HomeCrazzyHome

(Several days late mind you…but I’ll be explaining why later.)

Friday was the PERFECT Home Ed day…at least if you are an unschooler.

What is UNSCHOOLING you ask?

Well, define it is tantamount to capturing a tornado. But at its most basic…

UNSCHOOLING – life is the only teacher your child needs.

If you are still shaking your head, then this Wiki page may help a bit.

Rather than trying to explain the theory, let me instead paint the picture…

PanKwake’s body clock is screwy again. So she got up just in time to eat a bit before we went to the leisure center for the basketball lesson arranged by our local home ed group.

This was the first time we were giving it a go. I am never certain just which and how much of organized, structured activities she can manage. But her best friend’s mom had organized it and PanKwake always enjoys seeing her. Besides I knew that if things went ‘teats up’ we had a couple of exit options…other activities we could do and it was walking distance from home (always an important consideration with PanKwake).

We did get there a bit late, but that was all right because I am not sure she could have managed the whole hour anyway…not this first time for sure. Overall though, she did fairly well. By the end of the session she was dribbling better than I can (not that that is saying anything).

But the fun had just begun…it was Family Fun Friday and we were off to softplay. Even though she is eleven now her proprioceptive needs means that jumping, climbing and running are among her favorite activities. PanKwake is an EXTREME sports star in the making.

Then it was pool time…the boardrider was fully booked this time though. But PanKwake is astounding them all at how quickly she is picking up surfing. I guess you can take the girl out of California but you can’t take Cali out of the girl?

Still there were water slides and waves to content with. While the moms sat in the ‘old lady pool’, i.e. the jacuzzi. This too is an extreme departure for me. Any other time we have been to this pool either I or Mog was right along side of PanKwake every step of the way, every single minute. This was a new freedom that I was not sure she was ready for. But then again, I am beginning to realize…I may be underestimating my child. That is another blog though.

Another to know about PanKwake…she HATES cars. She can go a ‘million’ miles an hour on the wildest, craziest, scariest ride at the amusement park, but five minutes in a car and she is complaining of motion sickness. That is why we stick to activities that are closer to home.

When it was time to go, at first PanKwake insisted that she and I walk home. But in the end, we bribed her. Her friends could stay for a Ninjago (30 minutes to the rest of us)…IF she could manage to ride back to the house in their car. I am glad she did, because it was the best part of the day.

Somehow during the brief ten minute ride home, we got onto the subject of religion and beliefs. Oh yes, now I remember…PanKwake asked me something about my next life…reincarnation. I am mindful of the fact that our friends have different beliefs…and this was the PERFECT life opportunity for religious studies. So I answered her question about my beliefs and then pointed out that was not the only view…and threw the floor open to her friend’s mom. And I learned about a different Christian perspective than I had been raised with. So did PanKwake.

When we got back to the house, we fed the children…and allowed them to just be kids. I.E. run wild around this HUGE place we call #HomeCrazzyHome. They played hide-n-seek while us moms sat on the couch with coffee and tea discussing religion, history, politics and philosophy. I learned many things…had my view point challenged and I hope so did she.

And throughout it all, the children came and went. Picking up on tidbits of the conversations here and there. And occasionally even adding to it.

They were privy to the most important lesson of all…

YOU NEVER STOP LEARNING!

They saw it first hand that evening as their moms modelled it before them.

Life had given us all a chance to learn something new that day (several things in fact)…and we took it. And that, my friends, is…

What Home Ed is all about!