Creative learners...

It might be better said that we explore, experience, and enjoy life and the opportunities with the freedom to follow our interests and creative ideas, than to say we are unschooling. As we still parent our children and require them to do chores, follow rules, and be respectful, with consequences when these are not done. I still instruct my children to take showers, clean their rooms, to use their manners, and to respect their elders. I also ask them to read and write a each day.  Many unschoolers do not ask their children to do these things, they trust the children or teens will do what’s needed when necessary.  I’m sure many that in many families that works wonderfully, but I am not quite there just yet, and I honestly do not know if I’ll ever be able to completely let go in that way.

  The term unschooling has a variety of thoughts and assumptions tied to it, though I believe most do not understand what it is truly meant to be. In most circumstances unschooling can be a wonderful way of life, and a very natural way to raise children. 

 

 I am just beginning to understand what it means to be truly unschooling. At the moment we would not likely be considered “real unschoolers” in most circles, and that’s quite alright with me. This is where homeschooling can be anything you make it, whether it has an official name or not. I guess for us a better term for what we are doing, which is still very much “unschooling” in my mind, might be, “Creative learners.”

I am so used to trying to fit everything into a nice neat little box, though with my kids and our crazy life I should know better, that I sometimes forget that life doesn’t have to be divided into boxes and be neat and tidy. One also does not need a proper title to what they are doing, how they are learning, or who they are. It is quite enough to just be you and to live the life you have, however you see fit. No set rules or checklists required.