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You probably have not considered that much of our cultural experience is fear-based. We live in a society hell-bent on "making sure" - it is so pervasive that many of us stifle any natural inclination that would lead us to appear weird, abnormal, or strange. As a society, we are deathly afraid of failure and judgment. Some may even buy into well-crafted conspiracy theories and pseudo-science (hook, line, and sinker) to explain away the science-based facts that don't fit their preconceived notions. Additionally, we send our kids to school to "make sure" they learn all they need to learn, are "successful," and can get a "good" job (in society's estimation). We interfere in our children's play and creative endeavors because it may be "dangerous," and they may get hurt (or, our neighbors will report us for neglect). Or maybe, it doesn't fit into our definition of "proper" play or our expectations for them. Most of us are, sadly, not even aware we are living in fear. The opposite of all that anxiety and external stress is trust. Trust - in your own instincts that guide you to explore all the possibilities, despite all of your worries and outside judgments, and in each child's innate ability to learn and grow. At the end of the day, it is the stress and fear that will most likely harm you and the ones you love, not the things you worry about. I fully believe that trust in ourselves and the scientific method will steer us all to the work we need to do, individually and as a culture, to develop the solutions required to build a safe and equitable society for everyone. What would happen if you trusted your instincts, jumped in, and did not let fear control your life?  At DRC, we understand that life is not separated into subjects - so why should we disconnect our learning experiences from each other? C and T are painting an art installation that will go in the DRC front yard, but among many other things, they are also spelling pet rabbits names, counting dots, mixing paint colors, and they are cooperating and sharing a creative experience together. And none of this was adult led - except for providing the resources. DRC News This coming Friday is our last day until September. We will have a cookout and "party" to celebrate our three members finishing their high school career and the end of this super strange year. We are sending out a shout of thanks to JVB, who donated a full-size drum set to the Canton Center.  Summer programs begin on August 16th for three weeks. Register here. Anyone interested in joining Deep Root Center in September can contact me here. And finally, a community member has asked me to share this American RelayBall kid opportunity here. You can contact him through the linked Facebook page. Comments are closed.
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