Schooled To On-line Schooled To Home-schooled To Unschooled and Now!

From generation to generation  learning, was more of a sit still, be quiet, do as your told, and not as you see sort of education, in my experiences. That system did not work for my family; I am the mother of four children and pregnant; during my former uneducated years of life, I pressured my older two children (who are now 9, and 8 both soon to be a year older), to be the best the "School System" said they should be. Only excepting A's and B's, staying up night on night to ensure they were "getting it",  threating and promising trinkets for grade successes; All while, the lack of nurturing in their "God Given Abilities" suffered violently. Instead of my son, TieSere, (who will be a world re-known scientist one day) studying how to perfect his ability to understand nature and physics, he was falling behind in everything but science, because he HAD a lisp,refused to sit still for long periods of time and talked a lot (I wonder who "blessed" him with that talking gift..... hummm).  All the attention was being directed in figuring my child out with little focus on what he was actually focusing on.  Tie Que (pronounced Tie Kwee),  my oldest daughter has always been a pleaser and is going to be a phenomenal creative inventor .  She, was able to pass reading with pretty good grades but was oblivious to the phonics already learned  in her kindergarten and first grade years(which isn't major I "hear", but it was alarming to me).  So in the second grade she was blessed with a "Teacher" that did not believe in only passing children, but ensuring they soared; Every C she earned that year was far more gratifying to me than all the A's prior. However I wanted more..After spending about a year away from my children do to "field training"(another story for another post), I realized the importance I placed on what I learned, was so not worth the sacrifices I made my children endure. I  did some research and soon brought them home, and schooled them with an On- Line Charter School in their second and third grade school years. I soon learned it too was as or more  demanding in us meeting deadlines that were unrealistic considering my children's learning styles and was not at all concerned with what they actually retained. I then decided to do it myself; soon learning I knew very little and we all grew weary and frustrated with "my" demands which ironically were parallel to that of the school institution, however, mine were much more vigorous and too structured ?!GO FIGURE! So I soon began to cease to do anything, giving them a lesson in math became more kitchen measurements, flash card, and computer math games with an occasional worksheet or three."Observing God's World", stayed the same minus the 6 day a week "sit downs". English and grammar became, what do you not know and heres what is should look like.   Social Studies, well, became..... "Who in history are you interested in learning about"? and "We are going to study some of the worlds greatest leaders, in THE BIBLE"! Spelling test were replaced with spelling bees (their choice), tedious book reports became paid book review blogs (I don't pay another company does).... Gym is all day everyday; walking, bike riding, they are active in sports, choirs, and dance ministries. Grades, became, well, no grades. ......and so on and so on and  here and NOW! I am not an anti-school system type. I am however, a PRO-NURTURER, and nurturing has caused my children to flourish in  areas I could have never imagined. Our days are now filled with more strengths, while learning to improve our weak areas and stay balanced wrapped in day long love! I thank God for trusting and teaching me to be peculiar and to enjoy the journey and not resent it.