Eclectic Parent

Unschooling requires a leap of faith for many people. Homeschooling in general requires faith but many people feel that if they have the scientifically tested and approved curriculum, someone has assured that things will turn out ok. But if you make up your own curriculum or use none you are depending on yourself and your children.

C loves art block. He had enjoyed it when he was in the same class as D but then D moved to the next age group and he stopped wanting to go. It was tough because he has always had fun. Part of us wanted to sign him up and drop him off. He would enjoy it, damn it, he would!  But we didn’t sign him up again. Session after session went by. He finally told us he wanted to go to art block again. Part of me was worried that he would decide again that he didn’t want to go. But he knows himself well. He waited until he was ready and now he enjoys it. We could have signed him lup again and again and drug him there. He might have eventually stopped complaining  (many parents do it with preschool) but it was so much easier this way. He actually said he’s much older now and he just wasn’t ready to be gone from us three hours before.

On a similar not, D is starting to read. He had expressed interest a year ago but just couldn’t get it. Kids around him were starting to read and a little part of us was worried that maybe if we worked with him, made him sit and do worksheets, study phonics, flashcards, something that he’d get it. But he’d try a few times and then quit again for months going back to the things that come more easily to him. It would be during the “down” months that we’d start to wonder if we should have him work at it more. But he came to it on his own. And he’s ready. Last year he struggled and just could not get it. The intervening months were no improvement. Suddenly he’s ready and reading. Again, we could have forced, pushed, pulled and dragged him into reading. But he got there on his own. I think there is much more pride in that. Not that we don’t help him. But we didn’t make him spend the last year trying something that frustrated him. We waited for him to come to us. When he did, we helped. When he walked away, we waited. Now, instead of a reluctant reader, we have an enthusiastic one. I’m now off to hear The Gingerbread Man read to me before he goes to bed. Sweet, sweet sounds.