Surfwise
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90272530
Jonathan just sent me this link, to a segment on Fresh Aire with Jonathan Paskowitz, and his documentary Surfwise. This film both encourages and terrifies me, frankly.
When you’re steeped in a fear-based society, sometimes it feels safer to stay under the radar as far as possible, and a lot of that is letting people assume what makes them comfortable, and not making too much noise about the choices your family makes, because that way, you aren’t dealing with possible State interference. You can talk to people about homebirth, homeschool, blah blah blah, but not all at once, because they shut down and assume you’re completely insane and/or incompetent.
Then along comes a film like this.
Compared to what the Paskowitzes did, what we’re planning is tame. Nine kids in a 24-foot trailer makes three kids in a 47-foot boat sound pretty palatial and spacious. So that’s cool. And while we do enjoy the raw food thing, my kids know what fat and sugar are, and are allowed to indulge. I’m thinking I might keep this film up my sleeve, to show folks that we’re not nearly as extreme as we sound.
But once I’m done with self-protection mode, I start really thinking about what those folks did, and wishing someone had covered the stuff I really want to know. Like… do all nine kids still like each other? What kinds of encouragement in learning were they able to do? How did they manage things like laundry? You know, the real details of making a family like that really work… in a 24 foot trailer, nonetheless.
Anyway, I’m sure I’ll have more to say when I’ve gotten to see it. Stay tuned.