My handy Dandy checklist

I read in I think the Juggling blog recently that pure unschooling is very hard on the records.  Some states require that you record what you are doing and often even for how long.  Nothing makes me appreciated NC's 'light' regulations quite like reading up on other states.  Though I still wish the government would keep their noses out of my family affairs.

So if I had to keep track of what we were doing for education, I would prolly revolt and not do it.  Though I am capable of writing up an afternoon of free time in 'edu-speak' but I am also very lazy.

The half of me that loves letting the kids be free and letting them choose their own pursuits would be all for skipping the checklists, and letting the kids do whatever they wanted (after chores).

The half of me that is Type A and worries constantly that I am not doing a good enough job, and the kids will turn into teens before we get the basics covered.  That part needs something to keep her happy.

Anyway.  Back to my checklist.  That little todo list over on the sidebar is my type A assurance that we really are covering enough.  Sometimes I start comparing it to the full list of what could be done if I really devoted 6 hours a day to formal work, but there is no way my kids would sit that long (and quite frankly neither would I!)

So the morning is for working on that nice straightforward checklist, and the afternoon is for free time.  Evenings are generally for scouts, music or better yet relaxing days at home.

Though if you want to know one of my dirty little secrets, I have a complete excel spreadsheet of just what they will cover and when.  Even Little One is on there.  Being a spread sheet I can easily adjust it if they learn to read early, or finish math late.  Though I am more likely to lose the original and start over.  Something I have done multiple times.