Unschooling has become a bit of a breeze for us in the last few weeks. We put in our work: we have socialization opportunities setup for the kids, we have places for them to go, things for them to do, adventures for them to have, and learning resources for them to work with if they’d like. It’s taken me probably two weeks to realize that we’re in this state. The hardest thing for me at the moment is to learn to just sit back and relax now.
So, along those lines, let me tell you about an awesome unschooling ‘learning’ that’s been taking place for about the last month. Six year-old No. Two and I got to spend three days camping in Hawaii last month. While we were there, Two watched people head out on kayaks to the nearby island, Chinaman’s Hat, as well as just to toodle around with no destination, or perhaps to go fishing. He desperately wanted to go on a kayak, but there was a problem, he didn’t know how to swim. I explained to him there was no way we could do something like that till he could swim.
And there it was, Two—who had not been particularly interested in swimming for the last two years—was locked in. Swimming was the thing he wanted to know how to do! Now! People talk about finding passions? I think for unschooling kids almost everything is a passion. Especially when they’re in charge of it.
Two chose not to wait for the swim lessons that had already been promised this summer. He chose not to wait till we got home. There was an ocean right there. What else did he need? I’d told him for months that the first, biggest step would getting his whole head in the water. Up until this trip, he hadn’t bothered. Now that he knew the stakes and what he wanted, Two headed into the water to give it a try. An hour later he was dipping his head in whenever he pleased.
Things kind of rocketed along from there. I suggested that he try floating. Two did his hallmark thing, acknowledging that I’d said something, but giving no indication he might ever actually try it out. A few minutes later though, there he was, working on his float.
When we got home, He convinced his sibs that they too needed to learn how to swim, and we’ve been practicing at least three times a week in the mornings at our public pool ever since! Two’s swimming is coming along quickly with 8 year-old One right behind him, and four year-old Three steadily working on the basics.
With unschooling, learning happens when the kids think it should, and then? Watch out!
So, along those lines, let me tell you about an awesome unschooling ‘learning’ that’s been taking place for about the last month. Six year-old No. Two and I got to spend three days camping in Hawaii last month. While we were there, Two watched people head out on kayaks to the nearby island, Chinaman’s Hat, as well as just to toodle around with no destination, or perhaps to go fishing. He desperately wanted to go on a kayak, but there was a problem, he didn’t know how to swim. I explained to him there was no way we could do something like that till he could swim.
And there it was, Two—who had not been particularly interested in swimming for the last two years—was locked in. Swimming was the thing he wanted to know how to do! Now! People talk about finding passions? I think for unschooling kids almost everything is a passion. Especially when they’re in charge of it.
Two chose not to wait for the swim lessons that had already been promised this summer. He chose not to wait till we got home. There was an ocean right there. What else did he need? I’d told him for months that the first, biggest step would getting his whole head in the water. Up until this trip, he hadn’t bothered. Now that he knew the stakes and what he wanted, Two headed into the water to give it a try. An hour later he was dipping his head in whenever he pleased.
Things kind of rocketed along from there. I suggested that he try floating. Two did his hallmark thing, acknowledging that I’d said something, but giving no indication he might ever actually try it out. A few minutes later though, there he was, working on his float.
When we got home, He convinced his sibs that they too needed to learn how to swim, and we’ve been practicing at least three times a week in the mornings at our public pool ever since! Two’s swimming is coming along quickly with 8 year-old One right behind him, and four year-old Three steadily working on the basics.
With unschooling, learning happens when the kids think it should, and then? Watch out!
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