Things my kids did without school this week

I thought I’d do a little round up of some things that my kids did without coercion this week!
Kid 1: Participated in international art competition, learned about spending vs. saving her money, and made a new friend

My oldest child (12 years old) is a talented artist and has been working hard with her art tutor on a project which she has entered into a competition in the States. Last year she won $75 dollars in the same competition, so she is hopeful again this year.

She also did a “teenager thing” for the first time (which was adorable to me and Jacqui, but we would never tell her that): she unclenched a little of her money and went to loiter downtown with a friend of hers and buy some pizza for them both. Awww! They ended up meeting up with another girl who was a friend of my daughter’s friend, and the three of them ended up having a big impromptu sleepover party that night.

That girl of mine is a natural born money-saver. She has quite the pile in her bank account because she never spends a cent without considering it for weeks and weeks….and weeks….Sometimes it’s too much. So blowing some money on pizza was probably good for her.
Kid 2: Decided to become a guitarist, and to take up a new sport

My second child (10 yo) asked me for a guitar last month. This came as a surprise to me since I hadn’t known he had any interest in music, but since he doesn’t often ask for things I bought him an inexpensive guitar and got a subscription to the Yousician app. He has been practicing for at least an hour every day. I love it when the kids set goals and accomplish them all by themselves. It gives them all of the pride of having done something all of their own volition.

That son is also trying out a new sport beginning next week, indoor ball hockey. I love to see him trying new sports and returning to play soccer year after year because he is (and I say this in the lovingest way) not *super* athletically gifted. My husband and I watch him with amazement because neither of us is athletically gifted either, but we both went to gym class several times a week where it was made clear to us that we SUCKED and nobody really wanted us on their team. Our son, on the other hand, participates in sports or games without self consciousness. He continues or chooses not to continue with an activity based solely on whether he enjoys himself. Love it!
Kid 3: Reading aloud like a pro, learning to type correctly

Child number three (8 yo) is continuing to do very well as a reader. He began to read fairly recently but has improved in leaps and bounds. He can now read aloud, in a fairly natural cadence, passages from the King James Bible.

Now that he can read, he also is totally excited to be able to type messages to his friends online. I introduced him to a typing game we have on the computer and he’s all over that, learning how to use the right fingers even though it’s, like, IMPOSSIBLE (in his words…)
Kid 4: Didn’t need to cry it out in kindy to learn how to be a brave little boss

My baby (who is almost 6!) got past a big milestone this month when she finally overcame her shyness enough to participate in gymnastics class. I’ve been taking her every week since January, but each week she would only cling to my hand and watch the other kids warm up and then she would ask to go home. But last week something finally shifted for her and she got up the courage to do the warmup, and then she shyly joined her assigned team and did all the rest of it too!

I wonder how many five year olds are made to cry through several weeks or months of kindergarten in an effort by their parents and teachers to teach them to overcome their shyness. This process is totally unnecessary. Kids want to participate in the world and will do it in their own time if allowed.
Mom things: Didn’t even yell at this person who doesn’t know anything about anything, and learning about Elizabeth I

So my local homeschool group is having a little fair or expo next month and I was asked by the organizer to put together a display about unschooling. “I know!”, she joked, “You could just have a table with nothing on it! HAHAHA.”

Yeah because that’s an accurate reflection of unschooling. A table of nothing. What a GREAT JOKE…..

But I just let it slide cause I’m a heckin’ grown up.

Also, I’m reading this biography of queen Elizabeth I so that I can know more about history. You don’t need to be a kid to unschool! I’m still getting educated.

Yay my family!

Now please excuse me, I have to go get dinner on the table. Don’t worry it won’t take me long though cause I’m an unschool mom, so every day I just serve up a big old TABLE OF NOTHING!

I kid, I kid….