Sunday, February 24, 2008

Life - learning

I was going to blog about "our unschooling trip to the laundry"...talking about how many $1 coins we would need for 3 loads of washing and 2 loads in the huge dryers, then rounding up $1 coins within the family, figuring out how many each of the children lent us and discussed when they would be repaid and with how much interest. The spiders, moths and bugs we stopped to look at on our way to the laundry. While I took care of loading the machines, the kids were fascinated with watching the happenings of a building site right next to the laundry where a new cabin is being put in. It's at the beginning stages and they were preparing the driveway for concreting. The weather was alternating sun and rain as the weather systems circled above us and we attempted to predict when the sun would come out again. AJ sat on a step outside doing some crochet. A fellow traveller remarked "what a clever Mum you are - teaching him that!". I refused to take any credit and said "no, he wanted to learn, so he did".

Anyway, I was going to blog about all that, but decided instead to blog about unschooling and what that means to us. I actually prefer the terms 'natural learning', 'life learning', or more appropriately, just 'life' and 'living'. We see the whole world as our 'classroom' and life and all of it's wonderful opportunities as our potential curriculum. We see learning happening all the time and there is no distinction between a trip to the museum or playing cards or doing puzzles or reading a comic book or running around or going shopping or just lazing about in the pool.

This is a lifestyle, based on respect for each other. A lot of Trust that life is unfolding as it should for each of us. A lot of communication and connecting with each other so that we stay aware of the needs and desires of all members of the family. And just getting out and doing a lot of interesting things. En-Joy-ing all the moments.

We are all learning, all the time. Lessons of all shapes and sizes. Lessons in life that cannot be graded. Lessons that are constant and therefore, life itself. It's full of flavour and challenges and incredible joys and love and connection.
And I wouldn't have it any other way!

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