Unschooling Summer

Summer—a season we all recall from our childhood. Staying up late, riding bikes up and down the street, eagerly listening for the ice cream truck and begging our parents to buy us a Bomb-pop, and most importantly, no school.

Now, I know times are a little different than when we were kids. Not only that, but I am a different parent than mine were. That being said, I am always with my children and would never allow them to ride their bikes on the road by themselves. We also stick closely to our bedtime routine, which, thankfully, my kids don't even mind following. We are a living room family and want nothing more than to simply be together.

So why am I talking about summer? Well... this particular summer has brought me so many different feelings and questions. You see, my oldest just finished kindergarten at a private Christian school, and next school year we are officially jumping into homeschooling for all 3 of our kiddos. (For more on "our beginning," please see my previous blog.) With this change, I feel a lot of pressure, all of which I put on myself, to do all of the things. Even some things that I feel I should start doing this summer. Daily lessons, journaling, read-alouds, and field trips to every single park within a 30-minute drive from our home.

In speaking this over with my husband, he said

"Just take a break."

Especially for our oldest daughter's sake. I knew he was right, but I must not have been ready to hear it. I kept thinking that perhaps we could take a break in June and see what happens in July. I don't want us to be behind. Pressure, pressure, and more pressure—again all self-imposed. Then, yesterday, everything changed.

We went to the park for a meet-up with our co-op. We live roughly 20 minutes from the park where we planned to meet, and since I tend to be early, we were the first to get there. Naturally, I took the kids out to play while we waited, but no other families arrived. I wasn't bothered, as we often park hop during the summer. However, I chose to comment on the group post to let others know we were there, in case they were still deciding whether to come. Soon after, some familiar faces appeared—one of the moms in our co-op with her three kids. She said she saw my comment on the group post and decided to come. We were all happy to have some company. Our kids immediately started to play together and we started chatting about anything and everything: curriculum, struggles, ideas, trips, and summer plans.

In our chatting, she mentioned that she was having her children continue some lessons over the summer to allow for more flexibility during the rest of the year. I then shared my thoughts of doing the same, but also shared our experience with my oldest child, who just finished kindergarten. During which, she was tired, sad to be away from us, and not quite herself. She's just now beginning to return to her usual self, but I feel pressure to start doing lessons. Then this sweet mama said something that I must've needed to hear.

"Maybe you should just do an unschooling summer."

My heart sang. She's right. My husband was right.

Fast forward to today, we had a playdate with my cousin, who also homeschools her 2 kiddos. I told her my thoughts, what my husband said, and what this other mom from our co-op had said. Then, she said something that resonated deeply with me, too.

"I think that was God speaking to you."

I absolutely love the little moments that speak volumes to me. Some may say it doesn't mean anything, but I believe that God can speak to you in any way that you will let Him. Through nature, a close friend, a piece of art, a poem, a Bible verse, or even a memory. I always want to be listening for what He wants to tell me. I say all this to emphasize the importance of seeking confirmation or even a different perspective. It's something I didn't even realize I needed, but thankfully, God never fails to seek me out and speak to me. Even when I get distracted and forget that He is the most important thing.

So this summer, I want to take a step back and change my focus. I want to prioritize God first, because only then will everything else fall into place. We will continue to learn, but it will take a different form. We will learn by resting, having fun, playing, exploring, spending time together, and seeking the Lord together too. I feel it is so important for my children, my husband, and myself.