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Are you interested in unschooling but feeling lost on where to start? Don't worry, I'm here to help! Let's explore some tips and tricks to help you kickstart your unschooling journey.
So, you've done some research and think that Unschooling will work for your family. You want to Unschool, but where do you start? Whether your kids are still in school or you're considering transitioning to Unschooling, if you've answered YES to most of these questions, then you're in the right place.
Steps to Start Unschooling
1. My kids are in school or school is about to start. What do I do next?
First, you need to file an intent to homeschool form. I suggest looking up your state's rules. Every state is different, and unfortunately, some are more complicated than others.
2. How to get the kids out of school and start homeschooling:
This is the easiest part and the scariest part. I'm not going to lie to you; some days will be awesome and some days will be very hard. The awesome days will outweigh the bad ones, and you will wonder why you didn't begin sooner. Be patient!
Steps to Deschooling
1. Deschool: This is a time when you find out what your child loves to do:
For every year your child has attended normal school (gone to brick and mortar school), they need that many months to deschool. That means if your child has attended five years of school, you will need five months to deschool. What do my kids do during this time? Your kids can do anything they want: play outdoors, play Minecraft, draw, do experiments, swim, watch TV, do science experiments, watch YouTube videos, and movies, play with Lego, or play video games. Why on earth should I let them do what they want? You and your child are trying to find out what interests them. If a child wants to watch TV, let them. They will watch it for fifteen days or fifteen weeks straight, and then they will get bored and do something else. Let them make their own rules, deciding what they want to do. I promise they will get it out of their system. Learn more about Deschooling here.
2. What do I do as a parent to help them find their interests?
If your child likes art, then take them to the art store, give them $60, and let them get art supplies. They may love video games; encourage them to do research online to find out how to get further in a game or figure something out. Your child might like playing with Monster High dolls; let them. Imagination is lost at an early age. If they like the outdoors, take them on nature hikes, research bugs, or make gnomes or fairy houses out of sticks.
High School Student
1. I am a high school student. How do I equip them to Unschool? Is it too late?
No. My suggestion for them is to encourage them to read. They need to see if they are ready for college or even want to go to college. I would get them to make a goal sheet. Put everything on the goal sheet they want to accomplish. If they do it, then give them a bonus for accomplishing their goals. If they want to attend college, then have them take the SAT or ACT and see what they need to work on to get into their dream college. Have the things they need to work on to get into college as their goals. If your child is not interested in college, then they need to start working on finding a mentor. Work towards finding a job they love. Have your young adult read Hacking Your Education or log on to UnCollege and learn about a Gap Year.
Food for thought:
Please keep in mind that these ideas worked for my family. Every family and every child is different, and there are several approaches to Uschooling. Just make sure you are following your state laws and regulations.
If you are unsure of your state laws or how to Unschool, then my advice is to find a group or someone who can mentor you. Google support groups in your area or look on Facebook or Yahoo groups. Connection with other like-minded people is important not only for support but also for hanging out and discussing ideas.