Enjoy and Bless

I’m always hesitant to share my concerns regarding our current education system knowing that I have friends who are teachers and friends who rely on public education out of necessity. I don’t have answers for society as a whole, and I would never claim that our family’s path should be everyone’s path. But I do believe unschooling is a valuable option that should be made available as a choice to all. 

I recognize that our family circumstances are quite unlike most American families. We are a two parent household that is comfortably supported by one salaried income. We are blessed with this position by a combination of personal choices, intentionality, and hard work, as well as unearned privilege and uncontrollable circumstances. I might not see myself as a teacher, but finding experiences, curating resources, and learning the unique wiring of my children takes time – time that many parents simply don’t have. 

Unschooling works for our family because we spend our days together. I would not be able to enjoy this lifestyle if I needed to earn money by working a full-time job. And if I was called to a career that kept me from spending most of my time with our children, there aren’t a whole lot of self-directed learning environments where we live (or anywhere in the US really). I recognize that in our society as it is today, not everyone is free to choose an unschooling path. Access is highly unequal. Today, unschooling is a privilege. I hope someday it may become a right. 

My dream is for all children, no matter their family situation, to be offered the opportunity to pursue self-education, to learn for the love of learning, and to discover and follow a path uniquely aligned with who God designed them to be. This is possible outside of homeschooling. And there are schools in our country today built around these goals. But not many. And none that I know of that are publicly funded. 

I’m currently at a conference with my husband’s work and a speaker shared this quote from Warren Buffet: “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

Perhaps if families and voices like mine begin to speak up and share our stories more widely, seeds may be planted for the future. Perhaps someday our education system won’t be driven by tests and grades and pressure and checking boxes. Perhaps someday each child will be respected and valued and celebrated for the unique gifts they bring to the table instead of being asked to fit into the standard mold. To me, that’s a future worth fighting for.