NOT, Tuesday's Trivia.

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education. - Sir Walter Scott

Don't tell me God doesn't have an exceptional sense of humour.

I read the books, you know. Without. exception. they told a charming tale of self motivated children scoring above national percentiles in standardized tests. They had the pictures to prove it: children sitting at desks or around the kitchen table diligently studying their math or science & reading at college levels in grade 4.

I waited. Ditz was young & flighty. I was doing as all the books said: choosing curriculum for her learning style, providing "enrichment" activities, working at her pace, appreciating her valuable uniqueness & it made not an iota of difference. Ditz was learning resistant.

No that's not quite true. Ditz only resists that which the state dictates she should learn. I have the proof. Ditz had her singing lesson Saturday lunchtime. By Sunday afternoon she was word perfect in 3 new songs & pretty much had the music down pat as well. Every day that child disappears into her room without a word to anyone & the muted sound of practise drifts through the house. If, per chance, I should stick my head round her door, she is bolt upright in her *default position* diligently applying every instruction she has ever received about singing.

It's true that for years I have had to nag her about *practise* for flute & violin but suddenly there has been a shift. Ditz's timing is lousy but when the news comes on each evening, & her father immerses himself in the woes of the world, it's Ditz's cue to grab her flute & head upstairs. These days she watches t.v with her guitar in her lap memorising chords. When the adds come on she practises her strumming.

Everything I have ever had to say on education all down the years, everything I've ever read about self motivated learning Ditz applies ~ to music! And to music alone. We do our best with the other subjects but Ditz is just going through the motions. Everything I've tried so hard to drum into that child I see applied to her music: hard work [don't ever tell me music isn't hard work after having a child nearly in tears because their diaphragm hurts so much!]; diligence; perseverance; self~motivation; immersion. God gave me what I wanted ~ just not in the way I was expecting!

Fourteen years ago today Ditz entered this world, a round roly~poly child with dimples in places I didn't even know you could get dimples! She had a cap of red fuzz & no eyelashes ~ which made her look like an alien. I knew we were in for an interesting ride when the child said her first words [words, plural! A complete sentence!] at just 5 months old. And she was bribable. I like being able to put a child down & know she will still be there 5 minutes later but Liddy thought Ditz should walk & to this end dangled luscious red strawberries before the child's eyes. When there were no more strawberries she used chocolate.

Ditz has been loved & petted & fussed over by everyone, which is the prerogative of the youngest child but for years she was very much my shadow. At 14 she is finally flowering into her own person. Yes, music is very much a part of who Ditz is but she is so much more. She is kindness itself. She can't bear any sort of cruelty to others. She is warm & generous. She has a marvelous sense of humour & a sunny disposition. We waited a long time to get Ditz but she was worth the wait & has blessed our lives enormously. ♥♥♥Happy Birthday, Ditz!♥♥♥