Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Expense of Experience


Sometimes I walk into a room (usually the school room) and recoil at the sight of one of the boys using copious amounts of some household item on work that does not look important to me, and I wonder why I never laid down the law about using these things without my permission.


Recently, I found a pyramid-shaped stack of skinny markers bound together with layers of Scotch tape attached to Thing1's desk.  He informed me it was a cannon.  He had to use scissors to cut it apart when he needed the markers.  There is still tape on some of our markers.

Thing2 likes to wrap gifts.  The more tape, the better.

A favorite "work" is to staple all the way around a stack of scrap paper and then take all the staples back out again. 

They used $0.50 worth of toothpicks the day they made marshmallow sculptures.  Dressed up like cowboys.

While helping his dad build a shed, Thing1 used a drill motor to screw these four boards together...With about 30 screws.  The Husband plans to have Thing1 use the drill to take out the screws so he can reuse them next time he wants to build something.  Those screws are not cheap.



I try to dwell on the benefits of their work rather than the cost so as not to dampen their industry.  Then I explain to them that getting the job done is important, but using more than you need is wasteful.

After the initial shock, I remind myself (or The Husband reminds me) of all they are learning by experiencing real life, and I write off the expense as "curriculum." 

4 comments:

Thankful Becky said...

GREAT post! (and great reminder)
Visiting from Hip Homeschool Hop :)

AMAY said...

What a cool house to live in!

AIMA said...

Thanks, Becky.

AMAY, I hope so!

Anonymous said...

That is so funny. I understand, I cringe at wastefulness. It's hard to be frugal without stifling creativity. I LOVE the boards screwed together. That sounds like something I would've done growing up.
Leslye