Monday, February 8, 2010

What Am I Doing?!

I am a multi-tasker. Maybe I just have ADD. Either way, I start projects and then start a new one before I finish the last. And I start projects a lot. This has hampered my homeschooling goals, I think. I will use a curriculum, sometimes. I lean more towards unschooling than school-at-home. My oldest is four and there is no hurry to "school" him, but I can't help but be pulled towards wanting to teach him stuff. There are unit studies and lapbooks. There is curriculum for reading and math. I personally love the Usborne Learning Palettes. I also like the Now I'm Reading series. As a homeschooling mom who has worked in a teaching capacity for years, I am a bit confused by unschooling. I joke about the husband's need for rules and boundaries. When it comes to teaching, I feel like I need those rules, too. I am having a difficult time just waiting... My children are naturally curious, as all children are, so the waiting game shouldn't be long. Math. What about MATH?! I have a hard time differentiating between what "learning naturally" and parent-led learning is. If I put a topic in front of my child, does that defy unschooling? And more importantly, will the unschooling police come knock down my door and drag me away? Obviously they won't...although, some radical unschoolers might.
Joking aside, as a parent and a homeschooling parent, I worry about the path I'm leading my family down. I know I'm doing the right thing for my family, but should we be meandering down the path or skipping? I know in the end I'll just do what feels right. Most likely, it'll be a mix of everything. We'll make our own label - or defy all the labels - which ever definition makes us happy for that day.

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