How we lived was completely unrelated to school and no longer in reaction to school, once I'd gotten a good grasp of unschooling.
or
at Always Learning
extended Sorooshians, years after that writing;
photographer unidentified
"What does unschooling look like at this age?"
Clare Kirkpatrick wrote:
It looks like it does at any age: fun and connection. Do what is fun for them. If you're also working on better connection with them, a closer relationship with them, you'll also start to learn what they may find fun that they don't yet know about. Also do what is fun for you. Learning to help yourself to do fun things will help you realise that your children's learning and richness of life will come from helping them to do things they find fun.At the moment in my house, I am having fun thinking hard about unschooling. My husband and my 12 year old are having fun and connecting with each other by playing Call of Duty together. I have helped my 6 and 8 year olds by making some space for them to build a little home for their polly pocket dolls out of wooden blocks and they are now having fun working on that and playing together. My 10 year old is having fun watching Mako Mermaids on Netflix and occasionally turning round to watch her sister and dad playing and ask questions about the game. Actually, while I've been writing that, the six year old has now snuggled next to my 12 year old to join in the chat about the game. Connection and fun. And, therefore, learning.
—Clare Kirkpatrick
https://sandradodd.com/clare.html#fun
photo: selfie by Sven, the dad
There are some big ways that are wrong and anyone can see that. Verbal abuse or physical abuse comes to mind.
But there are small things too.
Principles. The more clear, to yourself, you are about your principles and making better choices, the better you will know how to respond to a child or a situation.—Alex Polikowsky
(longer original)
(studio photo)
I didn't know, years ago, that unschooling could strengthen a marriage. I did know that a good marriage would strengthen unschooling.
I have been criticized, over the years, for encouraging people to be kind and compassionate to partners or spouses. I have also been thanked by people whose marriages became stronger because of those ideas, or by the use of unschooling principes in general.
Although I am sympathetic to people whose marriages have failed for reasons beyond their control, there are divorces that could have been avoided, and there are relationships still in the future that could benefit by being bathed in sweetness and patience, humor and positivity.
If you just do the nice things, that's what good partners do.
A "thank you" that's scripted is just noise. A "thank you" you didn't expect is true communication.
[The Always Learning discussion] has helped me think more clearly and maturely. It has helped me change unhelpful patterns and most of all helped me step into the *JOY* of life, connection, partnership with my children and husband. I know how scary it is to feel examined, and I think some other readers interpret examination as meanness, like I once did. I think to do unschooling well, it is a fundamental element to have an examined life. To be mindful of our choices and understand our thought processes.
If you're able to run for fun, you should find more reasons to do it! Sometimes people get too old, or they're hurt, or it's too cold, or other factors keep running from happening. If you can run, run some for the rest of us! |
Unschooling can help relationships in all kinds of ways. Broken relationships can harm unschooling in all kinds of ways. |