Saturday, August 27, 2011

Hurry up and wait.

Ive been thinking a lot about homeschooling lately.  Like a lot a lot.  I know that bubby isn't even two yet, but I want to get everything all set up.  I'm that excited.  But I know realisticly that to even start a 'program' its going to be about 4 or 5 years away. Not that I'm even sure that a 'program' is what I want to do.  There's a big appeal to unschooling too.  But again, that's a few years away.

That being said, there are things I want him to know, not because they will be important for college (which I'm ehh on anyway, but that's another post) , but because they are important for life. 

     I want him to know how to plant a garden, to grow his own food. 
     To know when foods are in season, what to eat and when.
     He should know basic medical concepts. How to splint a broken bone and stop bleeding.
     Basic laundry care.  How to use the washing machine and the dryer.  Ideally how to fold laundry (and not just because I hate folding)
     Cooking and cleaning.  He doesn't need to love it, but he needs to know how to do it.  I don't want him to go to college or his first apartment not knowing how to care for himself when he's on his own.
     Home maitnance.  I dont want him to have to run to a plumber or contractor at every little disaster.
     Appreciation for art. I don't care if he never picks up a brush himself, but I'd like him to understand what others can create.
     Kindness. I want him to be nice to the waiter.  ("The person that is nice to you, but is not nice to the waiter is not a nice person" - I don't know who said it, but I love it)
     Other then those things, I just want the basics.  Reading, writing, and maths. 

I know that almost everything on that list I can start teaching him now.  And most likely I will start teaching him those things now.  In a compleetly unstructured 'lets make this fun' type of way. 

Oh wait, that is unschooling.

2 comments:

  1. A lot of the homeschoolers (especially the unschoolers) that I have met, did start their children at around ages 2-3. It's the perfect age really, they are beginning to want to "help" with everything so it would be perfect to begin introducing any of those list items!

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  2. I loved this post. All of those things every person should know. You are such a great mom.

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