Brian & Alexandra Polikowsky

Oh Holly I am sorry about your brother. I remember sending the link you gave us with his info and pictures around.
It must be really hard. I lost my older brother when he was 24 and I still don't know what to say.
Alex


----- Original Message -----
From: Holly
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 10:34 AM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re:Help! Un-schooling the only child - Inspiration and experience neede


Hmmm, well, I believe I've posted a similar question about 2 years
ago on a similar forum!! LOL!! I'm not saying I'm "Experienced" now,
but I have gained a lot of insight from reading here on this board,
(I don't post much), and from subscribing to "Life Learning"
magazine, and by just spending time with my DS, who is going to be 11
in July.

The past 4 months, my 33-year-old brother, (who, by the way was a
self-educated genius!!!), was missing. He disappeared on a trip from
his home in Utah, to come and visit me in So. California. The end
result was a tragedy, as he was found in the desert on March 6th,
murdered, only 55 feet from where the police towed his car from n
December, (a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, I
guess)...but that's another story!!

During that time, I was extremely pre-occupied with the task of
trying to locate my brother, basically ignoring the "Unschooling",
because after all, it's "Unschooling" so why be consumed with trying
to find things for our son to do when something so important requires
my time? (Sounds a little selfish?, But Wait....)

You know what? A new young man has blossomed from this experience! He
discovered new things, on his own, that he never was interested in
before. He found his own things to do/learn...He started building a
block and mortar miniature house, he built a turret out of a washing-
machine box, complete with a rotating scope, he learned how golf
balls were made by watching the Discovery Channel and taking one
apart on his own, he's able to name MANY airplanes from WWI up
through today because of watching the military channel, and a show
that covers weapons of the future, (can't think of the name of it
right now), and all because I just left him alone to do as he
pleased.

I think that's the problem for a lot of people, myself included. We
are soooo used to being "Schooled" that it's hard to just let go and
let them learn. We always feel like we need to be "helping" them when
they are quite capable of doing all of this on their own.

As for companionship, we've offered many times for our son to "be
involved" in group sports, or to take lessons, or take an outside
class of some sort, but he usually just wants to be with us!! I LOVE
that!! He has friends from his days in a Private School, but has
become acquainted with many new friends from sports, church, or
parties or what-have-you. He calls them when he wants a companion, I
don't orchestrate any of it! And it works! Plus, it builds up his
confidence in using the telephone, and he's learning the specifics of
planning, date, time, how the friend arrives, how they get home,
dinner or not, etc...

We do have exciting things planned as a family, such as going to the
Star Wars Exhibit at the California Museum of Science, visiting the
Living Desert, going camping at the beach...but it's not always
necessary to "Plan and Schedule".

I hope what I'm saying is making sense. Thanks for letting me share.

Best of Luck with your Unschooling Journey!!

Holz





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