Life is Learning and Learning is Life...

... and in MY life, I am learning a TONNE.  So much my head is spinning.  I'm exploring many new topics and interests and revisiting some old ones.  As my mind is full of new ideas, my homeschool research has taken a backseat for now.

Here are a taste of some of the ideas filling my brain lately.

1.  Life Learning (aka Unschooling).  I'm daily leaning more and more towards this philosophy of education.  I'm even (gasp!) playing with this philosophy of parenting - although I am nowhere near ready to call myself "radical"!  Oh and the amount of unschooling I need for MYSELF! - I don't think I'll ever be done!

2.  Yoga.  Meditation.  Being present in the now (which I so CAN'T do!!!).  Patanjali's Eight-Fold Path.  The idea of Christian Yoga.

3.  Vegetarianism and natural health.  Time to circle back to this yearly favorite!  I've been cooking LOTS of vegan meals, making my own raw almond milk, my own granola.  Buying Oil of Oregano, edible clay, Goji berries, Cacoa nibs, Coconut Oil, various green liquids and powders.  I haven't got the cold that the rest of the family has!

4.  Parenting.  Oh God - this is the hardest job in the universe!  How and when to discipline.  Learning to LISTEN to them and respect them as little people and not just kids to control.  Realizing the terrifying job of modelling life to them.  Noticing how much I swear, get angry, get irritated, am perfectionistic, disengage and what that *really* communicates to them.  Noticing how insanely task focused I am (and I do mean INSANE) - makes a great worker bee but a shitty mommy.

5.  Distraction.  TV. Internet. Radio. Media. Technology.  The creative process happens when we have a chance to be bored.  I never give myself that chance.  Time to keep the laptop in the basement for the mornings and focus on the kids, on the housework and cleaning, on writing, thinking and reading.  Time to turn the TV off so thoughts, ideas, creativity and LIFE can flow. 

6.  Gratitude.  ENJOY the life I have, right now, in this moment.  Enjoy the kids fighting - at least I have 2 kids to fight with each other.  Enjoy the dishes in the sink - they were just full of food and that is better than most of the world.  Enjoy the husband who is trying to quit smoking for the millionth time - at least he is trying (and meanwhile I can learn the important lessons of being patient, kind, compassionate and able to listen without opening my mouth while he tantrums about craving a cigarette). 

And there's more.  So, my mind is full.  I need to build the habit of getting up before the kids so that I have a chance to process and learn all that is in my head right now!