Your Homeschool Stories: Interview with my boys

I read a great blog post from Happiness is Here.  She interviewed her girls and asked all about their unschooling experience.  I decided to interview my boys too as I was curious to hear their answers. I had their permission to share. So here is what my boys ages 5.5 and 7.5 had to say about our homeschool experience...

How do you like to spend your day? What do you do all day?

MJ: I have breakfast... and then I play

TJ: I really like to play.  Some of the things I am interested in right now and playing with is doing tow truck things. I can’t think of other things.  I am playing with MJ a little recently.

Do you know what homeschooling is?

MJ: Homeschooling is when your mom is the teacher, and you um... homeschool.

TJ: It’s like you are at home. It’s not really school because you get to play and stuff.  Mommy is the teacher and she teaches you things.

Do you know what unschooling is?

MJ: I don’t know

TJ: It’s sort of like you are at home and sitting around. You just play and don’t do school stuff and you don’t learn much. (Mommy laughing in the background!)

How do you learn without going to school?

MJ: I learn from my mom.

TJ: What you can do is you can learn on your own.  You can learn and discover stuff your own way.  It is more fun than people telling you that thing.

What do you like about homeschooling?

MJ: I like that we don’t have to go to school and send in papers.

TJ: I like that you can go outside and play with your toys and do projects.  You don’t have to sit at school and learn stuff, you can actually do your own things.

Is there anything you don’t like about unschooling?

MJ was tired of answering questions

TJ: Hmm nothing that I can think of right now.

Some people think that kids need to go to school otherwise they won’t learn everything they need to know.  What do you think about that?

MJ: No (You don’t have to go to school to learn).

TJ: I think that is not really it.  Like I said about unschooling, you can actually learn on your own or you can have your mom tell you and have you learn stuff.

How do you know what you need to learn?

MJ: I can learn with mommy

TJ: You don’t really know what you need to learn, but you can just figure it out. And as you get older you figure out more stuff.  And your parents can help you learn.

Should all kids learn the same things?

MJ: Yea… everyone should be learning about God. (We are a Christian family)

TJ: Not necessarily but they can if they really want.

How can you tell that you’ve learned enough about something?

MJ: I know when I’ve done it already. (Like if you’ve already heard that piece of information before)

TJ: When you think so. When you think you’ve learned for quite awhile about something.  When you think you have learned a lot about this subject and then you can move on to another thing.

What do you want people to know about homeschooling or how kids learn?

MJ: I don’t want to answer this question! I don’t know about it. (I love his independence)

TJ: I don’t really have anything in mind, but I want them to know that kids don’t have to go to school to learn.

Would you like to go to school?

TJ: Not really, but it would be cool to go and see what it is like.

What do you like about being home with mommy?

  

MJ: Because I get to learn new things.

TJ: I like that I can stay home and do our own thing. At school they have the same routine all the time and at home we can sort of switch it up.

Out on a walk with shower caps on in the rain

I just love their honest answers.  TJ's description of unschooling had me laughing.  Clearly they don't know the labels of the different methods of homeschooling.  They just live life.  What I noticed is how important play was to the boys along with doing their own thing.  I feel good knowing that my boys are enjoying childhood (which is all to short by the way). They are confident, curious and independent thinkers.

This is the first in series of blog posts called Your Homeschool Stories.  I'll be having homeschoolers from all over guest post.  They will be writing about their own homeschool experience.  If you would like to write a guest post too just email me.

As always I'd love for you to join us on Facebook or Google+

This post is linked to 
Mama Moments Monday
Inspire Me Monday

Fun in February

Looking back over the photos of the last month we really have been blessed.  We have so much fun and have many amazing opportunities.  I always say this, but we do so much more than photos can capture...

Super awesome Geode kit the boys got for Christmas

I'm keeping it real here with you all. Although there were some amazing highlights, January and the beginning of February have been hard months here at home.  The boys have been testing us, pushing the limits, and fighting a lot!  I think Jon and I were hitting a breaking point.  Things needed to change.  Thankfully my mom invited the boys and I to join her and my older sister in Collingwood for a week. 

Full car, ping pong, lots of smiles

Swimming, being silly and going for walks

I am so grateful for my mom and sister for jumping in there and helping me with the boys.  They are a lot of work some days especially when my nerves are shot.  The trip was much needed.  We took Zumba classes, swam often, visited the recreation centre and played!  

Coming home again I made some changes to our daily rhythm.  Added in lots more exercise and outside time.  Dance parties are regular features of our week.  The boys are understanding more about how physical activity is important for them.  We've also tried out less screen time and at least TJ agrees that he sees the difference it is making.

Lots of fun exploring outside

We have been on some field trips this past month.  The boys are really into potty humour so I suggested we actually get some book from the library on poop.  Fascinating subject really!  We have learned more on the subject of poop, toilets than I thought possible.

Brothers hanging together

Baby JJ is no longer a little baby.  He is crawling (inch worming) all over the house.  He loves to play with whatever his bothers have out.  JJ is super attached to me and chases me down when I leave the room.  He lets us know often if he needs to potty, has his first tooth, is eating (a lot) and loves his big brothers!!

I finally feel like I can breath.  We are getting back on top of things around here.  So now I'm going to get back back into regular blogging (hopefully).

Do check us out on Facebook for more fun!

New Blog Post Series

Okay I've been wanting to do a series for a while now so lets get this going!!

This will be an ongoing series of real stories from homeschoolers (someone help me come up with an awesome name!!).  Topics might include why, how, your method or curriculum choices, homeschooling and working, special needs, your faith and homeschooling, homeschooling with a baby, forest schooling, unschooling, minimalist homeschooling etc...

You don't need to have a blog, although it'd be awesome if you do.  I can't compensate but I'll do my best to spread the word on social media.

email me at jaj_mrg@yahoo.ca if you're interested.

First up in the series I'll be interviewing my boys to ask them all about their thoughts on homeschooling!!