Revelations on Homeschooling

This week (I know that it's only Tuesday, but my mind moves quickly enough to process about four days' worth of information in only two-it's a problem, I know) I came to the realization that we need to incorporate more unschooling into our schooling. I use a curriculum with my daughter, and, for the most part, it works, but lately I've been feeling like a bit more life experience is needed. We belong to a homeschooling group and attend field trips here and there, we belong to a wonderful group that meets once a month, taught by two beautiful, witchy women. I take my daughter to museums and to the movies and to plays and that sort of thing. Still, something has been missing. Somehow, in the push to learn from all of these books, some of the natural flow of life has been lost. It's easy for me to get into the habit of quickly folding clothing and cooking meals and cleaning the house. It takes more time to complete these tasks when my little one is helping me, and so, lots of times, I just do it myself. This week, though, I began changing my thinking with regard to the simple chores that keep the rhythm of our house steady. I began inviting my little one to help me with folding laundry (plenty of that around here), setting the table, preparing meals and tidying her room. Okay, that last thing isn't going so well; somehow the allure of folding laundry is much grander than cleaning her bedroom. One can dream.

I'm finding that, with the Princess in tow, mundane housework is beginning to take on a bit of a glow. I find that we're laughing as we're doing together what I usually tear through as quickly as possible. True, it's only Tuesday night. But I have hope that we're embarking on a new leg of this homeschooling journey, where regular, everyday life projects can become adventures of learning. When I was a young adult, I thought mixing vegetables with ramen noodles was gourmet fare. Aside from special occasions like Christmas (making Christmas cookies with Grandma was always a treat, and I still remember rolling out the dough on her Formica countertop, then carefully decorating each star, stocking, etc.) I was never really invited to participate in kitchen activities. I've learned all of my culinary skills over the past ten or so years, and today I love, love, love cooking. I'm happy to say that I've graduated beyond ramen and can cook french toast without it emerging blackened from the pan. I would be ecstatic for my little one to learn at a much earlier age than I did, and thus be saved from weekly, four day pizza binges and ramen noodles with bagels (I existed largely on these types of food for longer than I care to admit).

Tomorrow is a new day!