unschooling

What a wonderful afternoon with girlfriends, some coffee and a warm fire. The snow is falling outside, and we are sitting inside, enjoying an (almost-) kids-free zone. Hubby had to stay home, because I needed someone to plow the driveway and to start my fire, without smoking up the house...Last time I started my very own first fire, the kids and I had to leave because smoke went anywhere but through the chimney...so this time, with company coming over I needed some assistance;0)

I am very thankful that the girls actually made it, since it was the first bigger snowstorm this and last year, the roads were actually slippery and many had canceled. But the fearless made it up here and I am very grateful for it, because I enjoyed a very fun-filled afternoon. And special thanks to hubby for taking care of the kids, the fire and the driveway;0)

Now, what has any of that to do with the title: unschooling? Very easily explained. The girls and I had a talk about schools, choices and ways of educating our children. Our first-borns are going to join kindergarten or first grade in the fall or next year and we are all facing the rounds of open houses in the public school system. For some (in my mind not-so-)odd reason, I have been exploring the idea of Unschooling. Unschooling is a form of homeschooling, the most unorganized form of homeschooling, the so called "child-led-learning" way.


Well, I am facing a dilemma, because unfortunately my husband and I are not on the same page when it comes to topic of schooling. Now I am trying to figure out for myself, why I feel so strongly about homeschooling and if it is indeed something I should pursue or not, at least theoretically for now. I do not have any homeschooling friends and if i talk to my "regular schooling friends" it's hard to discuss the topic, because they haven't really much explored the idea.

I want to get more in touch with the topic and explore it with my children. Since Princess L is due to start Kindergarten in September, I would love to decide what to do, very soon. We are scheduled for an open house here at the Elementary School in a couple of weeks. At the same time I want to connect with people, who do home school. I also would love to discuss the topic more in detail with hubby, but he is not so interested in joining the conversation, because he is aware that it will be a difficult subject for us, since our positions couldn't be more opposite.

Why, why homeschool? Why not send my children to school and enjoy the "time-off"? Why do I need to worry so much about all of this? I just wonder, about how much we give away, when we send our still so very young, very vulnerable, impressible and gullible, 5 - or 6 year-olds off to school? They will be dropped of in front of the building, they will be taught by people we don't really know, they spent many hours with children of their own age, without a break, time for a breather, by themselves, to reflect, to understand all the emotions and new experiences, to process the new images, rules, words. We pick them up, we expect exited children, we expect grown, educated, well behaved children, who learn and adjust, who fit in. Is that what I want for my children, to fit in? Is it essential to fit in? Could they survive, without fitting in completely? Could they actually be happier, if they didn't fit in? Or would I destroy their chances of a happy life, if I rather homeschooled them?


I am very torn, because I feel so strongly about it all. What is it all about? I am not able to answer that questions right now. I need to keep exploring and maybe praying for an answer? Yes people, I pray. And I will have to do so, in my little corner. Maybe that will show me where to go from here.


Anyway, again, thank you ladies for visiting and spending the afternoon. Thank you for inspiring conversations and lots of laughter. I need much more of that very soon;0) Good night.


Namaste,
Romy