Thursday, December 8, 2016

Creative Expression

Yesterday was one of our most busiest days because both of the kids have activities to attend.  

Naia has been dancing now for a year.  She started in the summer with Ballet.  This was her first time being guided by someone other than her dad and I.  She did absolutely amazing.  Since then, she has fallen in love with dancing. 

She is now finishing up a season of dance combo: tap, ballet and jazz.  This weekend she gets to show off her abilities in a Christmas dance recital.  Yesterday was her practice on stage.  

Before her class was on stage, she was mesmerized by the other dancers.  They were a lot older than her but she told me she was so excited to continue to dance and get to that level.  😍  It is so amazing to see the passion my kids have for what they love to do.  

Naia will dance around everywhere she goes.  One day she was dancing through the walkway of the store, in her own world.  Carefree and loving every minute of it.  

Everyday, my kids open me up to letting go and playing more.  They teach me how to be true to myself and let my light shine.  I AM so blessed to be able to experience these moments with them.

Here is a picture of Naia on stage.  She is in the middle with the colorful tutu! 


Then right after dance rehearsal, it was time for Ethan's basketball practice!

Ethan has been playing basketball for about 2 years now.  

It has been amazing to watch him grow.  He plays year round and his skills have just been amazing.  In fact, when he practices in the local gym, other teams have tried to recruit him.  

It has been a journey watching him. Each time he shows up for practice, you can see the drive an passion to want to be better and better at what he does.  He loves the physical activity and is learning each and every practice how to hone his skills and communicate with his team.  

When the weather is nice, he will spend a lot of time outside shooting and practicing on his own.  

Here is Ethan last night at practice:



It is amazing to see kids learn so much from their specific interests.

Then last night after we had dinner they decided to play some more.  They have been into creative story play since Thanksgiving.  They will re-inact movie/shows or make up their own stories.  It is very fun to watch and they totally make us laugh with the stuff they come up with!

This is a picture of them re-inacting the Scenes from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  

Meet Maz Kanata & Hans Solo! 😍

 

Oh! Almost forgot!  

Before dance practice, Naia wanted to write out our names on paper.  She was having trouble with the letter M and I showed her a different way to write it.   She soaked up the information and now makes beautiful M's.   

Naia has never been in a school setting.  She learned to write her name and then her brothers name months ago.  

Since then she disects words and even asks how to spell ones she doesn't know.  The process of watching her jump into learning letters because she wants too has been so fun.  


This is all in a days work! 😎


Welcome To Our Unschooling Journey




I'm Stacy and I created this site because as a mom of two beautiful children, Naia (4) and Ethan (8), I wanted to document our journey and life lessons through this new way of living.

We have officially began our unschooling journey in November of 2015.  To be quite honest, I AM so blessed that we took this leap of faith and moved away from the system.

My son only went to school until part way through grade 2.  My husband and I were not a fan of standardize testing that started in grade 3.  So, we were looking for and open to new options.  We were also seeing things happen in school that made us question is this was even the right thing.  

Our son was bullied in 1st grade.  To watch this innocent, beautiful light get dimmed by others was not something we wanted him to go through his entire life.  We all have choices.  To take crap from others or to step away and create an environment that we love to be in.  We choose the latter.

I just love how easy it is to ask a question and BOOM!  Something shows up to help you!  That is when the concept of unschooling became known to me. 

I googled unschooling and immersed myself in information.  Google is such a great learning tool.  :) 

We then go the DVD Being & Becoming and I had my husband watch it with me.  It was exactly what we desired for our kids.  This freedom lifestyle where learning comes through the child's passion and curiosity for this world.  

Of course, we talked to our son about the option to stay in school or try something new.  You know what he picked. 😇 

I know what many may be thinking, how can a child choose his destiny.  There are responsibilities and school is what everyone does.  Well, we are not everyone.  

In fact, since 2006.  I started to wake up that we don't need to just follow the "RULES" of life.  We have choices and we are not meant to sleep walk into a life that people tell us what to do.  

Our children are more than capable to express what they truly desire.  How awesome is that.  

You were a child once.  How would it feel if the adults in your life asked YOU what you desire to do?  What if they believed in you so much that you could create anything in this lifetime?

That is the possibility we are giving our kids!  That is what I desire for them.  

As parents, I feel we are guides.  My kids have just as much say in their life as I have in mine.  

My kids are learning to follow their hearts and create the life they desire! 

That is what I have come to realize after years in school, going to college.  Working in jobs I absolutely LOVED and many I HATED.  Finally finding learning new things by following my passions.  

We get to choose.  Through our choices, when we are enjoying and engaging with them....we LEARN!  

Welcome to our journey!