Confessions of a homeschooler

Lately on my foray into Game schooling (a flash word to describe an emphasis on playing lots of games to create learning sparks) I have been looking out for games we don't ready have - and we have many,  but I have found that there are SO many that I didn't know existed. I love words, reading and writing. My son not so much,  so I am hoping Junior Scrabble might be palatable for him.  My daughter on the other hand really enjoys literacy past times. So this was a fun way to spend 40 minutes with her. Started with the easy side

Unschooling is a fairly misunderstood concept in general. To really truly release all the shoulds tied up in their learning - and I believe the top down model of school based education is practically "should" central - requires significant introspection,  deschooling of oneself primarily and ones own fears and prejudices and engaging in full trust in the kids ability and willingness to learn what they need,  for their own purposes in their own time (on their clock not ours) and to partner in their learning, however unlike school it looks without judgement and to offer and strew resources and ideas.  I have found trust is the biggest thing,  and schools I have found are often based on not trusting that kids will learn without top down instruction,  carrots and sticks... so it flies against how most of us were "schooled". I have found on alot of the fb groups I have been on that many who believe they unschool are actually more relaxed homeschoolers - that need/ sh...

So, maybe the unschoolers among us might relate to this story 🌠. We have pancakes every second Sunday when my husband is home  (he works away and I am on my own with our 4 kids most of the time). I have a 15 yo daughter who, like many teens, prefers to be in her room either sleeping or phoning or reading or iPading or snapchatting friends than have a cozy Sunday brunch with the fam! Yes this has gotten me feeling sad and defeated many times.  However this morning once pancakes were ready I said to come and join us and she was watching Harry Potter and wanted to stay in her room and keep eating what she had made for herself and watch that movie.  So, we have always had a principle (not a rule) of no technology at the table (or wherever we are eating together). In a random reverse move I said ok well,  bring your guac (she had made for herself), bring your phone,  and come and bless us with your presence anyway cos we would like you to join us. You can keep watch...

My 4 blessings So, I think my husband and the cat may have got tired of me ranting and raving about my philosophies, thoughts, fears, insecurities, excitments and inpirations about the best way for kids to learn. I mean, it gets pretty monotonous when I tend to go around in circles, flotsam and jetsam all other place. I also get very passionate on occasion, often manifesting in a long squawly scree on someone's message feed 😳 Oh my, I thought 🤔... ti me to start a blog! Here I can freely rant and rave to my hearts content what is going on in my headspace and nobody has to read it! Win win 👌  This is like my online diary about my homeschooling, unschoooling.... whatever schooling... life with my family. My kids are not 0, 2, 4 and 6 anymore. There's 4 of the gorgeousnesses and they are sort of... older now (I miss those baby days like I miss the sun on a winters day but the difference is the sun comes back and those baby days don't. Its an acceptance stage in progress and...