Butterflies!

For Christmas, my children were given one of those butterfly habitats; have you seen them advertised?  Once the weather is warmer, you can send away for caterpillars through the mail and then watch them up close throughout their metamorphosis.

I thought this was a really great experience, especially for Tobin, who will be six in November.  Each day he would rush to the kitchen, first to see if the caterpillars had grown larger, and then to see if they had made their chrysallis' (chrysalli?) yet.

Over the last week, our five painted lady butterflies have emerged from their cocoons!  It was so exciting... for all of us, really!  We watched them sitting patiently while they allowed their beautiful new wings to dry out, then take their first flight around their little home.  We gave them flower buds from the garden and cotton balls with sugar water on them to eat and it seems as if they have actually become stronger and more lively over the last week.

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I have been reading the book, Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times. by Zoe Weil.  In her book, Weil talks about the three R's (not reading, 'riting and 'rithmatic) which are Reverence, Respect and Responsibility.  Weil startes that t"his process is easy to begin with children as it seems that Reverence (feeling wonder and awe) comes naturally to them.  The world is a beautiful, complex and mysterious place to them and it is important to give children the opportunity to feel the emotion of reverence.  Reverence will lead children towards compassionate choices and a humane way of life."

I thought that this butterfly habitat was a great opportunity for my children to be amazed...and I am pretty certain they were!  Weil suggest that when we feel "reverence for what is most worthy", we are paving the way for Respect and Responsibility.  Respect is when the emotion of reverence is transformed into an attitude and responsibility is when the emotion and attitude of reverence and respect become and action. 

 

The 3R's may seem like a simple concept, but I agree with Weil when she states that "feelings of reverence can be damaged by cynicism and the commercial values of society".  It is my hope that my children (* and I) can maintian these emotions and continue to be amazed.  It is time to let our butterly friends go.  I hope that this will be a wonderful memory for our family and perhaps might even become a spring time tradition?

There is a Vietnamese saying, "When eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree".  When we  live in this way, thinking of the people who make our life possible, the miracle of the earth, the wonders of the air and water, then we are living with reverence.  Z. Weil      

a.           

Comments

[apples for poppy anne]

Reautiful post! Really.
I have seen that book and would love to read it! I have just started John Holt's Learning All the Time.
Regarding the Flickr group, you can sign up for a free flickr account and then join the group! Would love to have you join us!
e.

[http://mysweetbabu.typepad.com]

So far, the book is great...one of those where you find your head nodding in agreement the entire time!

I'm all flickr'd...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysweetbabu/
Let me know what I should do next! What a fun project!
alison

[Account Deleted]

what a wonderful experience. :)

[http://mysweetbabu.typepad.com]

You said it! It was really nice for the whole
family...I'm looking foward to doing it again
next year!
...and I had no idea that the butterflies would be so cool with letting the kids hold them! It was pretty amazing!