I never thought I would say this, but because of unschooling, mornings are now my favorite part of the day.
I am usually the first one out of bed (on weekdays my husband is technically the first one up, but he gets up at 6, and leaves around 7, and the boys and I are not early risers). I get up and get a glass of diet pepsi ( I am not a coffee drinker but an influx of caffeine is good) and sit on the living room couch and open up the laptop. This is the time of day that I have to read emails, check on facebook and twitter and just enjoy my own thoughts for the day.
Slowly, the rest of the family starts to stir. And they join me on the couch.
First they just snuggle in. They hide behind the throw or the couch pillows so that they can stay warm and in that wondrous sleep state just a bit longer. Then as they really awaken, we begin to talk to one another. Sometimes it is about things as banal as the placement of my sheep in farmtown. Other times we discuss the least ferocious of the wild cats, or where a certain bird might live. Since I have my laptop, information is at my fingertips and we can use the internet to answer questions. Sometimes the kids will get their laptops and program in Scratch or draw. Always we will figure out what animal we are that day.
All too soon the boys start to get hungry and it is time to get breakfast. Then we all go about our own tasks, coming together during other times of the day, and perhaps we will all sit on the couch again. But it is never as peaceful as it was first thing in the morning.
Before unschooling, we had too many "things to do" to take the time to enjoy each others' company in the morning. I am thankful that I took the time for my Unschool October experiment.
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I'm so glad to hear your stories! Do you think you will continue with unschooling, now that your trial month is nearly up?
ReplyDeleteThat will be my next blog entry, which I hope to write this weekend. But I do plan to continue on with "no-school November" or something like that.
ReplyDeleteStopping by from the Unschooling Carnival. Isn't that the best way to wake up in the morning. Usually I will have one or both of our 6 year old twins in the bed with me in the morning and the three of us will cuddle there for a while and talk about what they are going to do that day. Unless we have someplace to be we have nice easy mornings too. I hope you enjoy the rest of your "no-school November".
ReplyDeletei love evenings more than mornings, in our unschooling family. we talk about our day, make plans for the next, and laugh and read together. there's nothing like unschooling to really learn about the joys in life, unfettered. great article!
ReplyDeletesounds like a beautiful way to start your day! thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteHi, I came from the unschooling carnival too. I agree, easy-going, relaxed mornings are one of the greatest things about homeschooling. I have been getting up early myself, to go running, but I am often running past the school and noticing the kids being dropped off early or even hearing the bell ring for starting time, and I think, "Wow, I'm so glad we're not doing that." Usually my girls haven't even eaten breakfast yet. They might even be still asleep if we had a late night.
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