Our local unschooling group meets weekly, rain or shine…which usually means shine. I think it’s been several months since it’s rained and the idea of escaping the heat for “park day” was too great a temptation. We decided to head up to the mountains for hiking and playing in the stream (or is it a creek?).
Of course, that’s the day it decides to rain. 
It was gorgeous and mild one minute and within moments rain clouds rolled in with the thunder and we sat shivering waiting for an acceptable time to break the news to our children that it was time to go. I won’t say the rain wasn’t appreciated. It was a welcome reprieve from months of dry heat and drought. I do hope when the real summer storms come they drop enough to actually moisten the ground in town.
Park days are an all day event. Preparing and packing – food, water, coolers, extra water, plarn project for me, toys, bikes, folding chairs and blankets. We call ourselves “marathoners” at the park. We pick the best spots because we’ll be there all day. By the time we get home, we’re tired but content, usually a little dehydrated and hungry. Maybe even with a tad bit too much sun or heat. Then there is unpacking and cleaning up and putting it all away for next week. Now we’re relaxing, watching movies on Netflix, eating the rest of our watermelon (too cold to eat in the chilly rain!) and recooperating. It’s a big day but it’s always a good one – running and playing and chatting and reaffirming and laughing and loving and sharing and eating. Good, good days.
***Helen at Homeschool Style Bytes just posted my recipe for unschooling. Her site is full of little “bytes” – snippets of inspiration for unschooling and homeschooling families. Be sure to check it out!
I'm Tara Wagner, life coach and creator of the Digging Deep process, where I coach women out of survival mode to recreate their lives and families.
Our days with our unschooling group sounds very similar. We play hard for the whole day as well, really set down our roots.
I loved your recipe for unschooling!
Would you like to swap? Please? May be for a week? Here in New Zealand all is frost, damp, cold …
Oh, that sounds nice. I wish we had something like that here…everyone is too busy, too important, too many classes signed up for, important places to go, people to meet.
Lucky if many show up at all, from what we’ve seen. That sounds lovely!
Oh how I wish my group here would understand the “marathoner” park day. They all beat out by 5pm, if I am lucky! But we are hanging in there, hoping someone will catch on.
Anne-Marie, I’d be happy to swap! Of course I’m sure within a few days we’d both want to swap back. lol
Miranda, our days are quite as long as they used to be – no 8 or 9 pm departures these days. But still a good 6 hours or so.
We have marathon park days, too. We’ve got our spot at the river. So even when it’s hot (like yesterday), we can always cool off. I don’t know about you, but park days are just as important to me as to my daughter. A much needed connection….
8 & 9 pm!!!!
Miranda it all makes sense now, lol! Sol is definitely down. As we were leaving yesterday he didn’t understand why we would leave with people still there.
I just get so wiped out. I could see it being different when the boys are a little bit older, but having the two of then near the water just tuckers me out.
(and on Wednesday I either have yoga or Birthnet meetings at 5:45)
excuses, excuses!
Where did you guys do this hike? I live in lv also and my soul longs for a hike that includes water!!
Maya, it’s called “Deer Creek Picnic Area”. I’ll email you details!
Love your blog! I got excited to see that you were in Nevada and then discovered you are in Vegas…I live in Reno. Oh well…thank you for the inspiration! smiles, mary
How wonderful you have an unschool group!!
I am back… : )
I just read your recipe for unschooling and I think it was pretty fabulous!!
Be well!
The picture is perfect!
Yay, park day!
We pack up an unbelievable amount of food (and sunscreen and water and extra clothes etc) and the kids are still hungry on the way home.