Great and helpful article Catherine! I thought I would share this tidbit about Susan Wise Bauer, which I think she should really have put in the preface to her Well-Trained Mind (which every parent I have encountered finds inspiring yet daunting, and at times discouraging). This is from her book "Rethinking School":
"I am a writer, so grammar is particularly important to me. I drilled my kids in grammar from first grade on. We did grammar drills and grammar exercises. We memorized grammar rules. We diagrammed sentences. We never did not do grammar.
So on the first day of seventh grade, I pulled out the previous year's grammar book for quick review.
My son looked at me like a newborn fawn contemplating a bow hunter. He remembered nothing.
"How can you not know what a noun is?" I demanded.
"Well," he said, "maybe it's because we've never really done grammar before."
This anecdote is the perfect balm for any homeschool anxiety. If this can happen to Susan Wise Bauer, then we certainly can feel at ease :)
Oh that’s great, it should definitely be in the preface! I enjoyed listening recently to a lecture she gave about how to teach the ‘real’ child which was also reassuring in terms of reminding me that most children are not the perfect Well-Trained Mind child, sitting down to their daily lessons with an eager smile. So many home ed books create this picture which just doesn’t match up to many families’ reality.
Agreed. The image of the perfect child contributes to quite a bit of anxiety and discouragement for some families. I know of a family who gave up homeschooling because they simply could not keep up with the ideals of the Well-Trained Mind. After a year they fortunately decided to give it another try with a curriculum that did not create as much pressure and was a better fit. Hope that the coming editions of the WTM include some reference to the 'real' child :)
I really understand these feelings and am sympathetic to both approaches because I was essentially unschooled until 8th grade--no one asked me to write a single line until 8th grade. And I’m now obsessed with writing. But I enjoy having my kids in the classical conversations weekly one-day curriculum because they seem to love a bit of memorized knowledge now and then (as do yours, from the stories!). I love them both! It’s been important for me to note that I (ME) take pleasure in the academic theory side of homeschooling (which SWB represents for me) but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything for what my kids need/want.
Entirely anecdotally I am with my family right now on the lake and was reflecting with my mom about how much “school” my youngest brother did before 7th grade. She says he did almost none, indeed much grade level reading was beyond him until that point, and he didn’t take to math at all. His only “academic” interests were three dimensional art projects and listening to books read aloud. Now he’s in his 20s and primarily reads economic study summaries and political science for fun. You can’t make this stuff up!
As far as how to help yourself relax I would take at least a two week holiday from trying to do anything. Let it all go and sit back and watch what happens anyway. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by all the good that happens. Just keep on noting what they ask questions about so you can circle back later.
That’s amazing that you and your brother were so completely unschooled for so long. Next I’ll have to ask you to write another guest post, ‘How I WAS homeschooled’! Your mother sounds ahead of her time. Also I really like your separation of the enjoyment of the academic theory side and the reality of what your children need and want. Thank you!
I love your article as it described in great detail how I feel at times. Then, I try to remind myself that we already do a lot (spend a lot!) and that overall our little girl has a pretty darn good life. From what I've read, your children do/learn a great deal. Your son is only little and reads independently on many topics. Most children his age still struggle with sounding out three letter words. I am sure deep down in your heart you know it but it's nice to hear from another parent. If this will make you feel any better, I get this feeling regularly in various areas, even sport! My almost 6 year old daughter swims confidently, rides a bike, rides horses, goes to tennis and gymnastics. But what about roller skating/ice skating? (I ask myself) Are we doing enough? Some children go skiing. We don't. Is she missing out? One can drive oneself crazy. Let's breath and sooth ourselves: they have a whole long life ahead of them and they can learn/experience certain things later in life.
On the topic of reading about home educating, some time ago I read Julie Bogart's "The Brave Learner" and as much as I value the author, (even follow her on Instagram) I do question some of her ideas. I paraphrase here: "Let the children scribble on walls and sofas if they feel like expressing themselves that way." Wait. What? If I let her draw on our walls, how will she know that this is socially unacceptable in other people's homes? Frankly, many ideas presented in the books that are meant to guide us are simply not realistic to put it lightly. We are better off asking within. What works for my family? What is most beneficial for my children in this season of their lives? I'm sure that as caring mums and dads we know best.
Once again, thank you for sharing your journey with us. Much appreciated how real you are.
Thank you Victoria for your very kind and thoughtful comment. Your daughter’s sports are incredible—for my children I often count walking as exercise! I totally understand what you mean. No matter how many books we have I always feel like ‘just one more’ would fill a gap.
I like Julie Bogart too and overall I love her ethos. But I agree with you that so often home ed books just go too far and stray from what most families can realistically do or would realistically want. I am so enjoying hearing from parents about what homeschooling really looks like for them ☺️
I’ve been right where you are at and you explained it beautifully. (And I’ll be there again soon I’m sure!!)
When I pulled my now 17yr old out of private school and started homeschooling him (he was 11) I had read well trained mind and thought I had it all figured out. Three months of well trained mind style homeschooling and I almost gave up!! It was so overwhelming in so many ways, mainly the 7+ hours it took him to complete all the work. We were both absolutely miserable.
Then I stumbled on to Charlotte Mason method. Her principles provided the structure I needed to help me create a clear vision of how I wanted to homeschool and then bring that vision to life. Spreading the “feast” and incorporating music study, picture study, nature study, foreign language and the like made our schooling enjoyable.
Check her out if you haven’t already. I recommend starting with volume 6, A Philosophy of Education first.
I love Charlotte Mason but have only read Home Education (several times). I’ve always been unsure of where to start with her other writings so I’m very grateful for your recommendation!
Catherine, this was excellent. Thank you for naming the anxiety and unease that so often accompanies the homeschool parent's journey. I think your point about not spending too much time looking at (and inevitably comparing yourself to) other people's homeschooling ideals is an excellent one. After I've done some research and planning in the summer, I find I need to shut out almost all homeschool related online content and just do what works for me. Otherwise, I too easily feel insecure and defeated. I appreciate your candor. Also, with Susan Wise Bauer, it helps me to only read the section of her book that corresponds to the age of my kids. Also - I'm happy to say that we seem to be on the same history rotation! I just wrapped up her Story of the World Ancient History and we will be starting Middle Ages in September. Cheers.
Oh great, I look forward to swapping history book suggestions! That’s such a good point about doing the prep and the reading but then shutting it down and trusting yourself. It’s a fine balance between being well-informed and prepared but also being true to yourself and your children.
A lot of the anxiety is the assumption that if there is not a formal session, they will never learn it. Even with a perfect homeschool curriculum, your kids are going to learn most of their history and social studies through their interactions with the world, not a lesson plan. The important part is teaching mindset and knowledge that will give them foundations to learn on their own.
Also, as nice as the Core Knowledge Curriculum and Well-Trained mind is, let's not forget that schools don't get through a fraction of this stuff. Has a complete textbook EVER been completed in a typical year in a traditional school?
Also, Susan Bauer hired a lot of help to homeschool her kids, so apparently her own standards were too much for one person to handle, just to put things in perspective. Nothing wrong with that, but it can't be simply a one person show.
I am really enjoying hearing a bit more about the reality of SWB’s homeschooling!
And I agree that sometimes I want the reassurance of something that looks like the traditional learning I am familiar with from my own childhood. No matter how thoroughly deschooled I think I am, sometimes that desire to see children sitting at a table and working through a book is just so strong.
You’re also right that there’s a big difference between a curriculum and what the children actually ‘take home’ from a year of studying it, whether at home or at school.
I am sure The Well-Trained Mind and other similar tomes are very helpful for some home educators / homeschoolers. I’ve heard good things. Unfortunately I also suspect I might be tempted to hurl such a book out of a nearby window. My youngest, my home ed kiddo, is autistic and may also have other co-occurring issues (e.g. tics, intrusive thoughts, impulsive behaviours). We are relatively low-demand as a result. So honestly? I am overjoyed if she is learning at all, because that really isn’t a given. A child can’t really learn and retain when stressed, and the world is far too often a very stressful and confusing place for my youngest.
I don’t tend to have that kind of home ed anxiety as a result because the only child to whom I compare my youngest is her, if that makes sense. And in a sort of autistic version of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, I suppose. So I think: is there anything more I can do to help her be happier and more ‘regulated’? To meet her sensory needs? Are there any stressors she’s encountering that are within my power to remove? How is she, emotionally speaking, compared to yesterday, compared to last week, compared to last year? And then, only once I’ve looked at all that, I ask myself if she’s learning. (And then, and only then, do I start to look at whether or not she’s learning *enough*. I rarely get to that point.)
Occasionally I look at where her learning is in terms of the national curriculum. I actually find this quite a useful exercise. Personally I think the national curriculum is about a year ahead of where it ought to be (so I think the year one curriculum ought not to start until year two, for example), and I bear this in mind when looking at my youngest’s learning. When I do this I realise that despite all her many challenges and struggles she’s actually doing amazingly well and I’m very proud of her.
Ruth, thank you so much for this insight. I think there is a lot to be said for only comparing your child to themselves. ‘The race is only with yourself’, as Baz Luhrmann says in Sunscreen! It sounds like you’ve got your priorities for your daughter thoroughly sorted.
I think one problem with any curriculum is that it gives a ‘one size fits all’ template, when of course all our children are different. Like you I find the National Curriculum a useful comparison tool, but every time I look at it I’m so grateful that I have the freedom to apply it at a speed that suits my children as individuals and not a class of 30.
It's also worth pointing out (as Ruth has interestingly touched on) that apart from pure academics, there is a ton of other learning that our children need to do. How to regulate their emotions? How to collaborate? How to negotiate? How to look after their bodies? How to organise themselves and their belongings? How to be empathetic? How to entertain themselves? How to use a knife? The list goes on and on. That is a big chunk of my home ed curriculum. So whenever the described anxiety creeps in, I do my best to see the good. Today my daughter successfully chopped courgettes with an adult knife and wrote a love note to both me and her daddy just like that, because she felt inspired to do so. We can learn more history later on.
Just recently subscribed to this newsletter and had a chance to read some of the older post including this one. Those skills are some of the biggest motivations for me to homeschool because I wasn’t taught those things in school or by the adults in my life but I see how much value they have in our lives.
For me the biggest one in that list is how to entertain ourselves. I think that’s a massive gap in childhood today. We never leave them alone—or if we do, it’s with a screen. Bring back boredom!
Oh Dear the anxiety. Your post worried me and has set me thinking. There’s probably no escaping anxiety, whether you home-school or not. Is this the right school for my child? Is my child learning anything? Is my child making the ‘correct’ progress?
What is the ‘correct’ progress? What is progress at all, if indeed it can be measured?
It’s a considerable relief to be of an age where I can take a more dispassionate, and perhaps more rational, view. And that view suggests to me a number of things, which I will try to relate to simple maths examples.
1. Real progress doesn’t lend itself to measurement. Don’t fall for the almost total bunkum that is described as SMART. If you are not familiar with the term, I won’t waste time explaining. Measurable targets are just that. You can measure them but they don’t really mean very much at all.
Most children can tell you whether a number is odd/even. Only vaguely useful as such.
2. Real progress is much more a matter of a growing understanding. This is where things start to hang together and become almost instinctively recognised.
For example that an even number can be split into two equal parts, or made up of satisfying little pairs (like Noah’s animals lining up to board the Ark). An odd number can’t, there is always just one poor solitary leftover.
3. The growing understanding acts as a solid base, upon which further thinking develops.
Only an even number can be broken into two equal whole numbers. An odd number can be split equally, but each part will involve a fraction or decimal.
And so on…
And this is achieved not necessarily by trying to add to a body of knowledge, but by lots of playing, doing, experimenting, experiencing and making sense of what happens. Bits of unrelated knowledge, unless they find themselves to be part of the whole, will probably be lost along the way.
So in a very roundabout way, I think I am suggesting that it may matter very little whether the Tigris and Euphrates are known, can be located or even spelt properly. But understanding that humans, especially before water came out of taps, needed to live beside fresh water and a place where enough food could be grown/fished for will allow for an appreciation of why, for example, their banks proved to be a good place to live. Or that the Thames, which we now expend a great deal of effort in bridging or tunnelling so as to get across it by road, rail etc., was once the transport lifeblood of the city.
So my message is that knowledge has its place, perhaps as the daub that gradually fills in the holes, but that understanding is the wattle without which it has nothing to stick to.
And don’t worry about the holes. Every house needs to breathe a bit…….
Great and helpful article Catherine! I thought I would share this tidbit about Susan Wise Bauer, which I think she should really have put in the preface to her Well-Trained Mind (which every parent I have encountered finds inspiring yet daunting, and at times discouraging). This is from her book "Rethinking School":
"I am a writer, so grammar is particularly important to me. I drilled my kids in grammar from first grade on. We did grammar drills and grammar exercises. We memorized grammar rules. We diagrammed sentences. We never did not do grammar.
So on the first day of seventh grade, I pulled out the previous year's grammar book for quick review.
My son looked at me like a newborn fawn contemplating a bow hunter. He remembered nothing.
"How can you not know what a noun is?" I demanded.
"Well," he said, "maybe it's because we've never really done grammar before."
This anecdote is the perfect balm for any homeschool anxiety. If this can happen to Susan Wise Bauer, then we certainly can feel at ease :)
Oh that’s great, it should definitely be in the preface! I enjoyed listening recently to a lecture she gave about how to teach the ‘real’ child which was also reassuring in terms of reminding me that most children are not the perfect Well-Trained Mind child, sitting down to their daily lessons with an eager smile. So many home ed books create this picture which just doesn’t match up to many families’ reality.
Agreed. The image of the perfect child contributes to quite a bit of anxiety and discouragement for some families. I know of a family who gave up homeschooling because they simply could not keep up with the ideals of the Well-Trained Mind. After a year they fortunately decided to give it another try with a curriculum that did not create as much pressure and was a better fit. Hope that the coming editions of the WTM include some reference to the 'real' child :)
I really understand these feelings and am sympathetic to both approaches because I was essentially unschooled until 8th grade--no one asked me to write a single line until 8th grade. And I’m now obsessed with writing. But I enjoy having my kids in the classical conversations weekly one-day curriculum because they seem to love a bit of memorized knowledge now and then (as do yours, from the stories!). I love them both! It’s been important for me to note that I (ME) take pleasure in the academic theory side of homeschooling (which SWB represents for me) but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything for what my kids need/want.
Entirely anecdotally I am with my family right now on the lake and was reflecting with my mom about how much “school” my youngest brother did before 7th grade. She says he did almost none, indeed much grade level reading was beyond him until that point, and he didn’t take to math at all. His only “academic” interests were three dimensional art projects and listening to books read aloud. Now he’s in his 20s and primarily reads economic study summaries and political science for fun. You can’t make this stuff up!
As far as how to help yourself relax I would take at least a two week holiday from trying to do anything. Let it all go and sit back and watch what happens anyway. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by all the good that happens. Just keep on noting what they ask questions about so you can circle back later.
That’s amazing that you and your brother were so completely unschooled for so long. Next I’ll have to ask you to write another guest post, ‘How I WAS homeschooled’! Your mother sounds ahead of her time. Also I really like your separation of the enjoyment of the academic theory side and the reality of what your children need and want. Thank you!
Hello Catherine,
I love your article as it described in great detail how I feel at times. Then, I try to remind myself that we already do a lot (spend a lot!) and that overall our little girl has a pretty darn good life. From what I've read, your children do/learn a great deal. Your son is only little and reads independently on many topics. Most children his age still struggle with sounding out three letter words. I am sure deep down in your heart you know it but it's nice to hear from another parent. If this will make you feel any better, I get this feeling regularly in various areas, even sport! My almost 6 year old daughter swims confidently, rides a bike, rides horses, goes to tennis and gymnastics. But what about roller skating/ice skating? (I ask myself) Are we doing enough? Some children go skiing. We don't. Is she missing out? One can drive oneself crazy. Let's breath and sooth ourselves: they have a whole long life ahead of them and they can learn/experience certain things later in life.
On the topic of reading about home educating, some time ago I read Julie Bogart's "The Brave Learner" and as much as I value the author, (even follow her on Instagram) I do question some of her ideas. I paraphrase here: "Let the children scribble on walls and sofas if they feel like expressing themselves that way." Wait. What? If I let her draw on our walls, how will she know that this is socially unacceptable in other people's homes? Frankly, many ideas presented in the books that are meant to guide us are simply not realistic to put it lightly. We are better off asking within. What works for my family? What is most beneficial for my children in this season of their lives? I'm sure that as caring mums and dads we know best.
Once again, thank you for sharing your journey with us. Much appreciated how real you are.
Victoria
I also appreciate Julie very much but find the overall ethos of “Brave Learner” both intimidating and silly.
Thank you Victoria for your very kind and thoughtful comment. Your daughter’s sports are incredible—for my children I often count walking as exercise! I totally understand what you mean. No matter how many books we have I always feel like ‘just one more’ would fill a gap.
I like Julie Bogart too and overall I love her ethos. But I agree with you that so often home ed books just go too far and stray from what most families can realistically do or would realistically want. I am so enjoying hearing from parents about what homeschooling really looks like for them ☺️
I’ve been right where you are at and you explained it beautifully. (And I’ll be there again soon I’m sure!!)
When I pulled my now 17yr old out of private school and started homeschooling him (he was 11) I had read well trained mind and thought I had it all figured out. Three months of well trained mind style homeschooling and I almost gave up!! It was so overwhelming in so many ways, mainly the 7+ hours it took him to complete all the work. We were both absolutely miserable.
Then I stumbled on to Charlotte Mason method. Her principles provided the structure I needed to help me create a clear vision of how I wanted to homeschool and then bring that vision to life. Spreading the “feast” and incorporating music study, picture study, nature study, foreign language and the like made our schooling enjoyable.
Check her out if you haven’t already. I recommend starting with volume 6, A Philosophy of Education first.
I love Charlotte Mason but have only read Home Education (several times). I’ve always been unsure of where to start with her other writings so I’m very grateful for your recommendation!
Catherine, this was excellent. Thank you for naming the anxiety and unease that so often accompanies the homeschool parent's journey. I think your point about not spending too much time looking at (and inevitably comparing yourself to) other people's homeschooling ideals is an excellent one. After I've done some research and planning in the summer, I find I need to shut out almost all homeschool related online content and just do what works for me. Otherwise, I too easily feel insecure and defeated. I appreciate your candor. Also, with Susan Wise Bauer, it helps me to only read the section of her book that corresponds to the age of my kids. Also - I'm happy to say that we seem to be on the same history rotation! I just wrapped up her Story of the World Ancient History and we will be starting Middle Ages in September. Cheers.
Oh great, I look forward to swapping history book suggestions! That’s such a good point about doing the prep and the reading but then shutting it down and trusting yourself. It’s a fine balance between being well-informed and prepared but also being true to yourself and your children.
A lot of the anxiety is the assumption that if there is not a formal session, they will never learn it. Even with a perfect homeschool curriculum, your kids are going to learn most of their history and social studies through their interactions with the world, not a lesson plan. The important part is teaching mindset and knowledge that will give them foundations to learn on their own.
Also, as nice as the Core Knowledge Curriculum and Well-Trained mind is, let's not forget that schools don't get through a fraction of this stuff. Has a complete textbook EVER been completed in a typical year in a traditional school?
Also, Susan Bauer hired a lot of help to homeschool her kids, so apparently her own standards were too much for one person to handle, just to put things in perspective. Nothing wrong with that, but it can't be simply a one person show.
I am really enjoying hearing a bit more about the reality of SWB’s homeschooling!
And I agree that sometimes I want the reassurance of something that looks like the traditional learning I am familiar with from my own childhood. No matter how thoroughly deschooled I think I am, sometimes that desire to see children sitting at a table and working through a book is just so strong.
You’re also right that there’s a big difference between a curriculum and what the children actually ‘take home’ from a year of studying it, whether at home or at school.
I am sure The Well-Trained Mind and other similar tomes are very helpful for some home educators / homeschoolers. I’ve heard good things. Unfortunately I also suspect I might be tempted to hurl such a book out of a nearby window. My youngest, my home ed kiddo, is autistic and may also have other co-occurring issues (e.g. tics, intrusive thoughts, impulsive behaviours). We are relatively low-demand as a result. So honestly? I am overjoyed if she is learning at all, because that really isn’t a given. A child can’t really learn and retain when stressed, and the world is far too often a very stressful and confusing place for my youngest.
I don’t tend to have that kind of home ed anxiety as a result because the only child to whom I compare my youngest is her, if that makes sense. And in a sort of autistic version of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, I suppose. So I think: is there anything more I can do to help her be happier and more ‘regulated’? To meet her sensory needs? Are there any stressors she’s encountering that are within my power to remove? How is she, emotionally speaking, compared to yesterday, compared to last week, compared to last year? And then, only once I’ve looked at all that, I ask myself if she’s learning. (And then, and only then, do I start to look at whether or not she’s learning *enough*. I rarely get to that point.)
Occasionally I look at where her learning is in terms of the national curriculum. I actually find this quite a useful exercise. Personally I think the national curriculum is about a year ahead of where it ought to be (so I think the year one curriculum ought not to start until year two, for example), and I bear this in mind when looking at my youngest’s learning. When I do this I realise that despite all her many challenges and struggles she’s actually doing amazingly well and I’m very proud of her.
Ruth, thank you so much for this insight. I think there is a lot to be said for only comparing your child to themselves. ‘The race is only with yourself’, as Baz Luhrmann says in Sunscreen! It sounds like you’ve got your priorities for your daughter thoroughly sorted.
I think one problem with any curriculum is that it gives a ‘one size fits all’ template, when of course all our children are different. Like you I find the National Curriculum a useful comparison tool, but every time I look at it I’m so grateful that I have the freedom to apply it at a speed that suits my children as individuals and not a class of 30.
I think EVERY homeschooling parent has felt this at some point! Thank you for sharing it!
So reassuring to know I’m not alone!
It's also worth pointing out (as Ruth has interestingly touched on) that apart from pure academics, there is a ton of other learning that our children need to do. How to regulate their emotions? How to collaborate? How to negotiate? How to look after their bodies? How to organise themselves and their belongings? How to be empathetic? How to entertain themselves? How to use a knife? The list goes on and on. That is a big chunk of my home ed curriculum. So whenever the described anxiety creeps in, I do my best to see the good. Today my daughter successfully chopped courgettes with an adult knife and wrote a love note to both me and her daddy just like that, because she felt inspired to do so. We can learn more history later on.
Just recently subscribed to this newsletter and had a chance to read some of the older post including this one. Those skills are some of the biggest motivations for me to homeschool because I wasn’t taught those things in school or by the adults in my life but I see how much value they have in our lives.
For me the biggest one in that list is how to entertain ourselves. I think that’s a massive gap in childhood today. We never leave them alone—or if we do, it’s with a screen. Bring back boredom!
Oh Dear the anxiety. Your post worried me and has set me thinking. There’s probably no escaping anxiety, whether you home-school or not. Is this the right school for my child? Is my child learning anything? Is my child making the ‘correct’ progress?
What is the ‘correct’ progress? What is progress at all, if indeed it can be measured?
It’s a considerable relief to be of an age where I can take a more dispassionate, and perhaps more rational, view. And that view suggests to me a number of things, which I will try to relate to simple maths examples.
1. Real progress doesn’t lend itself to measurement. Don’t fall for the almost total bunkum that is described as SMART. If you are not familiar with the term, I won’t waste time explaining. Measurable targets are just that. You can measure them but they don’t really mean very much at all.
Most children can tell you whether a number is odd/even. Only vaguely useful as such.
2. Real progress is much more a matter of a growing understanding. This is where things start to hang together and become almost instinctively recognised.
For example that an even number can be split into two equal parts, or made up of satisfying little pairs (like Noah’s animals lining up to board the Ark). An odd number can’t, there is always just one poor solitary leftover.
3. The growing understanding acts as a solid base, upon which further thinking develops.
Only an even number can be broken into two equal whole numbers. An odd number can be split equally, but each part will involve a fraction or decimal.
And so on…
And this is achieved not necessarily by trying to add to a body of knowledge, but by lots of playing, doing, experimenting, experiencing and making sense of what happens. Bits of unrelated knowledge, unless they find themselves to be part of the whole, will probably be lost along the way.
So in a very roundabout way, I think I am suggesting that it may matter very little whether the Tigris and Euphrates are known, can be located or even spelt properly. But understanding that humans, especially before water came out of taps, needed to live beside fresh water and a place where enough food could be grown/fished for will allow for an appreciation of why, for example, their banks proved to be a good place to live. Or that the Thames, which we now expend a great deal of effort in bridging or tunnelling so as to get across it by road, rail etc., was once the transport lifeblood of the city.
So my message is that knowledge has its place, perhaps as the daub that gradually fills in the holes, but that understanding is the wattle without which it has nothing to stick to.
And don’t worry about the holes. Every house needs to breathe a bit…….