deschooling (beg school later in childhood)
Cindy Miller
We are former homeschoolers who had a brief foray into public school for 10 weeks before I rescued my kids and brought them back home. After about two weeks of homeschooling again I realized I was pretty much doing the same thing to my kids that the school system did so started looking into "unschooling." It clicked and we have begun that journey......or so I thought. I realize I have jumped into it and need to deschool so trying to just think of this time as a long vacation. My boys (8) and (5) watch a lot of movies, cartoons, play Wii and computer games right now. I am adjusting to that. They still want to play board games and have me read to them so that is nice.
And now to my point. (finally) I would not say that any conversations have led from one subject to another at this point. What I HAVE noticed is that our boys talk to us much more. They tell us in detail about games they play on the computer and about movies or shows they have watched. My youngest son has always had a large vocabulary but his style of speaking in the last 2 1/2 months has changed to sounding much more mature. I have also had two friends from church come up to me and comment on the change in our oldest sons behavior. (positive change!) For me right now the best part of deschooling/unschooling is the change in relationships within our family. It's not perfect but it is drastically improved and to me that 's worth more than worrying if they ever get into college, get a decent job etc..... We have two older children...one is 21 and decided not to go to college. She works full-time at a commercial roofing company. She has been
promoted twice and is about to receive her second raise. She no longer lives at home but fully supports herself. She was homeschooled for 4-5th grades but wanted to return to school. We have discussed it and we both wish I had found out about unschooling years ago but c'est la vie. I really wanted her to go to college but since unschooling have changed my mind. She is working and learning everyday doing something she WANTS to do so who am I to insist she do otherwise? She may change her mind in the future but that's her choice to make not mine. Our other daughter went to private schools, then public and is now in her freshman year at a local Christian college. She wants to be there and is doing well. So, for me I don't see the point in worrying that much about the future as far as jobs and college go. Your children will figure it out and if you spend all your time and energy on doing that for them you will miss the opportunity to
really KNOW them right now! I'm not trying to live in the past but a wise person learns from their mistakes.
Love this quote:
"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that
he is someone today."
— Stacia TausCindy
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
And now to my point. (finally) I would not say that any conversations have led from one subject to another at this point. What I HAVE noticed is that our boys talk to us much more. They tell us in detail about games they play on the computer and about movies or shows they have watched. My youngest son has always had a large vocabulary but his style of speaking in the last 2 1/2 months has changed to sounding much more mature. I have also had two friends from church come up to me and comment on the change in our oldest sons behavior. (positive change!) For me right now the best part of deschooling/unschooling is the change in relationships within our family. It's not perfect but it is drastically improved and to me that 's worth more than worrying if they ever get into college, get a decent job etc..... We have two older children...one is 21 and decided not to go to college. She works full-time at a commercial roofing company. She has been
promoted twice and is about to receive her second raise. She no longer lives at home but fully supports herself. She was homeschooled for 4-5th grades but wanted to return to school. We have discussed it and we both wish I had found out about unschooling years ago but c'est la vie. I really wanted her to go to college but since unschooling have changed my mind. She is working and learning everyday doing something she WANTS to do so who am I to insist she do otherwise? She may change her mind in the future but that's her choice to make not mine. Our other daughter went to private schools, then public and is now in her freshman year at a local Christian college. She wants to be there and is doing well. So, for me I don't see the point in worrying that much about the future as far as jobs and college go. Your children will figure it out and if you spend all your time and energy on doing that for them you will miss the opportunity to
really KNOW them right now! I'm not trying to live in the past but a wise person learns from their mistakes.
Love this quote:
"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that
he is someone today."
— Stacia TausCindy
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]