[HoneyTree]

I am coming to understand that when it comes to child spacing, the personalities of the children have much more to do with anything than their ages. But I wonder if anyone could share thoughts on planning child spacing specifically with respect to unschooling.

Thanks!

 

[LauraN]

I noticed you haven't gotten any responses, so I thought I'd pipe up. I'm not sure spacing has anything at all to do with unschooling. Since everyone gets to follow their interests in unschooling, what age they are really doesn't matter. The only time my kids' ages are an issue is when there is a homeschool activity that specifies an age range (generally it's 5+ or 8+ or something). If it's a dropoff situation, it's not a problem, but if parents are expected to participate, but they don't want a 2 yr old there, then we can't do it. But you know, I see that as just part of family life--sometimes we just can't do something because someone isn't allowed or it isn't safe for someone in the family. Learning to accomodate everyone or as many as posssible is one of the big positives of home/unschooling in my opinion. My kids are 8, 5 and 2, btw.

 

[HoneyTree]

Thanks for the response, Laura. I really appreciate what you said about certain age-rigid events or activities being opportunities to learn accommodation.

 

[SagMom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoneyTree I am coming to understand that when it comes to child spacing, the personalities of the children have much more to do with anything than their ages. Thanks!

Totally agree!

I would consider the PARENT's personalities. I have much admiration for people who can do the "3 under 3" type of thing but, while I adore little ones, having a bunch of little ones at the same time, all day every day would have spread me too thin.

I liked having the older one(s) a little more self-sufficient before the next baby came along. OTOH, that meant that we were juggling play doh with pre-teen stuff with more "grown up" discussions/activities. And I've had "little kids" in the house for 18 years--we're just recently emerging from the period of childhood where someone needs help reading, or reaching something, or can't be left home alone.

I guess it just depends on what you're comfortable with.

 

[callie campbell]

My husband and I thought we were done, after three girls. Then the older two girls kind of rallied for additional siblings. Having additional siblings was certainly going to change the flow of their lives and we made sure they knew how much by explaining. After much thought and discussion among all four of us and a piping in of the littlest with her opinion of "brudder! brudder!", we went for it and had two boys.

 

[PreggieUBA2C]

Our babes are close together with this coming baby having the largest spacing- 2 yrs 8 months.

I can share what it's like now for us and I don't imagine there being too much of a juggle with the new one.

Our boys spend their days playing in various groupings and having alone time all at their intitiatives. They are all very adept at accommodating absolutely anyone at any age- newborn on. They don't view anyone as outside the possibilities of exploration and play and will ask an adult friend to join in the same thing they've included an infant in.

I think that freelearning is the name I put on what people feel a need to confirm, that our children are doing things that they would put into schoolese. But we're just living, and since I don't know anything different than this, like what it would be like with different child-spacing or fewer or more children, etc..., I don't know anything else and this is as perfect as it can be at this moment and when we need to make changes, we do and will.

If you are hoping for some assurance that unschooling can be done with many littles, then I can give you that, but I only have my own experience to show as evidence and it's us and not you, but I do think that there is no hindrance to unschooling by any sort of child-spacing. We just do what works for us, and I'm assuming you do too, and it would be the same no matter how many dc we had or when they were born.

For us, freelearning is just living, so we live as whatever grouping/configuration we are at whatever time/place.

Do you have specific practical concerns?