[email protected]

I'm still weighing whether unschooling will work for me because I work
full-time from home for an internet research publisher. I have a couple
questions - hope this is the right forum:

--How much time does the parent spend getting the kids set up each day if
any? Mine are 6 and 7 and so would be first & third grade in the fall. Do I
need to plan some specific time to be available or is it just all day long
as needed?

--What do you say to the kids? Okay, have at it? would like some ideas of
how to explain to the kids what they can do, etc.

Helen

[email protected]

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., Helen_Schwartz@S... wrote:
<snip>
> --How much time does the parent spend getting the kids set up each
day if
> any?
*None. Unless there is a problem, they can get up and dressed
by themselves, right? If you have a special needs child, it would be
different, of course.

Mine are 6 and 7 and so would be first & third grade in the fall. Do
I
> need to plan some specific time to be available or is it just all
day long
> as needed?
*It's a never ending vacation or weekend.

Melanie in Indiana

Vaughnde Edwards

You work from home correct? Let the kids set their own schedule. Let them sleep as long as they need to, get up, get themselves some breakfast (sometimes) and they can decide what they want to do that day...whether its read a book, watch a tv program, do a puzzle, bake, build something, play outside. It doesn't matter as long as they are enjoying what they are doing. Yes, you do need to be available...but the kids would also understand if you are in the middle of a project that needed to be done first. They don't mind waiting for a few minutes until you can give them your complete attention for a few. Naomi sleeps as long as she needs to and wakes, eats, does whatever she wants that day. It is different each day. On the days when we do have to go somewhere at a certain time...I get her up and we hit the road. Tomorrow is a big day for us since I will be at a seminar at the church so we will be there for breakfast and lunch and her big sister will meet her there and take her out to watch a movie. So she's going to have some fun.

Vaughnde Lee
Missoula, Montana
http://www.stampinbookworm.eboard.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Helen_Schwartz@... <Helen_Schwartz@...>
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Date: Friday, May 04, 2001 3:21 PM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] questions about getting started


I'm still weighing whether unschooling will work for me because I work
full-time from home for an internet research publisher. I have a couple
questions - hope this is the right forum:

--How much time does the parent spend getting the kids set up each day if
any? Mine are 6 and 7 and so would be first & third grade in the fall. Do I
need to plan some specific time to be available or is it just all day long
as needed?

--What do you say to the kids? Okay, have at it? would like some ideas of
how to explain to the kids what they can do, etc.

Helen


Yahoo! Groups Sponsor



Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com

To unsubscribe, set preferences, or read archives:
http://www.egroups.com/group/Unschooling-dotcom

Another great list sponsored by Home Education Magazine!
http://www.home-ed-magazine.com



Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Valerie

Helen,

You have the PERFECT job for unschooling. One of the wonderful things
about unschooling is that everyone does what they want to do! I never
set Laurie up for anything. She got out of bed at her leisure and did
as she pleased all day (and night). I was always there for her, to
use me as she needed me. It worked great for both of us.

love, Valerie


--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., Helen_Schwartz@S... wrote:
> I'm still weighing whether unschooling will work for me because I
work
> full-time from home for an internet research publisher. I have a
couple
> questions - hope this is the right forum:
>
> --How much time does the parent spend getting the kids set up each
day if
> any? Mine are 6 and 7 and so would be first & third grade in the
fall. Do I
> need to plan some specific time to be available or is it just all
day long
> as needed?
>
> --What do you say to the kids? Okay, have at it? would like some
ideas of
> how to explain to the kids what they can do, etc.
>
> Helen

DiamondAir

> From: Helen_Schwartz@...
> --How much time does the parent spend getting the kids set up each day if
> any? Mine are 6 and 7 and so would be first & third grade in the fall. Do
I
> need to plan some specific time to be available or is it just all day long
> as needed?

Around here, unschooling means just responding to what my kids are
interested in doing and facilitating them finding out whatever they want to
know. Activities of various sorts (library trips, parks, museums, etc.) are
a big part of our week, as are times to play with other kids. I honestly
don't know how that would work in with a full time work-from-home schedule.
I guess it would depend on what hours you planned on working (daytime or
nighttime, sporadic or continuous), and what sorts of things your kids are
interested in.

> --What do you say to the kids? Okay, have at it? would like some ideas of
> how to explain to the kids what they can do, etc.

Hmmmm, not sure if I've ever really said anything in explanation to my kids.
There's nothing much they *can't* do. Well, except hang from the chandeliers
and shave the cat, ya know stuff like that :-). I haven't run into the
situation yet where my kids are bored and out of ideas, if anything we seem
to have the opposite problem - too much to do and not enough time to do it.
If your kids are used to going to school, many people say that it will take
several months of basically doing nothing before they understand that they
can initiate their own projects and can learn whatever they want. In
between, you might expect some confusion and ennui.

What to say? Maybe "You're free!" :-)

Blue Skies!
-Robin-
Mom to Mackenzie (8/28/96) who has a best friend named "Eiznekcam"
and Asa (10/5/99) the girl who climbs everything!
http://www.geocities.com/the_clevengers Flying Clevenger Family

Pam Hartley

>> I'm still weighing whether unschooling will work for me because I
> work
>> full-time from home for an internet research publisher. I have a
> couple
>> questions - hope this is the right forum:
>>
>> --How much time does the parent spend getting the kids set up each
> day if
>> any? Mine are 6 and 7 and so would be first & third grade in the
> fall. Do I
>> need to plan some specific time to be available or is it just all
> day long
>> as needed?

Just all day long as needed. My husband and I have a home business so we tag
team a lot.

Brit (6) wanders into bedroom/office: Mama, why does the moon have holes in
it?

Mom, hip deep in accounts for April, visions of throwing tea into Boston
Harbor to teach the IRS a lesson dancing in her head: Ummm...

Dad, noting Mom's distraction, provides explanation. Brit, satisfied, asks
for ice cream. It's 7 a.m. She gets ice cream.

Unschooling is just plain cool. <g>

>>
>> --What do you say to the kids? Okay, have at it? would like some
> ideas of
>> how to explain to the kids what they can do, etc.

"Okay, have at it" is a fine way to start. <g> Of course, you need to make
sure there's plenty of "it" to "have at". Books up the wazoo (if you don't
know where the wazoo is, please ask my husband <bg>), videos, arts and
crafts supplies, the community activities guide at your fingertips along
with the yellow pages, a homeschooling group, any or all and more.

Have fun. They'll learn, you can't stop them. Not even when you're doing
taxes.

Pam

[email protected]

In a message dated 05/05/2001 11:19:48 AM !!!First Boot!!!,
pamhartley@... writes:


> Have fun. They'll learn, you can't stop them. Not even when you're doing
> taxes.
>
> Pam
>
>

What they learn during tax season is probably a bit too much for their tender
ears but . . . :)

Nance



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]