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RE: What the heck is Unschooling?!
This is a really helpful insight...I'm currently deciding whether to homeschool my 3 year old...how do you find the time commitment...because I guess that is the main reservation I have...not finding time to do other things if the bulk of my time is going out and about/learning
I agree with @trippinsaputos, it's not so much about having to 'allocate time' -- as 'living is learning' - it happens automatically and spontaneously. I work part time from home and so can be flexible in how I spend my time. I suppose that if you have a full time job and can't stay with your son it's a different story. My son is 3,5 and while he is getting more independent, I'm spending most of my time with him. As he gets older I'm sure this will change.
We have a very relaxed way of teaching. Instead of replicating public school by making the kids sit for x amount of time to do 'school' everyday, we teach in everything we already have to do. Like last week, I was making pumpkin pies and we couldn't find the right size measuring cup or spoon so I had my 13yr old figure out how to get the correct measurements using the cups and spoons we had. He did fractions, multiplication and division all in his head and in a way that is useful. Our kids under 6 don't have any formal teaching unless they ask for it, which they do. We let them play and use their imaginations as much as possible. We talk and explain all kinds of things too. When we go shopping they are involved with helping us find the best deals & healthiest options. We don't go out in public more than a couple times a week and usually that is just grocery shopping and laundry or we go visit grandparents. Sometimes we'll surprise them with a trip to the playground but it's so hot now that we have been staying inside. We go to the library about once a month. Most of our learning happens right at home. Like this morning, our girls (4 & 6 yrs) are playing with glass rocks... weighing them, counting them, sorting them and apparently playing hide-n-seek with them now lol. They don't even realize all the math they are learning too. For a scale, I gave them a clothes hangar with a bag on each side and then hung it from some string.
I definitely like the idea of blending learning with the daily routine...I guess that kind of what you tend to unconsciously do! Thanks :)
Yes exactly :) It's really no different than toilet training or teaching them to walk/talk.