Ah I hate this time of year. I actually in turns hate it AND love it, with seemingly equal intensity.
The positive side first: Fall, and the start of another official "school year," means that once again we are making a huge, conscious decision.... send our kids to an institution, or let them continue learning in freedom. And once again, we choose - with unwavering and resounding certainty - FREEDOM!! So, for another year, we're celebrating. Celebrating that we're free from the confines of school; celebrating in the living, the breathing, the learning, the JOY that comes from unschooling.
On the other side of coin is the celebrating that's going on by the rest of the society, for completely opposite reasons. Everywhere I turn, another mom is gleefully counting down the days till her children start school and get out of the house. It's a popular theme right now on the message board that I moderate. One recent poster said that she thought that moms who aren't looking forward to their kids going to school (and presumably, moms who don't send their kids at all) are "insane." Well, I like having my kids around. I like spending time with them. I like watching them learn, and seeing the world through their eyes. I like that they're free to learn WHAT they want, HOW they want, WHEN they want, instead of being taught whatever some administrator deems appropriate.
If those things make me insane, then by all means, call me crazy.
3 comments:
Amen! I am just so thankful that we have the choice and freedom to keep our children home to watch them learn and grow everyday. It sure is wonderful, isn't it? Call me crazy right along with you!
I wish I had a choice to make, alas I have to work :(
One of the biggest reasons I decided to go back to school to be a teacher.
Funny thing, Jamie starts special ed preschool this year. I went to the parent meeting and the woman was telling us to let go, that we had done our job and it was their turn and I was thinking.."huh??" I haven't even begun my job as a mother, teacher, friend to my three year old and you are telling me I am done? I was pretty disgusted. And people were shaking their heads in agreement?!?!?
I would love to stay home and teach my kids. It so rocks that you are able to do it and enjoy it so much!!
Kudos to you for making the decision to keep the kiddies home again this year!!
I agree that it's AWESOME to be the one who is home teaching and celebrating all the exciting and crazy things they learn :D
Anna, however, is going to preschool for 3hrs a day, 3 days a week because it's more like a glorified playgroup than an actual *school* (I made sure of it! LOL!) Although I am having anxiety about it lately and I think *I* am the crazy one. Sooo, we'll see if I actually follow through and send her.
Who knew there'd be so many decisions to be made as a parent?!?! LOL!
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