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~ June Unschooling Support! ~ - Page 8

post #141 of 226
6/15/07 at 2:08am
Jenny, you are here again haha...
I was here earlier subbing but had to go nurse my daughter...
A lot to learn and I'm interested in this topic as well.
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post #142 of 226
6/15/07 at 2:43am
Hey, I am EVERYWHERE!

I do a good mix of Unschooling and Homeschooling. I do love to "listen in" on what everyone is saying. There is so much to glean from these threads.
post #143 of 226
6/15/07 at 5:48am
Hi! I've really enjoyed reading through this thread--and the previous US support threads too.
This spring has been a bit of a blur--moving and getting settled in our house (a fixer-upper) and some of my family came to visit for a month & just left last weekend.

DS and I have been taking this week kind of slow after a month of going somewhere (including other countries) everyday. We did go to the library and toy library yesterday since our books and toys were due. He enjoyed recounting our short trip to Madrid to the (very sweet) librarian. It was funny to hear what parts of that trip stuck out most for him.

We bought a slip n slide yesterday but now need the weather to use it. Yesterday would have been good but we were gone most of the day. We will likely end up at an indoor playspace for a little while this afternoon. We're hoping for good hiking weather this weekend.
post #144 of 226
6/15/07 at 9:47am
Quote:
my house feels like it has a revolving door, but I love it.
My house is like that too Joan. It's so interesting and fun to see six kids with such different interests & plans. I'm so excited to see what things will be like when I have more than one teenager! I just can't imagine, but I know it's going to be amazing!

We're busy getting ready for a renaissance faire that I vend at. There are a lot of different things to do, and the kids are helping with everything. My structure has to be built and designed..which we are almost done with. Two kids have told me they want to learn how to 'make change', so I've been teaching them how to do that. Learning how to make change has brought up all kinds of questions and issues with money, banks, wealth, etc. Now, whether I'll trust them to handle it with real customers....well, we'll see!

I love it when they all decide to work on one thing together. I know this couldn't happen if they were in school - they are all such different ages and they would be separated. And there wouldn't be the *time* to do this big project. I'm loving it that they are learning the intricacies of how to manage a business too. My 9 & 7 year olds have already made plans for businesses they are going to start! And that makes me very glad, because even if they decide to go to college, having their own business is wonderful.
post #145 of 226
6/15/07 at 10:13am
subbing
post #146 of 226
6/15/07 at 10:29am
My youngest dd9 spent the early afternoon yesterday washing her doll clothes and hanging them on the clothes line to dry. I *love* that she still plays with her dolls and pretends she is their mama.
Youngest son,8 can't sit still for a minute so he is constantly doing something or asking to go somewhere. He is full of life!
Oldest son,almost 15,is a computer game expert. That is his hobby and has been for about 3 years now. He is dyslexic and has rebelled against any type of formal schooling since he became school age. He is a sort of an unschooling expert too.

Have a wonderful day mama's!
post #147 of 226
6/15/07 at 3:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joan View Post
: Well, in addition to all our usual stuff this week, we also went to a performance about Irish immigration to America, which was fabulous.
The performance sounds interesting. I recently saw Gangs of New York, which, IMO showed the plight of Irish immigrants quite well. But I was really not cool with dd(8yo) watching it because of the violence. I'm thinking I should have let her decide that? I was worried about her having nightmares, yk? I mean, we can discuss violence, but I can't make the images go away. How do you all handle violence in movies?

Quote:
Originally Posted by oldermamato5 View Post
My youngest dd9 spent the early afternoon yesterday washing her doll clothes and hanging them on the clothes line to dry. I *love* that she still plays with her dolls and pretends she is their mama.
I love this too! Dd spends so much time playing with her babies.
post #148 of 226
6/15/07 at 4:05pm
My neighbor asked me today if this was our last day of school too as the school kids are getting out today. I said that we didn't really take a break from school, but that we don't do traditional "school" type stuff either. He wasn't really getting it. My son came out about that time, so he asked ds if he was getting summer vacation like the public school kids. Ds looked at him funny, then said, "No one gets a break from learning. Ya just do that everyday. Why would you want to stop?" I so needed that this week.
post #149 of 226
6/15/07 at 4:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RasJane View Post
My neighbor asked me today if this was our last day of school too as the school kids are getting out today. I said that we didn't really take a break from school, but that we don't do traditional "school" type stuff either. He wasn't really getting it. My son came out about that time, so he asked ds if he was getting summer vacation like the public school kids. Ds looked at him funny, then said, "No one gets a break from learning. Ya just do that everyday. Why would you want to stop?" I so needed that this week.
That's so cool! And, yeah, I have heard that comment about taking breaks, too. Um, I think that's one big reason we unschool...why would you take a break learning????
post #150 of 226
6/15/07 at 4:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RasJane View Post
My neighbor asked me today if this was our last day of school too as the school kids are getting out today. I said that we didn't really take a break from school, but that we don't do traditional "school" type stuff either. He wasn't really getting it. My son came out about that time, so he asked ds if he was getting summer vacation like the public school kids. Ds looked at him funny, then said, "No one gets a break from learning. Ya just do that everyday. Why would you want to stop?" I so needed that this week.
Oh I love that!
post #151 of 226
6/15/07 at 4:53pm
We had a similar conversation recently, when our next door neighbor asked us (at 4 pm when we were leaving the house) if we were "done with school for the day" and I said that they were homelearners, and he said "yeah, I know, so are you done with your schooling for the day?" so I just sort of said "we just kind of do our thing all the time..." It's easier for me to answer rude questions than friendly small talk -- it feels rude (and tedious) to refute small talk...

MY DAUGHTER WANTS ME TO SCREAM!!!!!!!
post #152 of 226
6/15/07 at 6:33pm
Whew, it's been a long couple of days! We've been babysitting some young friend's (7 and 5). Well, I am technically doing the babysitting but it does affect all of us. It's been crazy fun, tiring, and active. Lots of crafts, crackers, and SpongBob around here.
post #153 of 226
6/15/07 at 8:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by papayapetunia View Post
The performance sounds interesting.
It was through this group: http://www.livingvoices.org/main/main.html
There are a bunch of other shows they do, we'd love to see another!

Quote:
How do you all handle violence in movies?
Well, when we look into movies, if something is going to be scary or graphic I talk to the kids about it first so they know what to expect and can better decide if they want to see it or not. They each have their own limits regarding violence, and it depends on how graphic the scenes are, if the characters are "real" or fantasy, etc. etc.

RasJane, The "are you done with school?" questions are sort of annoying to me because I don't want to just say, "Yes" but I can't say "No" because then that leads to questions about our schedule, and just leads people to believe I have them sitting at the table with dittos all summer. I've taken to joking a bit by saying, "We homeschool, so depending on how you look at it, they're either ALWAYS in school, or NEVER." Then I change the subject.

Unschoolnma, we were babysitting today too--a 6 y/o and 9 y/o. I don't think I have any clean dishes left...there are sofa cushion forts all over the living room, chalk drawings all over the porch, forgotten articles of clothing everywhere...it was a good day, only two minor injuries and one lost (but later found) shoe in the lake, no tears, everyone had fun, and now I need a nap!
post #154 of 226
6/16/07 at 2:57am
Just want to subscribe since I lost track of this group after the April thread! I'll catch up over the weekend. Staying up too late right now!
post #155 of 226
6/16/07 at 4:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by papayapetunia View Post
How do you all handle violence in movies?
My role has always been as a personal coach/guide of sorts in those matters. I really wanted to have the kids feel: 1.safe , 2. to recognize their own personal limitations, and 3. to be able to talk about what they see and what they fear, understand etc. We talked a lot about stories, pretending, real violence vs make believe, it being okay to choose NOT to watch something, etc.

The kids make their own decisions on media. They are 13 and almost 16. We still talk a lot. My Ds plays violent video/pc games some and he loves movies like "300" and etc. After a long time of not going there Dd is pretty into horror movies. She sometimes is very scared after watching one and she will leave her light on to go to sleep and ask me to turn it off before I go to bed or she might room in with me for a night or two. I am very uncomfortable with most violent depictions. I can handle some fist fighting or some mild combat in a war movie, and I adore CSI. But horror movie violence or anything more hardcore or extended makes me physically tense. The kids are really respectful of that and use headphones or watch in another room.

Quote:
I don't think I have any clean dishes left...there are sofa cushion forts all over the living room, chalk drawings all over the porch, forgotten articles of clothing everywhere...it was a good day, only two minor injuries and one lost (but later found) shoe in the lake, no tears, everyone had fun, and now I need a nap!

Sounds so much like our experience! We had a minor meltdown regarding not squeezing or sitting on cats but otherwise all was well here too. I forgot how fast clean dishes go with little kids around. Definitely starting the dishwasher up before I crawl into bed. (I can't believe I am still up! ) They are so cute though. Love littles.
post #156 of 226
6/16/07 at 7:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joan View Post
I've taken to joking a bit by saying, "We homeschool, so depending on how you look at it, they're either ALWAYS in school, or NEVER." Then I change the subject.
That's probably the best approach most of the time because, ime, people just don't get it. They don't *want* to get it because it requires too much thought and questioning of their own entrenched views.

Dd has been going to physiotherapy for a foot problem, and the therapist (he asked about school, so we told him we home ed) gave her some exercises to do on the stairs "when your mom gives you a toilet break.":

Another time a friend who was a new homeschooler mentioned summer vacation. Trying to gently introduce the idea of unschooling, I said that we don't take "breaks" and that learning doesn't stop just because it's summer. She came back with, "My kids are already into their summer activity books, so learning doesn't stop for us either."

Sometimes people are willing to listen even if they don't agree, but unless I really feel like taking the time to explain or debate, I change the subject too!
post #157 of 226
6/16/07 at 9:08am
Earlier this week, a friend's daughter was here paying with us. Ds was sad when she had to go in to do homework. I told him "playing IS your homework" so he invented a game of kickball for when there aren't enough players. It involves one base, and him picking up the base and running away with it.

Yesterday we were up really early, and we saw a baby deer in the back yard. We watched it for 45 minutes before the mom finally came back. Ds was amused when it tried to nurse!
post #158 of 226
6/16/07 at 4:54pm
My mil was questioning dd about summer vacation. Dd doesn't get it, she thinks vacation = hotel. I tried to say that we don't do summer vacation, we learn everyday. So mil asks dd "So how do I know that you passed kdg? How do you know that you've graduated to 1st grade?" Dd looked at her like she was crazy and just said, "Cause mama says I'm going to be a 1st grader next year?" I told her that dd knows enough to be a 1st grader next year and that's all that matters. I've never even said the word unschooling to the ils. They picture school at home and even though we try to explain that we learn by living life and studying what dd is interested in, they are too stuck on the ps model.
post #159 of 226
6/16/07 at 6:58pm
hey are you in MN??? we have a cabellas here and i have heard there are cool animals there...


Quote:
Originally Posted by 2 in August View Post
We're thinking about going to a museum and maybe Cabellas to see the animals. Plus we're going to try to get stuff done around here too.
post #160 of 226
6/17/07 at 10:20am
Nope in MI. There are lots of cool animals though.
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