Every Wednesday our members get to ask Waldorf teacher Diane Power questions about their homeschooling experience, Waldorf education and more. These Q & A sessions are posted on the member blog every week so you have access to all the past Q & A sessions. Become a member of Earthschoolingto get your questions answered personally every week.
Question from Earthschooling Member: My question goes to Diane or parents who can relate: my older kids do waldorf with me and regular textbook/worksheets when they are at their fathers house. I was once told “if you can’t give them all, just give them something. Whatever you can.” This has been my approach until he told the kids that what we do here “is not real work” which made the kids a bit uncooperative (and drove me off my good parenting exis) and rightly so, had them wondering why they should spend so much time drawing when dad told them that school work is to be done fast and to be done with. I know this is firstly an issue with him that I must overcome but there is an underlying question, how do I inspire the kids? When I look back to our work I think we’ve done a lot but we struggled so much! How can I inspire them so they can freely work. They enjoy the reading and the learning, the constant talking (rather than telling what to do we talk about the subjects) helps tremendously and yet, every two weeks I dread the first sigh and whining. They are retreating to their room (i guess this is age appropriate or is it because at their father’s house they are asked to do so, and here i like that we stay together, even apart, like staying in the garden doing separate things, we dont have to interact together *all the time* but we should be in each others company) How to inspire? 
❤️ (They are 11 and 9) Thank you. – V.S.
Reply from Waldorf Teacher Diane Power: Re: “real” work. I’m not sure what their father considers real work but i do think you can explain about different kinds of work-physical, mental, emotional, etc. you could also also discuss how food & exercise nourish the body, how challenges and new skills nourish our mind, and how art, music, stories & community nourish our hearts. To be balanced and strong and creative and intelligent and flexible we need to make sure our entire being-ness is well cared for.
V.S: I think this is the answer to my question? The real work means its not textbook/worksheets. To tell him all those things (which i have) is to throw words at the wind, 
he really doesnt care. What i need to find is a way to inspire my children, to show them their work is of value, that being on a worksheet doesnt make it more valuable or “real”.
Diane: What I said earlier I meant to discuss with your children. I would use real world examples – doing more worksheets doesn’t feed the part that comes up with the Harry Potter stories. Worksheets help with grammar and punctuation but not with inspiration.
V.S: I see. That makes sense, my daughter would specially understand it! Her grandmother told her she was reading too much and that the world of books is not real and she felt heartbroken. I told her about how writers DO live the real world of their books because its how they get to write the books in the first place. So yes, she would absolutely benefit from this explanation. Thank you
Diane: I wouldn’t try to argue the point with him or the children. Can you demonstrate their progress with their own old ML books? Recall how far they have come in their own skill building? Have them experience authors’ book or poetry readings, plays, musicians, anyone who actually creates something and is willing to discuss and show them. Have you done the G3 farming year with all that wonderful hands-in learning? They are learning that people have different opinions and are able to express them – how wonderful! I would say give them the experiences so that they may decide for themselves what feels right for them. It is a very brave thing to do.
Many thanks.
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