Today was a satisfying day. I stayed away from the politics of the moment and spent most of the day with homeschooling my oldest daughter and corraling my youngest two to get their homework done. Homeschooling my 13 year old has been both tough and rewarding. I question whether we are doing the right thing for her. But then I remember how stressed she was at school and how little help she got from the school itself. Well, let me re-phrase that. She received help via RSP but at the end it was doing more harm than good. She is probably a little under a year behind her peers in school but she is retaining so much more.

 

Today we spent a major portion of the day going over the Renaissance and why it was important. It seemed pretty boring to her. But it wasn't until I got into the subject that I remembered just how important this period was and what it did for us today. When I look around and see the people I work with on a daily basis it dawns on me that the younger generations are learning less and less about western civilization and how we got to where we are today. To them life begins at Nixon and the evil that he wrought upon this earth. How we must follow the European or Canadian model. That the Iranians are just misunderstood and just need to be conversed with in reasonable language and all will be well. I fear for them and I fear for us. When opportunities present themselves I try to show my children why the Greeks mattered. Why the stand that the Spartans and Thespians made against the Persians is why we have our government today. Why Johannes Gutenberg was so important. That without the printing press most of us would still be in thrall to a monarch or dictator. This was stuff that was known by my contemporaries 35 years ago but is missing today. It is my hope that boomers such as I will be able to leave a lasting gift to our children or grandchildren by re-awakening our knowledge of western civilization and passing it to them. Maybe, just maybe, that will make up for the destruction the boomers have rained down on our educational system and a new Renaissance can begin.