Building a Teepee {Living a Slow Childhood}

This is Miles, he is 10 and this is the teepee he constructed this past week by himself.

And this is reason  #3 that we moved to the country.

 

 

Being 10 can be hard. Being 10 and moving for the first time in your life, changing churches,routines, and towns can be especially hard.

Being 10 on the outside and 56 on the inside well that is its own special conundrum. And being a parent to this 10-year-old, that can be a head scratcher as well.

Almost never has this kid wanted toys for his birthday or for Christmas.

Instead he has asked for the following:

A Forge, an Anvil, Sledge Hammers, Duct Tape, a Building Shop, a Storefront, Knives, Saws, PVC Pipe, Bolts, a Punching Bag, an Electronic Drawing Pad, Broken Computers, Art Supplies, a Book Deal.

He uses phrases like “I really need to go do some tinkering,” regularly. And no by “tinkering” he doesn’t mean “tinkling.” He means he needs to go take a part a broken remote-controlled car and try to make something else out of it.

I have never experienced a child who has such an insatiable need to create and expand.

Over the years it became increasingly obvious that as much as we Sweet Man and I wanted to live in the country, our boys NEEDED too, each for different reasons.

Living in the country would allow us to give them the gift of a slow childhood.  A childhood that would be spacious – not just geographically, but also spiritually, creatively and emotionally.

For Miles a slow childhood in the country would  mean that he would have freedom to tinker and create in ways he never could have at our house in town.

 

 

Here he can have a small forge.

Here he can bang away, loudly and brashly  flattening metal.

Here he can have an idea and try it out, no worries about city codes, lack of space or open flames and fretful neighbors.

Here he can build a teepee  in the middle of the yard out of tarps and sticks and cinderblocks anytime.

Here he can go outside and find the sticks he needs to serve as his post, he can rummage around the barn and yard for mallets and bright blue tarps, and he can work to his little hearts content without any interference or worry from his parents.

 

And let me tell you something. This boy has skills. His first attempt at a teepee lasted a whole week outdoors, even withstanding a pretty good windstorm. It was only a bad rain storm that finally did it in. And even then it was still standing. But my 56 yr old in a 10 yr old body wasn’t quite satisfied with even that impressive outcome and I am pretty sure that there are more teepee attempts in our future.

There have been, and will continue to be, a lot of challenges in our new slow country life.  Sacrifices will continue to be made by all us in exchange for this new life.   Money is tighter for a bit, we are so much further from most of our friends, our to-do list on the house and acreage will most likely never really be done, and we will be tethered to this place more than any other before with the care of more livestock and gardens.

All our days here at Preservation Acres are not harmonious and tranquil. They are not all filled with teepees  and happy boys.

But this picture right here,  this picture is the perfect testament of why this move will always have been worth it, and that chosing to live slower will always have been the best choice for our family.

xo

J