Making the top 5

WE MADE THE TOP FIVE!!! Number three to be exact.

(AOL Editor's pick the top 5 journals each week or so and highlight them on the journals page.)

 

We hope lots of people will stop by and read about our homeschool (now unschool) life. I know homeschooling sounds strange and backwards to some but as you will see it is really an awesome life. I would also like to mention that a common belief is that most families homeschool for religious reasons. Let me break that myth. There are so many other reasons that families homeschool. For this family religion did not play a factor.  As stated in my journal homepage we homeschool because we believe our fundamental purpose as parents is to give our children the ability to be free thinkers and the environment to support it. Our recent decision to unschool is to be able to more effectively reach that goal.

WE ARE DOING THE HAPPY DANCE!! THANKS AOL FOR CHOOSING US!!

Bathtub Science

Bathtub Science

I just went to get Retta out of the bathtub and the water was a thick milky white. I couldn't figure it out. It didn't take long for Retta to enlighten me.

"I put the toilet paper in the water and it melted. A whole roll."

With her arms stretched overhead and a huge smile on her face with eyes twinkling, she proudly exclaimed:

"I made glue!!"

Game Day

It was a rainy, dark, cold day outside. We turned it into a bright, warm, cozy day inside. We all decided to have a marathon game day and check out some of the games we got for Christmas.

We had a blast playing the Wizard of Oz game, and then on to the Nursery Rhyme Game. By the time we got to Somebody (a game about the Human Body) we became very bored with reading rules so the kids just played with the diagrams and stickers. This ended up being a two hour discussion of the body and how it works. Being a disabled, retired nurse, this was right up my alley. I was amazed at how much they knew and the great questions they asked. Retta was enthralled with placing the stickers on and with great care and precision made sure they were placed correctly. She was very interested in the gallbladder and the muscles of the leg. Musa enjoyed the esophagus and the trachea and stated he now understands how choking happens.

           

Writing this I just reflected back on a conversation my sister had with Retta at Christmas. She asked her what she wanted to be when she grows up. Retta answered, "a doctor." Carla said, "Oh, I thought you wanted to be an archeaologist?"  Retta replied, "No, I am an archaeologist, I want to be a doctor when I grow up."  Ahhh..the power of intention!

How quickly I am seeing the benefits of unschooling. Within just weeks I have seen the positive changes in the children. I am learning so much about myself and old habits. I always thought I was reasonably free spirited, and now am coming to terms with how stuck I was. I keep my sense of humor about me and gently go forward. I am seeing the power of the word YES.

New schedule

We would normally be at choir and recorder lessons today, but after a long discussion with Musa last night have decided to drop that of our list of activities. As I have have stated before, we are slowly but surely embracing the unschool life. Choir was one of those things that Musa didn't want to do that I "made" him do. All of the old arguments about why one must learn music and again making the kids do things to please the county. I reflected back on my own life and how miserable I was doing those music plays for school. I had to laugh---just because I was miserable and lived through it doesn't mean I have to pass on the misery to my children.

So instead we sat down and came up with some activities that Musa would like to do. He has decided he would like to rebuild an engine. So he and his Dad are going to start looking around for old cars. Musa long-range goal is to re-build a quailty used car and then sell it and take his profits and buy another one. He clearly stated he wasn't really interested in a car for himself, but instead wanted to offer good, quality cars to people instead of the typical used car ripp-off. He is such a humanitarian. He even wants to use as much of his own money as he can. He also wants to trade the choir day for a trip day that we can explore beaches, museums and other interesting field trips. He also wants to find an old washing machine he can take apart. It was so good to see the excitement in his eyes.

We are pleased with our decision and I am very interested in the direction this new lifestyle will take our family.

Bowling and Friends

We met our good homeschooling friends yesterday for our monthly bowling-fest. It was good to re-connect with good friends after a long holiday vacation.

Musa and his friends decided they no longer wanted to use bumpers and had a great time throwing gutter balls. They each did manage to throw a strike which made up for all the zero's. The second game they played, they joined up with the girls of the same age and it turned into the traditional battle of the sexes. That age is upon us.

Retta and her friend Kayla (also four) also got  strikes. Pretty good when you factor in that they weigh less than the bowling ball

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Return to normal?

We had high hopes today of returning to some sort of normalcy after the hectic pace of the holidays. We tried our darnest, but ended up learning one thing. The only thing normal after a hectic holiday is the need to sleep. We kept talking about getting up and doing a project and that is all we got done. Did a lot of talking...but nothing else.

It was a unusually warm day, so we played aroung outside with the dogs and Retta worked on her new archaeology dig kits that she got for Christmas. She managed to uncover one little bone. Amazingly, she kept her patience about her.

Musa has been busy mastering the playstation. He has had so much fun.

I sent off for some information about a new umbrella school I am going to use instead of going to the county reviews. I received an answer back immediately and am looking forward to a more supportive review environment for myself and the kids. Maybe now I can start helping them learn what they choose instead of teaching them what the county mandates.

It is a learning process for me...

HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

 

 

Happy New Year to ALL.

We are back from "vacation."  We had a fabulous holiday, full of love and magic and traditions. We were all together as a family, such a wonderful peace. We had some trials through it all, cancelled flights and last minute arrivals, and that much dreaded phone conversation from the State Patrol that Shirah had been in an accident, as she was returning from dropping people at the train station. It was a miracle that she was just banged up and bruised and not hurt worse. My Suburban took the worst of it, which is as it should be, it can be fixed. Thanks to Geico's fast response with a rental truck we were back on track and delivering everyone to their airports in no time, only to find that a flight had been cancelled in error and the last minute hurry up to get it rescheduled.  Through it all we held each other up, chipped in and covered members who were low on cash and hugged our way through. 

One again...for the first time in 4 years we were complete. This Mom was at Peace. 

Shirah is doing well, has a wrist injury and shoulder and neck injury which should heal well. She is getting some massage and physical therapy which should help a lot. I thank the Source that she is alive and doing well. Her and I have both talked and assured each other of our belief that there are no random acts. This car accident is as it should be. We may never know the full reason, but we came up with a lot of possiblities that ease the worry.

So....back to school. We are going to jump into the unschooling. I have been reading a lot and lurking on some of the lists, and learning so much. I am sure I will make many mistakes along the way but I am ready for something new. So, check back often and follow our progress along this new life journey.

Musa and Retta got a lot of neat stuff for Christmas. Retta got two archeaology kits and really cool board games. She also got her very own hammer and screwdrivers and wrenches. She was so happy. She also got her very own sewing machine and can't wait to start sewing. Musa got a Playstaion 2 and was soooo appreciative. He also got some neat science stuff and is at the park right now with Dad firing up his dragster--with REAL rockets.

2005......here we come!!!!!