Being 5 in our home looks like…

In our society, being 5 typically means school five days a week for the majority of the day.

In our home, we live without school.

Being 5 in our home looks like…

Freedom.

Freedom to learn what he wants, to make mistakes, to run wild and free in nature, to play and learn uninterrupted, to test his own theories, and rinse and repeat.

Joy.

Joy-filled experiences with friends and pets, nature and mentors. He only has to do what ignites his curiosity – but it sure is enough to fill days with!

Wonder.

So much time to wonder and explore. So many rich and full experiences to wonder about and no solutions given unless asked for and explored.

Doing. 

Lots of opportunities to actually do what it takes to learn, understand and master topics. Endless chances to try and try again.

Purposeful, genuine, meaningful work that is chosen by him. Caring for himself, others, pets and plants. Learning through actively engaging with projects piece by piece over however many times and days or months are needed.

Creativity.

Authentic open ended creativity that comes from having no fear of failure. Creativity through play and trial and error. Creative endeavours beyond segregated subjects.

Friends.

Giggling and dress ups. Role play and collaboration. Time to hang out and discuss what they are learning and thinking. Questioning and investigating together. Knowing kids of many ages and adults too. Talking about passions and sharing knowledge.

Family.

Close knit family bonds. Siblings living and learning together. Parents there to guide and facilitate. Cuddles and discussions.

The ebb and flow of connectedness throughout the day.

Time.

Time to dig deeper. Time to get messy. Time to cherish the lovely moments. Time to be bored. Time to play. Time to relax. Time for mud parties. Time to answer all those questions.

Time to slow down and drink in life.

Further Reading:

• Free to Learn by Peter Gray (I read this one after making the decision to unschool and spent the entire book enthusiastically nodding along!)
• Learning All The Time by John Holt (and indeed ALL of John Holt’s works)
• Home Grown by Ben Hewitt.

 

Thank you for reading!

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