Dioramas of symbiotic relationships. A reflection.

We were doing symbiotic relationships in Natural Sciences and I decided that creating dioramas to show these relationships would be a lot of fun. It certainly was, but in hindsight I realise that they learnt more about art than symbiotic relationships in the process. They will probably always remember their chosen relationship and will be able to rattle off what mutualism, commensalism and parasitism is, but they could have learnt so much more if they did not done the project.

Such a project only works if they can do it at home with their parents‘ support… not using up weeks of lesson time…. but it is done and here are the results.

Acacia ants and acacias in the Savannah habitat.
Remora fish and sharks in a marine habitat.
Clown fish and anemones in their marine habitat.

A difficult day

I treasure my son. I love him so much! But some days I find having to be his friend and mother so stifling. Games always devolve into what feels to me like destruction or some version of chaos. Then there is the whining throughout hair washing or the lack of urgency when life is calling.

When I have energy and a lighter load of work related duties, I can do the mind shift and just embrace the opportunities that come up to learn, teach, exercise and bond. Some other times I just want to do what I want to do again… if that is nothing, then nothing.

Of course I also worry as to why my son would not keep himself busy. Where am I going wrong? What must I do to help him to keep himself busy while not making him feel rejected or abandoned?

I will go to bed now with these concerns and questions and needs unanswered and unfulfilled.

Courage for God

I’m listening to Jordan Peterson’s interview with icon artist Jonathan Pageau and I know in my heart that I want to believe again. I need that ideal and to feel part of like minded people who pursue the same ideal. I will need to figure out what exactly to believe in. Life has meaning when we can strive towards an ideal. Something better. True! Better leads to other problems – to the tower of Babel, as JBP pointed out in the interview. Pageau’s answer was profound. He replied that it depends on what you worship. The way I understand it is that what you worship will determine the outcome of the highest ideal… the better the values of what you worship, the less pitfalls.