Since unschoolers have an extensive amount of free time to dive into their interests, it is common for them to be experts in their chosen subjects. For example, my son can tell you everything there is to know about Transformers. I mean everything. He knows all the Autobots and Decepticons ever created, their toy manufacturer including knock off brands and has a good understanding of copyright law. He knows the various comics, cartoons, and movies, what date they were released, who directed which ones, and if their directing matched up to his standards
From a traditional standpoint a parent might ask, “Great, so he knows a lot about his favorite cartoons. How is that going to help him when he’s an adult?”
And here are my thoughts on that: First off, not everything Your child does needs to be for some future career plan. Childhood is not just a practice run for adulthood. But it turns out that children who are allowed to become experts in whatever they are interested in are proving to themselves that they are extremely good at learning. Their natural genius has been given permission to do it’s thing. And that understanding will be super useful as an adult. In my opinion, the core belief that you are a great learner is way more valuable than the actual content of what you are learning. We are developing self esteem and the ability to learn itself.
Now, let’s take the opposite approach: A child is encouraged to learn information that they are not interested in yet. Naturally, it is more challenging to pick up this information. The child then begins to interpret a few things: Either that they are not very good at learning, or that learning is hard and tedious. Although a parent may be more satisfied with the content of what a child has learned (based on our personal biases) the core belief underneath the learning is: Learning is not fun. If I don’t struggle, I will fall behind. Struggling is what I have to do to survive.
Yikes! That’s not a belief I want my child to carry into their adult life. It’s beliefs like this that subtly justify taking a job that doesn’t speak to your heart, or settling for suffering because “that’s just how life is.”
This isn’t natural for us. This is conditioning. If you watch the kids they don’t know how to do anything BUT follow their interests. And If there is one thing I want them to keep in tact it’s their connection to that mysterious stream of excitement that leads them towards the life meant for them. When they get inspired to do something, I want them to know that they have the ability to learn what they need to know in order to do it. While it might involve attention and focus, there doesn’t have to be an energy of suffering to it.
For example, my son learned to read primarily through his interests in gaming and reading transformers comics. He’s not studying comics to be able to read. He’s reading to be able to live the life he desires. So the other day when he mentioned: “I am really good at reading, but not so much at writing.” I responded with something like this: “Remember a few years ago when you were not so good at reading yet? You got really good by seeing how fun being able to read is, and then reading everyday with your friends. You’re a great learner. When you’re ready, I know you can learn anything you want to.”
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