Grant Woods

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unteach them early so they don't have to unlearn later

Don’t teach your kids to yell “echo” in the tunnel.  Teach them to test the acoustics with farts and laughter and howls.  Teach them that spiders are involuntary pets and vegetables make music that you can’t always hear.  Encourage grass stains and wear scabs as much as they do.  Remind them that they grow from the dirt and go back to the dirt and that dirt is prettier than nail polish.  Show them climbing and falling and pour so much play into them that they appreciate bed time.

Feed the kids with wild foods and bathe them in river water.  Let weather inspire freedom.  Rain is meant to be danced in, not run from.  The wind is good to clean the dust off, and sweat is as important as soap in the shower.  

Teach movement and make the floor more comfortable than the sofa.  Watch the clouds and the trees and unplug the television with a machete.  Teach them to crash-land and ride bikes and cheer for both equally. Hug trees and friends. Know affection and believe in eye contact.  

Paint abstract and draw figures.  Build art out of scraps and fix the car in the garage.  Patch holes in walls, build and imagine and rebuild.  Shake stress away and shake out the carpets.  Trespass and apologize and carry chalk for graffiti purposes.  Say hello to people.  Name the stars at night. Teach and learn.  Cook knowledge into wisdom through practice.  Sharpen iron with iron.  

Test the limits and know the difference between risk and consequence.  Let process be reward and reward be experience.  Reflect on sickness and appreciate health.  Expose them to beginning and end, young and old, fresh and stale.  Treat everyone as human.  Purposefully change perspectives.  Turn it upside-down and sideways and inside-out.  

Compost and garden and grow.  Water houseplants and bare-hand snatch houseflies out of thin air.  Pet dogs and ride horses.  Build and destroy.  Fail and learn.  Nourish thoroughly with unconditional love and leave your bullshit out of it.