As the refugee issue has heated to a boil in our country, my girls have formed their own opinions on the matter. They decided to do something to make refugees in our country feel more welcome. They, practically on their own, organized a holiday drive for the refugee center closest to us. After about…
I posted recently about what, in my opinion, is the hardest thing about unschooling. Today, I wanted to share a snapshot of the best thing: joyful learning. Learning that changes and expands horizons. Learning that sticks. This little 9-year-old wants to build things. Ever since she saw Handy Manny at age 4, she has wanted…
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” – W.B. Yeats Spring is a magical time. Life returns after a long sleep. We took a hike on a little-known trail the other day. Our path led us up the side of the mountain and round a bend, right…
We make it into Yellowstone at least once a week right now. It requires a lot more effort than in the warmer months, but it is worth it. From the moment I enter those borders, I am home. (This is Richie, the girls’ hiking mascot. Every kid should have a mascot, don’t you think?) :)…
I think that one of the best and easiest ways to open the minds of your children to new thoughts, new ideas, and new places comes through reading. I believe that reading opens the door to more interests and ideas and concepts than anything else. Take the past 24 hours, for example. I love to…
I’m back. I’ve been absent from this space for such a long time. Our family has been on a grand adventure, one that I learned so much from that it will take a lifetime to fully appreciate. We spent 8 months in an RV, traveling and exploring, pursuing dreams and adventures. Each place we go,…
If there is anything that Yellowstone has taught us, it is patience. Quiet, pleasant patience. That things take time, and sometimes the time is long and that rushing does no good. Last week, it rained and rained. And rained. It was wonderful. I am grateful for ponchos and sweatshirts. The chilly weather gave us a…
You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically, to say “no” to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger “yes” burning inside. — Stephen R. Covey I’ve been thinking a lot about my life and my priorities lately…my life over the past few…
Some people talk about play as if it were a relief from serious learning or even worse: a waste of time. But for children, play is exceedingly serious…and important! In fact, play is a way for children to learn who they are, how the world works, solve problems, and to express feelings. Yes, play is…
The purpose, for us, of going out into nature isn’t just to learn about nature. It’s to open our minds. The other day, we were hiking up to a lake in the mountains, and though we noticed lichen on rocks and wildlife in hollowed out logs and streams that rolled down from mountain lakes, our…
We’ve recently begun letterboxing, and we have had so much fun so far! Here is the basic idea: Find a letterboxing site or app (boxfinder, clue tracker, and box radar are a few) to help you locate a letterbox, or a trail of letterboxes. Each child (and adult) needs a book (notebooks or bare books…
Many people have asked me what our days look like. Some days are spent at the top of mountains. Some days are spent at home, working together on something new. Some days are spent at the library or museum, lost in imagination and wonder. Some days are full of discovery. Some days are filled with…