Unschooling Wisdom Wanted

[SweetSilver]

What advice would you give a young unschooling family?  I have had unschooling leanings since my girls were born, but now I'd like to deepen our commitment to unschooling and bring it more completely into as many aspects of our lives as we can work well with (or I can tolerate!)  Since I have leaned towards this approach for a long time, I know my family thrives on it.  (For now!)

     We are a year away from being official homeschoolers (at DD1's 8th bday) and I am focusing more intently not just on learning about our state requirements, but also becoming more well read on unschooling and related topics.  (Clearly I do not have that much time to read.  And I apologize for quoting John Holt every other post recently!)  I am continuing to try to change my habits and reducing the frequency and intensity of my authoritarian outbursts.  This is easier now that the girls are older and I am not sleep-deprived and exhausted.  Really, I am a peace-lovin'- blind-authority-rejecting-anarchist at heart.

Share your hard-earned (or serendipitous!) wisdom with me.  Rambling experiences welcome.

[4evermom]

Don't sweat the label too much or worry too much if you are doing it right.

Sometimes, I think people get bogged down in the ideal.  They worry if they are doing it right to the point that they are afraid to have any personal limits.  I've been known to say, "Sorry kid, not before I drink my coffee."  Of course when he was little, his needs came before my coffee. 

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by 4evermom 
 

  I've been known to say, "Sorry kid, not before I drink my coffee."  

Ooooooh yeah, I have that part down pat.  The kids respect the coffee!  And the lunch now, too.  I am a bear if I get too hungry.....