A common misconception about unschooling is that people tend to think that unschool parents are just lazy. I can totally understand how that can be seen from the outside perspective. I don’t spend endless hours creating curriculums & lesson plans. I don’t have my kids sit at a desk and have them drill math facts or spelling words. And I can see the horrified looks on peoples faces when I say we unschool.
What most people don’t understand is that our style of learning is a 24/7 practice. We spend vast amounts of time and energy helping our children explore the world. We gather our personal resources to teach our children about the topics they are passionate about and when we don’t have that skill set ourselves, we find resources or people that can help them out. We watch documentaries and read books together on all different types of subjects. We visit historical landmarks and parks. We frequent libraries, museums and cultural festivals. We enjoy theater, ballet and playing in the rain. We take STEM classes and do kitchen experiments. We explore math concepts in just about everything we do whether it is a trip to the grocery, cooking a meal or on a nature walk in our local area. Our days are filled with wonder and excitement in seeking out new ideas and testing theories that lead us to other ideas and concepts.
We value the time we get to be actively engaged with our children as we understand that this time we have with them is so short and will be over in the blink of an eye. We make sacrifices, both financially and personally to give our kids the opportunity to explore their world with confidence. They know that we are right there behind them, encouraging them to grow and succeed. We pour every ounce we have into giving them the tools they need and the reassuring nudges to try again when they think they may have failed.
We get silly and play. We have long discussions about a hundred different things in the car on our way to wherever we are heading. We sing and dance… sometimes in the isle at the grocery store, because there just isn’t enough random dancing for no reason in this world. We volunteer in our community and we fellowship with those in need. And sometimes we just lay on the couch and enjoy the stillness.
I get that the concept of unschool is terrifying to most in this modern age, and I hope that if you are intrigued by this idea of unschooling that you explore it with an open mind & heart. Unschooling has so much to offer if you are willing to accept the gifts & graces that are at your fingertips.
I will close with, I love that I get the opportunity to be an active participant in the education of my children. I am grateful that I have a relationship with all 5 of my kids that is based on love, trust and respect. I am constantly amazed at the passion my children for exploring this world. So, if this is lazy, then please, sign me up.
Really enjoyed this read! I am thinking about homeschooling my son!