Ah, we are seekers.
People who value learning are in constant pursuit of the better -- better ways, better gurus, better solutions, better tools, better plans, better understanding. The quest is probably intensified ten times over when we choose to carry even a modest chunk of the responsibility for a child's development and education, if not all of it. (Homeschooling moms and dads are classic "poster parents" for seekers.)
After a few decades as a home-based educator and a handful of years supporting similar programs as a teacher, I'm rounding the corner to what might be a conclusion: Best is a unicorn. It's elusive on the one hand and possibly mythical on the other.
Logic suggests that in order to uncover the best we would have had to evaluate all of the candidates in a given category -- all of the art pens, , or all of the tablets, or all of the parenting books. True, we may come to the conclusion that "this is the best _____ I've ever found," and that may satisfy us. Experience tells me that we seldom rest long when we are inspired, driven or spell-bound by the desire for "best." Imagine owning one book, or having one favoured thinker, or sticking to one field of study. Avid learners just can't do it.
Without doubt, the search for the better (or elusive best) is an education in itself. Think of all the stuff, information and discussion we experience in order to glean what feels good to us and right for our children. Hours and small fortunes are dedicated to this rich pursuit.
Caution may be needed, though. I see it as two-fold:
Beside these considerations, it's interesting to note that wisely engaging in a search for the better learning widget or way can also guide us to better living period, a lovely consequence in and of itself.
Here are a few tips for "betterment" particularly (related to education) gathered from devoted autodidacts who are also actively involved in supporting their children's growth and learning.
When it comes to your children, watch them carefully over a few days or weekends. If you have to, hunker down behind a mountain of laundry or filing and simply observe how your people spend a typical day in your home. What delights them? What do they gravitate toward? What troubles them? What helps them shine? What doesn't? Any noticeable challenges or frustrations? Is there anything they choose to spend time on that worries you? How independent are they, and in what ways? Between pairing socks or stapling bills, take notes. In mining your home-life, what are the diamonds?
2. Periodically "purge" the excess, the unused, and the unwanted. Purge is a strong word, but it does suggest emptying out the sickly in order to refill with renewed health and energy. The point here is to start fresh with the things that are working and that deliver satisfaction and happiness.
3. Unplug from electronic devices for a time and see what happens. Whether a day, a set time of day for a week, or for a longer stretch, I guarantee the results will be fascinating. To invite buy-in from family members, schedule a non-electronic "treat" at the end -- dinner out, a night with friends in, a trip to a local attraction. What would your collective life be like with less of one thing (like electronic use) and more of another (like family games, or painting, or conversation over dinner)?
I'm frequently told by individuals and families who take steps like these that "things are better now -- we learned that...." The complete comments range from "we watch too much TV and would rather do other things" to "I spend so little time reading to my kids now when it was the best part of our day in the past" to "I want to learn Italian more than I want to sit on Facebook" to "we're electronic recluses, so are making a plan to get our eyes off a screen and have someone interesting over for dinner at least once a month."
One last thought:
Even though the hunt for things to enhance our learning and living may span a lifetime, the rare and wondrous exist. They grace our lives as relationships, memories, experiences, epiphanies, and artifacts of the highlights of being human together. In the busyness of our quest for the better, these are increasingly rare sitings. It could well be worth some deep thought about how we preserve the best we already have.