I recently joined a Christian Unschoolers blog ring (see the green box?) and have been enjoying reading some pretty incredible blogs. Blogs written by people just like me. With the same philosophy on education and religion, for the most part. I read their stories and the things they children have been doing and feel like I’m looking into my own life. With variations of course. My kids are not skating across a pond, for instance. But the ideas, the thoughts, the philosophy….all of it matches with how we have been raising our children. And I realize I am part of something so much bigger than me.
I admit I was feeling lately, a little out of place. The homeschoolers I know all use some form of curriculum. They talk about schedules and bedtimes and chore charts. Lesson plans and grading. And how do you teach your child to write? or learn their multiplication tables?
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying these are not good things. If this is who you are and how you homeschool then that is what is right for your family. That is my belief. We are all different and so what I do with my kids isn’t necessarily what is good for your kids. And vice versa.
But I’m really not alone after all, as I have discovered. It is just hard to find a person like yourself living as your next door neighbor.
While I have pondered these thoughts and felt out of sorts, I have come to realize that I need not apologize for who I am or how I raise my children. I shouldn’t have to make excuses or try to explain. If someone really wants to know and understand and is willing to listen, I will tell them.
I realize I have a lot to offer others. I have successfully graduated two of my 5 children. I have children of all ages – adult, teenagers, pre-teen, child. I have experienced all stages of children’s development, (five times up to age 7 so far anyway). There is a lot of wisdom to be shared.
My dear husband must have been thinking similar thoughts today as he said to me that we should write a book together. We have over 24 years of homeschool experience. We have tried everything! It would be interesting to see what we could come up with together to share.
In the meantime I’m happy to be part of a new blog ring that hopefully will help me develop more of a readership as well as make new friends.
8 comments:
So when should we be looking for the book. :)
I feel the same way... out of place with the secular homeschoolers who unschool but don't have the same values, but also out of place with the Christian homeschool crowd who use curriculum and charts and schedules and who never feel as if they accomplish all that they should. I love the way we learn, the joyful, spontaneous, unstructured investigation of the world. But it is really nice to find others who view learning in the same way and who, instead of complaining that they did not finish ten pages today, focus on the amazing people who are their children.
Have a great week and thanks for the comment on my blog. I love to share Baby Bear's wonderful adoption story. :)
I know what you mean about feeling "off". Happens occasionally, and usually when I have been hanginng too much with either curriculum homeschoolers or with non-Christian rad unschoolers. Either way I start to wonder and doubt and then God brings another Christian unscholer my way and I remember that I am not alone in this and that it is a calling to be different and set apart. My kids are older than those of most of the CU I know (oldest is 12) and I findi t encouraging to know otrhers with older kids, to know that the path has been traveled before. :) Oh, and nice to meet you!
I love this post! So many times, I also feel like I have to explain what I do with Taliesin and Nathanael. This is especially true since I have started a daycare. Parents of school-aged children often question and their children do not understand. I often find myself explaining and explaining until I am tired of explaining. Not that I mind questions. I honestly do not. I think it's more of the idea of people asking critically than really asking because they would like to see a different viewpoint.
Kandy
Oh, please do write that book! :)
Blessings,
Catherine
hi, Colleen. I feel out of place too. Glad to know there are others like me, out there, just a internet link away.
monica
I very much relate to this. Not only are we different from most but we are even more out of the norm being unschoolers. Great post!
Yes, just how *should* we organise our schoolroom, I wonder. LOL.
I get tired of all the back-to-school hype too.
Glad that I've found some sisters to share the journey!
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