, and ultimately a world without joy.

It almost seems that we are the odd, weird family that dares to turn on the radio on any given day of the week and sing, sing out loud. 

If we turn it off, a silence cold like death invades the environment, you can feel it all over the neighborhood. That is really crazy considering that we are alive! 

I just cannot comprehend why neighbors will not sing their lungs out. I do not think there is such a thing like “not all of us are into music”. No, if music is the food of our soul, we all should be feeding our soul by singing . We all have a heart song.

We love gathering around the keyboard to sing with Manuel from classical Disney songs to our traditional Christmas songs. 

Our love affair with music will continue now with Giancarlo playing his favorite songs by ear, and we can only wish that all kids in school are given more opportunities for music appreciation. 

Besides the language development and other benefits associated to music. It has been my experience as a music lover that music  has helped us become more sensitivity, develop empathy for the abundant world of cultures, and  has guide us in a path to peace. 

In educating our children we must not take from them their innate love for composing music, from performing, from feeling in touch with lyrics that promote change, justice, love and peace. Music really communicates that which cannot be put in words, and all that cannot remain silence. It is truly the food of our soul and if we do not feed it, what kind of soul we will have?

                                                      ©KarlaGMundo2018
                           

Mom-educator, reflections on being a mom and a guide in our son's learning journey

 Giancarlo, my only son, was a baby born when his experience with education started. I became his guide in all the learning experiences he will go through from learning to breastfeed to each milestones, to learning subjects. In the process, he was my student and also my wise guru who taught me many lessons.

GC made eye contact with me the moment he was born, he was furious, filled with tons of good crying. Perhaps because crying is what most babies do to comunicate or because he found himself outside of his womb comfort zone. The reality was that he cried and cried tons. He cried so much that the pediatrician had a name for it "colicky baby".

I remember GC looking around the room, confused, scared. By the time he was all clean attached to my breast, I was so nervous and exhausted. I did not know if I was going to be able to make it. I guess 24 hours of labor pain without success or epidural anesthetic can make any one feel hopeless. Still, GC connected with me inmediately and the ritual continued with every breast -feeding. 

I talked to him, We made eye contact, I felt that he always understood but could not speak, yet. It was not easy to breast-feed and  I could tell you all the times I cried in frustration but the latching happened and the bond was build forever.

 GC was  always famished and I was constantly lacking sleep. 

While I was learning to be a mom, and learning that GC will guide me into this motherhood profession; I realized with every passing week,Gc’s awareness and interest for listening to conversations, music, and sounds.  

Everyday, from diaper changing to a bath, breastfeeding, to rocking him in the chair I talked and talked to him. 
My mom who was helping at the time talked to him too. While dressing him up, while feeding him and doing anything around the apartment. My husband talked to him when he came from work and every stroll they took together.

 I knew somewhat that GC understood us. His wide-open eyes  expressed his desire for communicating with us always. 

Every day when he interacted with us we talked to him. We took him in his stroller around town and talked to him about whatever we encounter on our way there. We took him to the forest, and talked about nature, the marvelous trees, the wind and everything that surrounded us. 

We fed him and talked about his meal. We mentioned the name of the food, described the texture, the colors.

When Gc sat for his meals at 4 months, we noticed his frustration when he tried to mimic, repeat, express something back. He mumbled sounds that I almost understood. 

I never forget that we took him for a breezy evening walk and the gorgeous trees leafs seemed making sounds. GC pointed at them and I believed I heard from him the word leaf! "He was a baby", we thought, "he could not have possible talked", but he did. 

GC’s awareness and love for nature will increase with the years. Later on around his 2^ndbirthday, while he was running and climbing a playground he will stop all of the sudden while being mesmerized by the strong wind sound rocking the leaves in such a musical  movement “ shhhhhh, listen”. He would say.

Since then, I learned to listen to Gc’s innate ability to know what he wanted to learn. 

Gc was only 9 months when he spoke his first words. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean he pointed at it and said in Spanish “water” followed by “sand”, “sky” “birds” and every object he started to identify. He was  communicating. Finally he too, could talk. 

It was around the 2008 Election time that GC one day said to me “mom, teach me”.  He was barely a year old. I remember asking him who is the President " Obama" he will reply.

With delight I talked to him about letters, numbers, colors. I read and read hundreds of books to him. We spend hours at local libraries and at home reading. We loved play-dates and outdoors and almost every day we were either at a beach or at a park.  

Although we communicated with him in both English and Spanish at that time, He spoke Spanish to us so clearly that my family in Mexico was impressed with our son’s ability to read at the early age of 3. 

Gc never showed confusion with one language or another as many parents  implied will happen when teaching multiple languages. To the contrary, he was such a verbal child that it was no problem for him taking an Italian class during the spring and a Chinese class during the summer. Gc was confident and teachers asked me if I was married to a Chinese or Italian due to his fluency in languages. 

Almost 12 years now, he is a master of spelling playing scrabble. One favorite game that he started playing when he was 7 and has taught him plenty of words. 

Giancarlo keeps reading by the bundle. One week he can devour books about science and another he will be interested in how mechanical things work. He has read classics ahead of his grade,  and Speaking Spanish and English has only make French easier and enjoyable. 

Chinese is a complicated language but  in his months  of private tutoring classes he has been very dedicated.

As  the adult immigrant that came from Mexico at age 25 with no English spoken neither written which was very difficult to achieve on my own.  Gc's ability to switch from one language to another without the difficulties adults face, is fascinating. 

Giancarlo’s ability to switch from Spanish to English at age 3 was an incredible gift. Still he has conversations in Spanish with relatives in Mexico or with me. 

Gc is to me, the proof that children can learn everything if we do not tell them they cannot. 

Because we focused on Giancarlo's love for reading at an early age followed by any interest he had; was how Gc’s ability to learn chess on his own, followed by his interest in keyboard, to learn all about magic tricks to creating electric circuits and origami Art, ceramics, painting and sketching and coding.

It is as if his mind has no limits to explore with joy different options rather than only learning by memory facts and equations.

If you asked me years ago, while I was living in Mexico, I would have never imagined I could be fluent in English. 

I never intended to move to another country or learn a language at the moment I graduated college. I had worked hard to obtain a professional job after years of college, I had almost finished my Masters in Education and at home was not a priority to learn languages as it was getting a degree to get a better job and a better life.

As a Mexican- Immigrant who came to the USA with a profession but was unable to understand the language, it is a big accomplishment to have taught my son a language that for me was so complicated to achieve. 

In many ways, I learned the language idiomatic expressions, slangs, lullabies, by being in charge of my son’s education.

Of course my husband first language is English and he always was there to answer any questions and to correct my pronunciation or spelling. 

For those who asked me over an over, the answer is yes. It has been exhausting to take the challenge of being the mom and the teacher; but I know in my heart of hearts that we moms are meant to be the guides of the individualized education that our children require. 

We moms can prevent the overwhelming wave of violence known as “bullying” that generation over generation we all have experienced in a classroom and that teachers, principals and board of educators seem not able to eradicate.

12 years of educating our son have gone beyond home schooling because we are mostly not at home. We combine the common basic skills of Math, Science, Language Art, History with our outdoor-schooling, beach-schooling, park-schooling, travel-schooling, world-schooling and beyond.  

We have volunteered at a community garden, we have organized walks for Peace, we participated in campaigns to support women rights, Animals rights, indigenous people rights. We have visited National Parks such Yosemite, Lassen, Miur Woods, Redwoods, Sequoia. 

We had discovered Darlingtonia in Oregon, the only State park dedicated to preserve California cobra carnivorous plants. We have driven from California to Canada, passing Oregon and Washington. We have driven from San Francisco to Ensenada, Baja Mexico and visited the Chichen Itza ruins in Cancùn.  

A round and global education I believe is what Gc has been fortunate to have. No, we don't have money, savings, retirement. We don't owe a home, we are part of the middle class families who rent and contribute taxes for education although our son has been receiving all of his Education from us. I gave up a salary as a professional but never stopped working. So mostly Love is what has taking us on this path of guiding our son unto his education.

We have observed that Giancarlo’s creative mind arises constantly when studying Science, Math or any subject. His creative ideas little by little stolen by a system of compulsory education that does not see individuals but lineal groups of over 30 kids have been coming out constantly.

 In his few months in Kindergarten. the  creative, thinker mind of our son was restrained and controlled  when he tried to be himself. In school, when you have a mind that uses imagination to paint the palette of colors and not only one color, is not acceptable and you are told that you are not following “rules” which is reason enough to send you to a “thinking chair” as if you have committed a crime for having ideas, imagination, creativity. 

Your kid can come out of the classroom crying, frustrated somewhat violent and teachers will ensure you that he is doing fine, nothing to worry about. Teachers will try to make you feel as if you are an “overprotective mom” or " helicopter mom" for wanting to know, for caring, for refusing that what you as mom have shared with your free thinker son will disappear in the hands of the system. 

Being a free spirit, having knowledge of your own, in school seemed not acceptable. You are not supposed to know, you are a student who is going to be given all this programmed information and how dare you came prepared for school or ask questions.  

    

In our experience school was not focusing in what the student talents were, in their innate and unique interest, neither focused on what the student already knew. It seemed not to matter as much that each child is different from one another. The focus in school was how well a student could memorize or obey. 

School was holding our sons innate desire to share with others what he knew. He was bored, he raised his hand at 5 years old and told the teacher " I am bored" which the school did not take as a guideline to improve or change their ways of schooling, instead they were offended.

How do I know this?Gc did tried school, I went to  public school, I have worked at  Middle schools and college, I have volunteer at school and ultimately I continued my education to obtain a Masters in Education in a school system. 

I can relate to all the beautiful children minds I have met everyday who are not 100% themselves because institutionalized, compulsory schoolization somewhat repressed them. 

As Einstein used to say referring to school, “The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education”. 

Learning is a personal process that should not be made into a factory process or lab formula but given individualized.

Seeing our son loving to read, loving words, speaking tons, having a mind of his own, asking questions, not conforming with answers and always continuing to be a seeker; confirm us that 12 years of educating him have been the right choice. 

The question “what about socialization?” has been answered by the example of my son being very outspoken, extrovert, every time I got a compliment about how social, kind, good sharing sport he is. He really socialize with kids of all ages, with adults, real world strangers and he is polite beyond what school can teach.

Every time that I have seen my son asked a schooled child “Do you want to play? to receive a cold “NO, I do not know you, or you are not my friend”; We  have confirmed that schoolization which sounds more like colonization is not education neither socialization. 

School did not teach my son to integrate, to be kind to others, to embrace all races ot new friends even if he has never seen them before. 

School did not teach him to share with others, to promote peaceful games over violent games allowed in playgrounds and in other families. School did not teach him his first words to write or read. It was us, his parents who took on the responsibility when he asked “mom, teach me, teach me”.

It has been my husband and I who have been teaching him to integrate and embrace everyone around him. 

To overcome the many occasions in which kids use prejudice towards or son due to his Latino name or our Spanish speaking background. It has been us teaching him that not all the kids are outspoken like him. Us who have justified kids who have been rude or not really friendly in order that our son did not see that there are cliques, prejudice, exclusivity and many unfriendly people around us. 

I wish if I could prevented him from the pains of noticing that the world has so many humans who are not really good at embracing people with different ways of thinking. 

Just because we are not part of a school system, we have been ostracized, criticized by people who are not educated judging by their vague opinions. In many instances just because we stand strong for our ideals of never using guns as toys, no playing good and bad, no playing violent at playgrounds and defending Peace over war an violence.

Being a Mom and Educator has been a huge, huge challenge, so intense. 

Tons of learning experiences, plenty of disagreements, many frustrating moments, but also one of the greatest, greatest gifts of life. 

Every milestone, goal reached, silly moments and infinity memories of traveling that we have shared with our beloved son; recorded forever in our hearts.

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