Are you a new unschooling mum? Would you like to be ? Here is 3 things you should know.
one
This is you and your families life
Nobody else or nobody's opinions matter, As a unschooling parent you will most likely hear others negativity about your lifestyle choices, I can guarantee every unschooling parent has one way or another heard it! I have heard -how will they get a job if they don't learn anything aren't home-schooling kids dumb, and laughed at - Once you see past the fact and shrug of those comments ,once you stop trying to explain and let others affect your parenting choices,once you accept that everyone will have their own opinions ,some are on board and understanding, and others not so open minded .You begin to realise that who really gives a crap what they say or think , embrace your unschooling journey , live outside the box and follow your heart , because unschooling really works, and your child deserves a better childhood then filling in textbooks and studying for tests their whole young lives.
Two
trust takes time
Trusting your child, and trusting the unschooling philosophy takes time. You will have them days, just like most unschooling parents when you think to yourself - are they learning,? am I doing this right?, or omg what have I done?. The beautiful part of unschooling and natural learning is that when your child is ready and only then will they learn certain things, and like most things that takes time.You have to trust that in time all that is necessary for your child to learn and what they need to make their life's more comfortable ( reading, writing simple maths, geology everything they are interested in - will be learnt )
Trusting that the path of unschooling - which is allowing your child to learn how and what they want at their own pace, does not happen overnight, a reminder every now and then to yourself, that time is not important for learning , as learning is a never ending thing-will help you get through those days.
Three
LEARNING OPORTUNITIES ARE ALL AROUND US
Natural learning ( unschooling) is unlike formal learning or following curriculums, Why?
because being a Unschooling parent you start to understand that learning is happening all of the time, not just in those so called learning places or in textbooks. You begin to realise that Learning opportunities come from your everyday living , chores, maths,shops that day at the beach , video game playing , markets. You begin to see the hidden learning that comes in many shapes and forms from just living each day naturally, and getting on with whatever happens in daily life . You notice your childs questions when they become curious about something, you notice how many subjects life skills cover, and you begin to notice that learning opportunities are always around you - from this modern world and modern time we are in, learning is happening one way or another.
Before the school system was created, every child got on fine, learning what they needed to learn from their natural surroundings, and from their natural learning abilities The same as our primal ancestors and hunter-gather tribes allowed their child to self educate : naturally learn " . The modern world is full of new technology where you can learn anything and everything from a click of a finger, you read signs and labels and media content daily, you do maths at shops, on gaming software and in daily life skills. Everything your child will need to learn to suit them for our future and our culture - they are naturally surrounded by.
