Continual Education

I don't think we disagree as much as you might thing on this topic, Ans.  I just re-read what I wrote about the YOU principle and realized it wasn't very clear (I did write it close to midnight last night, forgive me).  Your example with Rangers Apprentice is what I'm saying.  YOU read the books first and then got your child to read them.  It wasn't a "Hey, I hear these books are good" or "look this book is on a classics list so it must be good and so YOU have to read it."  No, that's not what I'm saying.  I believe in continual education for women.  Period.  Andrea is a well-read individual.  Many, many, many mothers do not have that background from their younger years and I  agree with what Kelly said...
Reading DeMille's book opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities, and also made me realize that I had a whole lot of learning left to do in areas I'd never even known existed.  I was SO steeped in the conveyor belt mentality (to use DeMille's phrasing) that his book was huge for me.  Since then I've read so much.  I appreciate DeMille for opening my eyes.  (bold added)


That is how I see this principle fits.  As I said before this principle is not an excuse to take time away from your children, your responsibilities at home, or even time away from your husband...and this, sadly, is what many of the "TJEd Followers" have done or feel like they MUST do.  I recently picked up A Well-Educated Mind by Susan Bauer (or Jessie??)...which a basically a Well-Trained Mind book for parents/mothers.  I don't see anyone knocking her ideas down.  This is all just a promotion for mothers continuing to educate themselves.  I've seen too many women who, when their kids leave the home, don't know what to do with themselves because they stopped learning or are too scared to venture out of what they just did the past 20-30 years.  I don't want to be that way.

I have at times felt "guilty" for making time to read in my days because other mothers have said they don't have time  (my own self-imposed feelings there).  Well, I'm sorry.  I read.  I love to read and make time every day for that for myself.  That is what I am doing to further my education (that and responding to these lovely conversations!).  :-)

Point is...I think it's more of a semantics thing that bothers you than the actual idea of educating yourself and using that knowledge to inspire your children.