Monday was the first day of school in our district. While other kids were waking up early, excited or not, maybe in a rush to get out the door or nervous about the day, Zeb was enjoying a sleepover with a friend and celebrating what would have been the start of another school year (I lost count what grade) with a breakfast of brownies and a morning of games.
When he came home we went out to get chow from The Tortoise Group. He played with a 27 year old tortoise about a foot in diameter, fed him flowers and learned how to look into a deep burrow using a mirror.
Nothing out of the ordinary. Just another day, relaxed and easy. No interruption to the flow of our continuing summer. No school clothes needed, no stressing over lunches (although we do indulge in the sales of crayons, notebooks and markers). Life just continues on as normal for us, with a few less people at the parks or museums.
We celebrated our Annual Not Back To School party with our local friends yesterday at a great park. Water features, swings, slides, merry-go-rounds, water guns and balloons, and loads of playful silliness until after the sun went down. Not much different than our regular weekly get-togethers. 
I love unschooling. Do I say that enough? It’s true. I love every minute of it, even the challenging parts. I love that my child is in “the real world” every moment of every day. I love that his learning happens so naturally. I love that our life together isn’t dictated by someone else’s schedule or agenda. It simply flows and rocks and whirls and progresses as organically as it should.
Life is good!
For more "Not Back To School" reading: An Unschooling Plan? Kids Learn Best When They're Young My Case For Unschooling
My name is Tara. I am a mama and a lover, a full-time nomad, a passionate devourer of Life and an Organic Life Coach.
It is good when you find something that fits your family!
I think that people do the best they can with the resources and knowledge they have…and not all that send their kiddo’s to public school are cut out to homeschool/unschool their kiddo’s…definitely speaking from experience!
I envy those that can do it! As a good friend said to me once…”All children can benefit from homeschooling/unschooling, but NOT all parents can homeschool/unschool!”
“although we do indulge in the sales of crayons, notebooks and markers”
Me too.
Heehee, I love that stuff.
Beautiful pictures! I can’t wait until I have kids.
Looks like a fun day!
How great to see our friends at our old fav park when we lived in BC. Gotta say, I love unschooling for the freedom and flexibility and unexpected deep lessons like Trust and Respect and Patience. Mostly I love the connection with my kids and watching them discover new things about the world and themselves. Priceless!
If only Silas and I had a group here, friends, anyone. As summer comes to a close, we’ve been burrowing, the both of us… digging deeper and deeper into our respective holes.
We are unschoolers in a sea of school-at-homers. I run a group in our area, made of all sorts but no other unschoolers. They don’t get the NBTSP at all. Sigh. I wish we were still in Austin where there were more life learners.
Your party looked very fun!!!
Molly
Great post! I love the titles on the pictures. Every year around the time school starts we go camping. Watching my boys in that context, I always feel profoundly grateful for unschooling too. It’s a wonderful way to start the not-back-to-school year.
I like the idea of camping Leah… We are going to the beach this fall… I lOVE the flexibility unschooling provides. We can take a vacation whenever we want and benefit from off season rates as well …hehehe.
I love the idea of having a party though… I might have to copy that
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So great to hear your choices are working out for your family. And great to see the support you have have there. What a fab day.
we are just begining on our unschooling journey working with the Enki ciriculum – this is a great post to help me envision how things can and will be down the line! This day looks fabulous!
The way it should be. Lovely!
Last year was our first year homeschooling and I felt really strange and oddly guilty when public school commenced (especially since my husband works for the school system). This year, I feel grateful and sort of giddy with happiness!
We are going to celebrate Tuesday with a trip to the water park…it should be fairly quiet with most other kiddos in school. Who can pass up crayons??? Not me. See you over at Not Dabbling…Kim
I’ve been feeling so drawn to the idea of unschooling lately. I wonder if I could get my husband on board with the idea.
I love the photos of the kids…..all individuals with their own “style,” all ages getting along and playing so well together!
What a great way to celebrate “not back to school!”
Lisa