Saturday, February 7, 2015

Just Checking In

It's kinda hard to believe that we're about to embark on week 6 of our homeschool journey!  The time is going so fast!  We're still pretty much following the same ideas as I started with & I'm pretty shocked at discovering that I lean more towards the unschooling method than a rigorous planned out homeschool day.  I am SUCH a planner & over-thinker, that it amazes me how laid back I am in this whole schooling adventure!  (By the way, some of you may have no idea what unschooling is, or assume it's more (or less, as it wrongly implies) than it really is.  There are several ways to define unschooling & there are some rather extreme versions of it that really lead into a child-led life, which isn't at all how I follow the idea.  Here is a quick read that's closer to my school of thought on unschooling - http://www.johnholtgws.com/frequently-asked-questions-abo/.  I'm really just letting Kman lead his education right now & trying not to worry about what he is or isn't learning that he "should" or "shouldn't" be at this point.  Plus, we play.  A lot.
Anyway, aside from the educational aspect (though our entire lives are somehow educational!), I've been watching changes in the relationship between Sweetiepie Sparkles & Kman.  It's kinda cool to see them actually interacting more & building their bond.  At this exact moment, they are out building a sand castle (or something like that) in the back yard - together! Kman is also taking more of a role in teaching SPS things & just really playing up the big brother title.  5 years between them makes it harder to find common interests, but I'm seeing them try & I truly believe it's because of the amount of time they are together now.  It's amazing.
As for me, I'm enjoying the time with both of them.  Mostly.  hehe  It's overwhelming some days & beautiful others.  Chasing them in two different directions is challenging, but the moments that bring us together are so much fun! I'm also learning new things that I wouldn't have explored if I didn't have a 7.5 year old to show the world to every day!
The hubby is adjusting as well, I think.  He is very busy with work (which is a blessing, considering the current impact the fall of oil is causing in our city), but I've noticed him putting a little more effort into teaching things to Kman, even if he doesn't realize he's doing it.
Going 24/7 with a VERY TWO toddler & an extra energetic/highly distracted ADHDer is hard work, but I still feel like we have made the best choice for our family for now.  Kman's anxiety is not nearly what it was, and his passion for learning is starting to grow.  My stress level is also lowering because there aren't timelines & deadlines to keep up with any more, and we don't have to rush to this & that, wake up at certain times, or follow rules of other people.  This isn't for everyone, but who doesn't long for all that FREEDOM?  :)
Side note...  Kman is very into being a survivalist (and still a prospector, of course) so if anyone has suggestions on how to encourage that or promote it as a learning experience, I'm all ears!