I've been trying to find support on the board that I created. It's called unprocessed learning. I have been posting some of the issues that I'm having with unschooling. One of those issues is finding balance. I've asked how other unschooling parents do everything and still have time with their kids - in particular Radical Unschoolers. I've got no reply so I've resorted to chore lists. The kids don't seem to mind so far. I laminated the lists. They like reading their own chores and checking them off with their favourite colour of marker. They had a say in what is on the list and I have my own chore list as well.
I needed to try these chore lists because it seems that I'm cleaning up after them and doing chores all day long and hardly getting the time I (or they) want me to spend with them, or we are spending a great deal of time together and the house is totaled. Some would say that the time spent with them is more important than how clean the house is, but what they don't realize is that with a messy house it's hard to do anything. We need to find that balance.
It also seems that with moving it takes a long time to find the correct place to put things, my grove for maintaining a house, and keeping up with the needs of the kids. In my experience it takes over a year. It seems like once I find that perfect groove, we move again. It can be so frustrating some days.
If the message board doesn't take off soon, sadly, I will likely delete it. It was started for support but if there is no support on it, I don't see why I should keep moderating it. There are a good number of Canadians on it and I think that makes it more unique than other boards.
5 comments:
I asked for ideas on the Canadian Unschooling Yahoo group and got so many great ideas that I will be trying out. The parents there are so helpful. I also feel better that I'm not the only one who sometimes has a hard time finding balance.
Have you tried posting your forum link on the Yahoo board? I personally prefer a forum format over an email list, by far. :) Though, I'm really weaning off of most online stuff these days so I limit what I read. :S Anyway I do hope you find your balance - I hold firm that the needs of mama and the needs of respecting our home, our time, our things has to take equal priority to following our interests. I know you'll work it out! :)
I hear ya about weaning off. I was too but am back on because of my need for support. I think I did share before, but tend to steer clear of too much link sharing in places like that because I don't want to disrespect their group.
My husband asks the same thing, it is he who does the housework here and it keepos him awake for a good part of the night.he helps out with the girls education during the day but mostly its housework, dishes, animals, ect.If you ever find a solution post it, if it works you might help loads of other families that are finding the balance hard too.Hugs
Someone posted how long it takes to find a groove/balance when you move. It's at least 2.5 years. We lived in our last home over three years and I found a balance just before we moved. I purged many belongings in the last year and a half there and kept rearranging things in our home to try and make it work better. I think that is the key. It'll take time again. Good luck!
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