When Quinn was around 12 months old, we took a baby sign language class. I was astounded by the comparisons between infants' abilities, the expectation to practice often—even to have babies sign "milk" before breast feeding(!), and the senselessness of the topics. (Wasn't it enough for the babies to know "ball" without knowing 12 different kinds of balls?!) I might have had a different impression if Quinn was a star baby sign student, but it was clear that she had no interest in sitting in circle time or staying on topic and switching stations on cue. I had no desire to try to make her do those things, but it was great fun to see what did catch her interest and how she expressed herself. She was very clear at communicating without "signs"! When I mentioned my dismay at the class and what school pressures might be like if this was already the case for infants, Matthew suggested that we home school. I hadn't considered it and was a bit leery. As I investigated, I quickly found unschooling amongst the home schooling options and AlwaysLearning amongst the unschooling information and fell in love with the possibilities. Matthew was a bit leery of unschooling at first, but we all have embraced the lifestyle at this point and have grown so connected as a result.
I was at Sandra's SUSS, so I look forward to seeing some familiar faces and to meeting new folks too! I'm going to ALL alone this time. This will be my first time away from Quinn overnight, so if I look a little teary at some point that might be why. We will miss each other, but she is super excited about having a "three night slumber party" with Matthew. She has already started planning and decorating. They will have a great time at home as they love their "daddy-daughter time" and neither likes to travel much. I'm excited about having a fun time too. I'm counting down the days to ALL!
Rebecca
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