Ren Allen

....and wish we hadn't.

Last night we celebrated Sierra's birthday as a family. She isn't
having a traditional party this year so my sister threw together a
last minute home celebration.

The kids were running around with some tissue paper that was really
colorful, making it into "dresses" and "scarves". I was lamenting the
loss of ATC material and said "hey you guys, why don't we save that
for a project?"

LeaAnn says "They ARE using it for a project".
Gawd, I love radical unschoolers.:) It was a big "DUH" moment....the
kind where you really wonder how it popped out of your mouth.
Tissue paper is CHEAP and I was wanting to save it for some future
project when they were joyfully creating things???!!! If I'd been
holding a book, I would have smacked myself in the head with it.

Anyhoo,
we talked about how many thoughts/ideas don't just go away, but we
learn to keep our mouths shut better! LeaAnn and I both react to
certain projects internally with "ooh, we can't waste food" or such
things, but we've simply learned to ignore that voice and let our
children explore joyfully.

So what we're doing as parents, is not only shifting thoughts, but
learning to LIVE with some of them and not act on them. That's how
unschooling has a chance to really take hold.

Ren
learninginfreedom.com

Elissa Jill Cleaveland

If you save any paper that's left after they're done with their project, It will be wonderfully rumpled and have the added memories of their joy to put into your altered/scrap book.
Elissa Jill
The music in me is a gift from the Universe.
My job is to care for it and use it well; I am its bearer, not its owner.
~Johnny Cash's Moma

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