"You unschool? So is that like, you don’t do school?"
Well, education is supposed to be a way of life for the family.
THIS is why we “unschool” or, as we like to call it, “lifeschool.” Yes, we use textbooks. The kids read—sometimes for hours on end. And yes, we even tackle Algebra (surprising, right?). However, we’re not confined to an 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. classroom schedule. We don’t recreate a school environment at home, and our motivation isn’t an A+ on a report card. Instead, we embrace the freedom to learn through all of our senses: hearing, tasting, seeing, smelling, touching, and doing. For us, KNOWLEDGE is the ultimate motivation!
One student quotes Jordan Taylor:
"You spend 8 hours a day at a specific classroom at a specific time, and I’m the one who has no life?"
When I first began homeschooling, I tried creating a classroom at home. And while that can certainly be fun and meaningful for some, we quickly realized that our desire was to make the world our classroom. Now, we no longer try to mimic a traditional school day. Instead, we embrace a free-flowing, “Gypsy-style” approach to learning.
We don’t just read about cars—we work on them.We don’t just study plants—we grow them, visit botanical gardens, photograph them, and inhale their sweet fragrances.We don’t just look at pictures of animals and their habitats—we seek out every opportunity to step into their world.
It’s not rocket science—unless, of course, you’re building rockets! (And yes, we’ve done that, too.)
Here’s what I want to encourage you with:
You only have to be one day smarter than your children. You don’t need grand plans or perfect setups to start. If you wait for the “right moment” or the “perfect project,” you’ll be waiting forever. Bank on your children’s youthful wonder; they find joy in the smallest things. When you’re excited about dissecting an eyeball or building a bridge out of popsicle sticks, that excitement becomes contagious!
“Train up a child in the way they should go.”
When you dig deeper, this means to nurture them according to their bent—the unique way they were designed. What makes your children tick? What fills their hearts with joy? Find their “bent” and tie heartstrings along the way.
Keep the long-term perspective in mind. This journey isn’t about raising perfect children, nor is it about being perfect parents. It’s not about meeting the world’s ever-shifting standards.
It’s about presence.
Presence over perfection. The days can feel long, but the years pass much too quickly. Take the time to capture your children’s hearts. Be there, truly be there.
Because in the end, it’s not about following someone else’s path—it’s about creating your own, together.
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