Younger Unschoolers: When Does Unschooling Begin?

The other day, I posted this on Instagram:

Does anyone want to talk about little kids? Unschooling? Parenting? Both?

I often talk and write about teenagers and young adults because my children are older. (My baby will soon be 16!) But I have also written a number of stories about younger kids. I could probably write a few new ones too because, of course, I have lots of younger-children memories!

I could introduce a few topics, share some thoughts, link to some blog posts, and add some quotes from my books. I don’t have all the answers. My experiences might be different from yours. But we could chat and share ideas and thoughts and encouragement. What do you think? 

Quite a few people do want to discuss this topic, so I have started an IG Younger Unschoolers series of posts. It’s going well except for one thing: I have too much to say. I keep running out of Instagram characters before I’ve finished my posts. So I’ve been thinking that what I really need to do is expand my IG posts into blog posts. I can write as much as I like here in my own space!

I am going to start this new unschooling blog series at the beginning by exploring this question: when does unschooling begin? My answer comes from my book Radical Unschool Love.

When Does Unschooling Begin?

Children are curious people. They’re wired to learn from the moment they’re born. And parents seem to have a natural desire to help and encourage them.

When we had babies in our family, I always surrounded them with interesting things. I bought bright toys for them to look at, feel, listen to, and even taste. I brought them household items like wooden spoons and pots and pans. I named things again and again, without ever tiring of it. I sang to them in my tuneless voice and also introduced them to proper music. I took our children on outings and showed them leaves and flowers, waves and sand, shops and people. I let them feel the sunshine on their skin and the wind in their hair. I played games, talked to them, read books, pulled funny faces and laughed with them. We had quiet times, rocking and snuggling. I carried our babies in a sling or popped them into a chair where they could see me while I worked. I included our children in all aspects of our lives. By doing this, I surrounded them with a rich environment.

While our children were absorbed with all these experiences, I observed them and listened to them. I got to know them and their particular needs. I developed empathy. I became connected with my children.

As our kids grew, I recognised that some things interested them more than others. They pretended to be pirates or princesses or firemen or superheroes. I found them toys and books that reflected these interests. I provided materials for them to experiment with. I listened as our kids told me about the things that were important to them. I answered their never-ending questions.

I did what parents are naturally drawn to doing. Perhaps you did all these things too?

So what happens when we expose our young children to a rich environment and encourage them to explore it? They grow and develop. They learn to walk and talk and jump and dance. They draw and scribble and create. They accumulate all kinds of facts which delight and interest them. Of course, with each little development, we smile and encourage. We cheer our children on. We are proud parents taking great enjoyment in the development of a unique little person.

Then one day, our children are old enough to go to school. It’s time to make some decisions and move onto a new phase in our child’s life.

But what if we didn’t even think about this new stage? What if life just carried on as normal? We’d continue taking our children out into our amazing world and bringing that world to them. We’d continue encouraging, helping, listening and interacting with them.

Would our children keep learning? Yes. They’d continue to learn in a natural way. They’d be unschooling.

Unschooled children explore the world, learning from everything that happens in their lives. They follow their interests. They use and develop their talents. They observe, ask questions, ponder answers, read books, watch TV, search online for information, discuss, play games, experiment, maybe even enrol in a course. They don’t follow someone else’s plan for their learning. They have the freedom to learn what is important to them.

I used to think of the first few years of my children’s lives as the attachment parenting ones. Then once my kids turned five, they began unschooling. Perhaps unschooling follows attachment parenting. It’s a natural progression.

Or does unschooling begin at the beginning of life? When parents say to me, “My child is only three, but we’re going to unschool,” should I say, “But you’re already unschooling!”?

I think I should.

Although we might recognise that our kids will learn without formal schooling or homeschooling, maybe there are a few things that prevent us from relaxing and letting our kids learn in their own way and time: the requirement to register as homeschoolers if they don’t go to school, and our inability to let go entirely of old ideas. It’s hard to do something different, isn’t it? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Something Extra

A day or so ago, I discovered a new 5-star Amazon review of my book Radical Unschool Love. It was written by Emily B.

Having read Curious Unschoolers, I knew this one would be good, too. I was still so very pleasantly surprised by how wonderful this was!

It takes courage to share personal stories, and Sue does this with humble honesty. She doesn’t sugar coat, and I feel like she is a trusted friend who has just trusted me with her stories. Any parent will gain from this book. We can all get better at loving our families. Sue doesn’t claim to be perfect, and this is not a how-to book. Yet, like her first unschooling book, it gives me a sense of peace and hope that despite whatever difficulties come, we do not have to resort to being unkind or controlling. I also really appreciated that she addresses Christian unschooling since this topic rarely gets covered.

If you are curious about unschooling or just wanting to live a more loving family life, I think you’ll find this book well worth your time and money!

Thank you, Emily, for taking the time to write this kind review. I’m glad you like my book!

Photos

Top photo: Gemma-Rose loves to cuddle. Sometimes my youngest daughter still sits on my lap even though she is almost 16! I wonder if any of your big kids like to do that too.

Other photos: Charlotte and Gemma-Rose are arranging the Christmas treats that they baked onto plates.

So, what do you think? Are you interested in sharing what you’ve learnt about parenting and educating young children? Or perhaps you’re looking for a few new ideas to ponder? And does unschooling begin as soon as our kids are born?