Learning to Think
Our children cannot pinpoint Egypt on a map. They don’t know their multiplication tables. They know perhaps five U.S. Presidents, total.
But they understand that they own their own bodies. They know an adult has no right to do something to them without their consent. They know that authority figures do not always have their best interests at heart. They refuse to accept answers like, “because I said so.” They become appalled when confronted with aggression.
We read to them a lot. We answer their questions honesty. We expose them to new ideas. We expose them to ideas we don’t necessarily agree with. They thrive on this and make fantastic leaps in reasoning, forming complex theories and ideas we would have never dreamed possible.
We have no doubt they will eventually learn geography, history, and the times tables. They will learn those things when they’re ready. Right now, they are learning to think. Creating this environment, allowing them to create and explore and form their own conclusions, has placed them on a course to control their own lives.